Book Review: The Steep and Thorny Way by Cat Winters @catwinters

Cat Winters has solidified her place on my "must read" list with The Steep and Thorny Way. Billed as a reimagining of Hamlet, the story kept me enthralled.

It's the1920s and Hanalee is out to avenge the death of her father. When the kid who went to prison for hitting Hanalee's father with his car is released, Hanalee comes after him with a pistol. He convinces Hanalee that he's not the murderer. That he was framed. That Hanalee's new stepfather, the doctor, is the real killer.

Hanalee begins to investigate, including a couple of visits with the ghost of her father. Turns out, the story is much more complicated. Hanalee's father is black and her mother is white. The Ku Klux Klan has a strong presence in 1920s Oregon and they do not accept Hanalee or any other person of color.

I don't want to say too much about what happens. The tension mounts, as Hanalee begins to understand the truth about her father's death, and she finds herself in great danger because of it.

Winters writes characters that you can't help but sympathize with. It's easy to think the worst of people, but in some cases that's not the truth. And, of course, sometimes those we trust turn out to be the worst! The Steep and Thorny Way is a multilayered story that I couldn't put down. I wasn't really sure about what happened until it was revealed.

I will recommend this to my students along with Winters' other novels, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, The Cure for Dreaming, and The Uninvited. I gave them all 5/5 ratings.

Published by Amulet, March 8, 2016
eARC obtained from NetGalley
352 pages

Rating: 5/5

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Book Review: The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters @catwinters

I really enjoy how Cat Winters blends a historical story with serious issues of the time period and adds a bit of magic or something supernatural. In The Cure for Dreaming she explores the suffragette movement of the early 1900s and uses hypnotism.

Olivia has been hypnotized at a Halloween show. Also, earlier on that day, she participated in a demonstration trying to get women the right to vote. Her father, a popular dentist, gets angry with Olivia because he is losing customers because of her behavior. He hires the hypnotist, Henri, to hypnotize Olivia so that she loses her desire for independence and conforms to the norms of the day.

The hypnotism has some unintended consequences, and Henri feels bad. But he needs the money Olivia's father has promised him because his sister is very ill and needs an operation. He promises to undo the damage after he gets paid. But Olivia can't wait. She' been put in danger, since the only thing she can say when she gets angry is "all is well."

Olivia's father wants Henri to hypnotize Olivia in front of a lot of people at a party to show that hypnotism can crush the suffragette movement. She and Henri come up with a plan to convince some people that women should have more rights, while allowing Olivia to escape from her father's grasp. They do become close romantically, but this relationship doesn't take over the story.

I rarely comment on covers, but this cover is perfect. It's beautiful, catches your eye, and is absolutely appropriate for the story. You CAN judge this book by its cover!

The Cure for Dreaming is such a quick read. Probably because I just couldn't put it down. The characters are compelling, and I really rooted for Olivia. I thought she was smart and made good decisions. Henri is a great character too. And the mix of history and the element of hypnotism just sealed the deal. I can't wait to see what Winters comes up with next.

What a great way for teens to learn about life for women in the early 1900s. They will certainly be entertained by this story. Pair this one with A Mad Wicked Folly, which covers the suffragette movement in England. Recommend this well-written story to anyone who is interested in historical fiction.

Published by Amulet Books, October 14, 2014
eARC obtained from NetGalley
368 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 5/5

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