Review of The Coldest Winter Ever (Mass Market Paperback)

"The Coldest Winter Ever," by Sister Souljah is a gritty street fable with a lesson to be told.Sister Souljah deserves a lot of recognition for making a point in the vein of Malcom X and Richard Wright's "Native Son."To break the cycle of negative consequence, it takes some tough choices; choices seemingly unglamorous but in the interest of greater humanity necessary.

To tip my hand, reading this book was a stretch for me.I was recommended this book by a young African-American single Mom colleague as one of the best books she has read.Myself, being a middle-aged boring married Caucasian guy recommended to her "Catch 22."What speaks to you is a reflection of where you come from...your experiences.So, she read Catch 22 and I read "The Coldest Winter Ever."I'm not sure how much she got out of her reading assignment but Souljah's book was a mind-broadening experience.

The tale of Winter Santiago, daughter of a successful gang lord drug dealer, is one of a young adult, street-wise beyond her years moving from having her known world at her fingers to one of survival and destitution is a cautionary tale of the choices we make and the consequences we learn to live with.Winter, though a sympathetic character, makes cold choices that in her mind will lead to things in life she considers important...money, clothes, control, possessions.Sister Souljah has a way of weaving the reader into the tale without being heavy-handed with the message she speaks to.

Usually the aspect of literature that draws me in is the writing, and I believe with this book Souljah was still trying to find her voice as a writer.Some of the language comes off as hackneyed and still yearns to be peppered with originality.All is forgiven though as Souljah displays other strengths in a writer's bag of tricks such as characterization and plot.

Recommend "The Coldest Winter Ever," to a young adult struggling with difficult choices in life on the streets.It is just the vehicle to hold and grab their attention, while delivering a message of caution.In the end, Winter can't find it within herself to pass on her tough lessons learned, but Souljah has found a way to speak that much needed voice.
--MMW



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