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Winter Animals

‘Remarkable – think THE SECRET HISTORY written by Raven Leilani’ Jenny Mustard

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Winter Animals

By: Ashani Lewis
Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow
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A seductive, sapphic debut about the power of youthful idealism from an exciting young award-winning writer

In one of America's Happiest Cities, Elen is trapped under the shadow of the snow-capped Cascade Mountains. Her husband has left her. Her belongings are in the boot of her car. Her days are filled mostly with silence and drinking. When she meets four English teenagers in an empty bar, she is enamoured.

The teenagers are wealthy squatters, drifting between ski resorts and breaking into empty AirBnBs. As they welcome Elen into their group, she senses a violent secret that fuels the four's never-ending disappearing act, simmering beneath the well-oiled machine of their socialist bliss.

Vibrant and cultish, they force Elen to ruminate on the irresistible pull of bright young things. She cannot understand what they want from her - but why would Elen leave when she has nowhere else to go?

A dark meditation on the dangers and seductive power of youthful idealism, and the slippages between friendship and love, Winter Animals is an extraordinary debut examining freedom, friendship, desire, and excess.

(P)2024 Little Brown Book Group Limited for and on behalf of Dialogue Books©2024 Ashani Lewis Family Life Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Psychological Fiction
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Critic reviews

Excellent . . . Ashani Lewis is superbly talented. (Katherine Rundell)
A remarkable novel: atmospheric as hell, beautiful, and delightfully intelligent. Its unique sentences sparkle with energy. Think The Secret History written by Raven Leilani. I devoured it and am left wanting more, Ashani Lewis is a rare talent! (Jenny Mustard, author of OKAY DAYS)
Thoughtful, intelligent and beautifully written . . . Lewis is definitely a new talent to watch. ('We’ve found the best books of 2024 to curl up with')
A talented writer . . . Winter Animals is a dreamlike, piercing examination of privilege, youth and freedom. (Cecile Pin, author of WANDERING SOULS)
Beautiful writing ('From nuptial nerves to a tiger in Tbilisi — the best new debut fiction')
A glittering, dark-edged tale of snow, hedonism, passion, friendship and squatting that explores what happens when a group of rich kids attempt to live out their questionable utopian ideals. Exhilarating and fabulous, I raced through it. (Priscilla Morris, author of BLACK BUTTERFLIES)
Compelling
A debut full of ideas. I have the sense that this is the first of many new worlds. (Sophie Dickinson)
All stars
Most relevant
“Winter Animals” had the makings of a compelling novel; dark idealism, utopian fantasies, and the allure of reckless youth, but ultimately failed to deliver. While there were flashes of atmospheric writing, the book felt aimless, with underdeveloped characters, a meandering plot, and themes that never fully materialized. The group of wealthy, hedonistic teens lacked depth, and Elen’s journey never led anywhere meaningful. The novel tried to be profound but often came across as pretentious, with unresolved ideas and a frustratingly abrupt ending. Moments of promise were overshadowed by monotony (endless skiing) and gratuitous animal cruelty that served no real purpose. Despite its shortcomings, Ashani Lewis shows potential as a writer, but this debut needed stronger execution and editorial guidance.

Missed Potential

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