Book Review: I Am Winter by Denise Brown

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Summer and Cee are neighbours and growing up in the vicinity have become best friends. In fact, Summer actually looks up to Cee. She also has a secret crush on Cee's brother. 

One day in an attempt to have a little fun, the girls get into a car with a couple of boys and take some pills. The car meets with an accidents and Cee dies from a cardiac arrest. Summer is devastated by the loss of her best friend. She feels guilty as well to be alive instead of Cee who she thought had the zest for life.  Gradually the social media begins to turn into a bullying ground which begins to torment and trouble Summer. Adding to her woes, the townspeople also start bullying Summer making her life miserable. How Summer lives through these testing times and how she comes out on the other side of this avalanche of feelings is what comprises the story.

The author writes Summer's story quite emphatically. Summer's pain as a young adult who has lost the one person, they thought knew them inside out, is palpable through I Am Winter. Brown has worked hard on making sure that you experience bullying in this work of fiction and feel its impact on the bullied. An applause worthy attempt to make sure that if any reader of I am Winter is ever tempted so, Summer's story might prevent them from taking that path.

The other characters are done well too. I find the stories which are able to see the grays always more stirring.We are all results of our circumstances. They shape us and drive us to act the way we do. But that can never be an excuse to change or control vile things that bubble within us.

This YA novel has my heart and Summer and Brown, all my love. 

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