There are people who want to save him and others who want to use him for their own ends. But Sid has a past that won’t let go of him. Life forced him into it yet he thinks he’s too far gone to save.

Since he’s the hero, he has to have an inner core of goodness and not be beyond redemption so we learn that Sid never wanted to be a criminal. But he also inspires unswerving loyalty from those he’s helped and those he leads. We see how he’s feared by fellow criminals and the police and how he can be ruthless when anyone invades his turf. It’s a heartless world where only the strong survive and one of it’s strongest men is Sid Malone. First we get a glimpse of the East London world inhabited by not only the poorest of citizens but also gangsters, crooks, and thieves. However it was the three and under ones I chose to read and I found that they eerily mirrored my thoughts on this book.įor me “The Winter Rose” began as an enthralling trip back to the past. Reviews ran heavily towards five and four stars. As I read it, I unfortunately found that that type of reader is not who I am anymore.Īfter a trip over to the Big Internet Bookstore to check out reviews of the prequel to this novel, “The Tea Rose,” I found that a lot of readers must want to read this genre again or for the first time. That is if they really want to read this type book again. Readers who have longed for a return to the sprawling sagas of days past will rejoice, I think.

Not only because of the length but also because of the plot and intensity of the read. It’s the type of book that requires a big time commitment from a reader. 700+ pages of trade paperback sized book to be exact. When I opened the package containing the arc of your latest book “The Winter Rose” I gulped. Jayne Book Reviews / C Reviews / C Reviews Category / Ebooks 20th century / across the tracks / crime / London / medicine / saga 26 Comments JanuREVIEW: The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly