Review: A Long Winter's Journey  4.5 stars
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 10, 2012
Sometimes you are lucky enough to stumble across a little "gem" and this was such a book. The book begins at a wealthy, private Mental facility where Jason (suffering from depression) and Calvin (schizophrenia) are institutialised, they are cocooned from the reality of the outside world.There was a lot happening in this story, it's a coming of "age" for Jason and to some extent Calvin. It's also quite a grim and gritty book of survival of the fittest and the ability to adapt without the loss of humanity. Both Jason and Calvin were affected by Mental Illness and probably the least likely to survive in such a world.I thought the characters well presented and fleshed out. From Jason's realisation of what he was capable of, Calvin's loyalty and friendship and lastly Dr Beale, master manipulator, who believed his own power and greed.There were some inconsistencies in the book. At the beginning Jason was referred to as Adam and there was a scene (in the jail)where I immediately thought of another well known book. But, the writing and characters held my attention throughout and I thought that the book was a very entertaining read.