Lianne
Written on Feb 26, 2015
Ariana Franklin brings the bleakness of this period of English history to life in this novel: the horrors fo the war, the effect of siege tactics, the politics of the time…The characters, especially those in some position of power, find themselves facing difficult choices to make. And then there’s characters like Em; it was absolutely brutal what she went through, and it’s a wonder how she was able to survive afterwards. The interweave between the “present” of 1180 AD and events of 1141 AD with the siege was interesting, adding a sense of mystery to what happened in the story and why this event was especially important.
I found the writing in this novel a little strange; at times it seemed like the narrative was directly talking to the reader, but couldn’t quite decide which narrative style to ultimately take. I’m not sure if this might have been the result of Samantha Norman also finishing the edits, but it made for a rather jarring experience while reading. I also honestly found some parts pretty boring, and found myself caring more about Gwil and Em’s journey more than anyone else’s. Gwil himself was an intriguing character, how he was rather reluctant in taking care of Em after the attack and growing to care for her like she was his own daughter.
Overall, The Siege Winter was an interesting read. If you enjoyed Ariana Franklin’s other novels and mystery novels set in medieval England, you may enjoy this title.