::sighs contentedly:: I love a good ghost story. I really do. For anyone who knows me, particularly if they knew me growing up, this fact might seem a little odd considering how utterly TERRIFIED of pretty much everything I was as a child. But as I have grown into adulthood, I have garnered a predilection for stories odd and creepy and supernatural in nature. Not necessarily violent or disturbing ala Chuck Palahniuk, but a legit supernatural GHOST story? Count me in, I'm all aboard the spooky train to chillsville. 
 That being said, The Winter People is not that scary of a story. It didn't give me nightmares or infuse within me a desperate fear of the dead come back to walk the earth. No, The Winter People is instead the type of ghost story one would expect to be passed down generation after generation, becoming a fixture in local folklore with its own special supernatural magic. 
 The book follows two differing timelines, one in 1908 with the story of Sara Harrison Shae, her husband Martin and their young daughter Gertie, one in present day following sisters Ruthie and Fawn who now live in Sara's old house and whose mother is missing. Cutting back and forth between these two voices, we learn from different POVs along with recetitations from Sara's diary about the tragedies that befell Sara and how exactly her actions and life is tied in with Ruthie and Fawn. 
 I've seen people compare the concept of "sleepers" (dead brought back to life through a magic incantation according to local legend) with Stephen King's "Pet Sematary." I have not read that book, having a love hate relationship with some of Mr. King's work so the comparison did not bother me any. To me, The Winter People felt more like its own special folklore than a story borrowed from a more famous horror writer. Also, given Mr. King's tendencies towards more causational violent stories (not necessarily on Palahniuk levels in terms of gore but more of violence befalls those who are responsible for wrong doings/disturbing the supernatural/etc) I do not feel that the comparison is wholly accurate. The Winter People has its moments of violence to be sure. There is a threat in the woods and "accidents" befall people in both timelines but it feels less like a moral judgement on the victim's character and more simply an animalistic result of the supernatural being in our world. 
 My main criticisms are due to the overall reveal of the cause of all of Sara's problems. It was believable enough but garnered a "::sighs:: really? okay..." reaction in me. It wasn't necessarily disappointing but I wished it had been different. I also felt that the character of Candace was a little flat and served mainly as a plot point to get characters from point A to point B. I also was a tad disappointed that Mimi the doll was just a doll. WHAT??? WE HAVE A LITTLE 8 YEAR OLD GIRL IN A SPOOKY HOUSE TALKING TO HER RAG DOLL THAT TALKS BACK TO HER AND ITS A REGULAR DOLL??? My mind boggles at the lack of demonic doll possession. No Mimi subplot at all, just a weird little girl talking to her doll I AM DISAPPOINTED. 
 ::ahem:: 
 Anyway, The Winter People was a particularly wonderful ghost story. I listened to it on audiobook which I think greatly enhanced the experience. Given that it felt like a folktale, having it read aloud to me made perfect sense and added to the overall effect. I definitely will be looking to purchase this in the future.