Book Review: Windswept

Over the last year or so, I’ve gotten into the habit of downloading book samples of anything I come across as recommended that seems even mildly interesting. They sit in big pile on my kindle, and once I finish reading something, I browse the samples to see if something catches my interest, and if it does, I’ll read the sample. If the sample is to my liking, I get the book.

That’s how I came across Windswept.

I know someone recommended it, and it might have been the author, but I can’t recall, and it doesn’t really matter. I’d downloaded it, so there must have been something interesting about it, and now (two days ago) was the time to check it out.

I’m glad I did.

On the surface, this is a fairly standard fantasy adventure, and if I were to describe the plot, it’d probably sound a bit like “village boy has special powers and saves the day.” Yes, that’s a bit dismissive, but that’s because I want to highlight that even with a pretty standard plot, you can still tell an amazing and heartwarming story. You can still bring a world to life, even if it’s not the pinnacle of originality and invention.

This isn’t to say that the plot doesn’t have its twist, or that the world is dull, only that there are other (and better) reasons to read this book, but first…

What I’ll whine about:

In the second half of the book, there are a few chapters (one at a time, not all at once) dedicated to telling the backstory of one of the supporting characters. I’m sure there’s a reason for this, but by the time I got to these chapters, I was so eager to find out more about what happened to Fox that I skimmed through them as quickly as I could.

What I’ll gush about:

This is a winter warmer. I’m not sure there’s a better term to describe it.

Outside, the real world is cold and rainy and miserable in all kinds of ways, and this book is a little beacon of hope and warmth.

The village where most of the story takes place is located in a cold, harsh, and inhospitable part of the world, where everyday life is a constant struggle for survival. This could have lead to the story and its characters being mean and cruel, but it doesn’t. Instead, it creates a small community filled with warmth and kindness, where people care for, look after, and rely on each other.

Sure, there are exceptions, but they’re on the edge of the story, not smack in the middle.

As escapism goes, this is awesome. It’s a book to bundle up with and forget all the troubles and just go on an adventure. It doesn’t have to be so serious.

There’s that spark of magic, that hint of adventure beyond the mountains, and there’s a tiny seed of a romance that I can’t wait to see what it grows into.

Final Words

If the world rests heavy on your shoulders, read this.