Winter Loon

A Novel

By: Susan Bernhard

Narrated by: Vikas Adam

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

A haunting debut novel about family and sacrifice, Winter Loon reminds us of how great a burden the past can be, the toll it exacts, and the freedom that comes from letting it go.

Abandoned by his father after his mother drowns in a frozen Minnesota lake, fifteen-year-old Wes Ballot is stranded with coldhearted grandparents and holed up in his mother’s old bedroom, surrounded by her remnants and memories. As the wait for his father stretches unforgivably into months, a local girl, whose own mother died a brutal death, captures his heart and imagination, giving Wes fresh air to breathe in the suffocating small town.

When buried truths come to light in the spring thaw, wounds are exposed and violence erupts, forcing Wes to embark on a search for his missing father, the truth about his mother, and a future he must claim for himself - a quest that begins back at that frozen lake.

A powerful coming-of-age story, Winter Loon captures the resilience of a boy determined to become a worthy man by confronting family demons, clawing his way out of the darkness, and forging a life from the shambles of a broken past.

©2018 Susan Bernhard. (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Beautifully written but rather depressing

This coming of age story is beautifully written in metaphor and allegory but it is hard to stick with because it is depressing.

Gifted author!!

I tend to enjoy books that are uplifting. This is one of the saddest most heart wrenching books I’ve ever read and I read a book a day, so have many to compare. Having said this, I could not stop reading this book once I started. The author is very gifted in her ability to describe a situation and establish a mood.

How much grief can one man take?

Wes Ballot doesn't come from much, but he thought he knew where he stood. At least until his mother drowned in an awful accident while his father slept off a bender in jail and the worse part was he saw the whole thing. Wes is then dropped off with his hard luck grandparents in Minnesota whom he's only seen twice his whole life prior. His dad promises to come back. Wes meets people, gets into trouble, falls in love, finds a somewhat content place, but it's not long before fate intervenes and he learns a horrible family secret. Now with nowhere else to go, he's searching for his father: the one who deserted him for almost a year. This isn't an easy story to get through, but once it gets going, it goes. Through all the sadness and pain, life keeps going. Does Wes find what he's looking for? Do any of us? Decent story, but the plot hits those of us already wondering if all the bad people in your life suddenly did you a kindness by leaving you behind, trust that that was the one kindness they've done for you.

Great Story

The narrator is easy to listen to. The story was really good. I appreciated the details.

Excellent ending

Not a happy book, but a good one. A view of humanity, when love is twisted and mistakes are weapons. Family history is clearest in hindsight.

Solid 5 Stars 🌟 All The Way Around!

My, what a great story! About family, and love, and forgiveness, coming of age, and more. So well written….a real gem of a find on Kindle Unlimited with narration, no less. If you subscribe to KU, please do not pass this one up!

My only wonder is why doesn’t such an exceptional book such as this become a best seller?? At any rate, take advantage of this exceptional bargain while you can!

Daddy Issues

Just a never ending story about a teen with daddy issues. I kept thinking, 'When's it end?' Interesting enough to keep me going but it was just meh.

Very depressing story

I had a hard time deciding to listen to the complete book because the story is so depressing

Don't listen to the nonsense reviews

This is an outstanding book! from beginning to end it will draw you in and make it hard to stop listening. It's one you'll be thinking about long after the final pages. HOWEVER....If adult subject matter ( sex, language, abuse) are topics you cannot handle, then skip it and listen to something else! It's better than leaving a bad review for a hauntingly beautiful book.

Heavy

Wrenching story. Abject sadness articulated beautifully by a skillful author. The reader is right there with the characters and their desolate lives. Not for everyone- but I loved it.