Winter Passing

It's hard to believe this is Cindy Martinusen's first book. Winter Passing is a well-plotted, nicely written page-turner that gives the reader much more than a good story. It caused me to consider new ways to view those who lived under the influence of Hitler's armies...it gave me a new understanding of the pressures with which they wrestled. The description of Austria is rich and I felt Darby's excitement as she visited for the first time. I also got caught up in the mystery and was surprised by an intriquing twist at the end. I actually read Winter Passing when it was first released, but had never written a reader review. Since then, I have so enjoyed Cindy's next book, Blue Night, and then the third in the trilogy, North of Tomorrow, that I wanted to say a good word about it. If you haven't yet read these books, put them on your list!

Cindy Martinusen has masterfully woven the past with the present in Winter Passing--and somehow made me analyze my own preconceived notions. She has combined beautiful poetic prose with masterful pacing and characters that are not predictable. Her strong research and attention to detail put you right in contemporary Austria--a wonderful, can't-put-down trip from the first page to the last. I recommend it highly.

Winter Passing kept me captivated throughout the whole entire book. Cindy McCormick Martinusen used mystery, suspense and a romance to keep the reader guessing what would happen next. The book hit on some real details of the Holocost and heart renching stories about its survivors and its victims. Winter Passing gave me insight and made me realize the pain and suffering that was caused from the Holocost and the pain that still remains, but also how forgiveness can set you free. Each charactor in the book added thier own uniqueness I really enjoyed. I hope to read more of Martinusen"s work in the future.

FRIENDSHIP, FORGIVENESS, and FAITH, Cindy McCormick Martinusen has beautifully expressed these images in her book "Winter Passing". I was not only reminded of the pain, hurt, and death that happened during the Holocaust as I read this book, but I discovered a deeper view into relationships that may have occured in peoples lives during and after this tragedy. In this novel, Celia and Tatianna have a Friendship that shows the true meaning of love. The Bible verse, John 15:13 says "... the greatest love is shown when a person lays down his life for a friend." A verse that can be difficult to understand, but in this book is wonderfully demostrated. "Winter Passing" also opened my eyes to the hurt and guilt that others have carried with them through the years. Because of the actions taken during WWII, generations have felt the pain. Many choose to forgive, some may never. Yet others have seeked for the Forgiveness , as portrayed in the character Bruno, a Nazi solider during the Holocaust. A touching chapter that shows us why Forgiveness is the begining of Faith. The Faith that kept the Jews going, the Faith that was not forgotten and the Faith that was passed on to generations because of a Friendship that will be remembered forever.

Winter Passing is an excellent novel. The subject of Holocost survivers is one that was represented well in this novel. The reader will be captivated from the prologue till the final page. Winter Passing gripped my heart and made me examine my own life. The choices that had to be made during WWII were ones that cannot be understood without having experienced it. But Winter Passing brings to life the reality of sacrifice and self-preservation.The romance in the novel is just a sub story. The real story lies in the lives of the characters and the choices that they made. It is an excellent novel on days gone by, forgiveness, love, and sacrifice. An outstanding first novel for Martinusen.