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Winter Animals

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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.

©2024 Ashani Lewis (P)2024 Little Brown Book Group Limited for and on behalf of Dialogue Books Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Psychological Fiction
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“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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