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Ingrid Winter #2
Winter in Wonderland
Professor Ingrid Winter seems to have it all. But she can’t help feeling like everything’s crumbling around her—just like the roof on her family home.
Now she and her husband are on the hook for repairs they can barely afford, and lack of funds means her husband must cancel his dream trip to Italy. Their three daughters are growing up too fast, her latest batch of students are more disaffected than ever, and there’s no one that she’s not disappointing. To top it all off, Mr. and Mrs. Perfect have moved in right next door.
Overwhelmed and anxious, Ingrid’s ready to take a hike. And the whole family, including Gramps, is coming along. A staycation in the mountains of Norway may be just what the Winters need. But will tromping through nature help Ingrid find the right path or send her deeper into the woods?
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2017
47 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
About the author
Janne S. Drangsholt
10 books71 followersJanne Stigen Drangsholt er en norsk forfatter. Hun debuterte med romanen Humlefangeren i 2011.
Drangsholt bor og arbeider som litteraturforsker i Stavanger, der hun er førsteamanuensis ved Institutt for kultur- og språkvitenskap ved Universitetet i Stavanger.
Drangsholt er dr.art. fra Universitetet i Bergen med en avhandling om den britiske forfatteren Ted Hughes.
Drangsholt bor og arbeider som litteraturforsker i Stavanger, der hun er førsteamanuensis ved Institutt for kultur- og språkvitenskap ved Universitetet i Stavanger.
Drangsholt er dr.art. fra Universitetet i Bergen med en avhandling om den britiske forfatteren Ted Hughes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
March 21, 2018
Although I liked some parts of the story, there were some I did not like at all. Some were a bit over my head. Maybe if you like literature, you will appreciate it, but it was not for me. It's a pity to say that the amount of downs was higher than ups one. There were nice afterthoughts, but every time I thought the story would pick up for real, it fell down again. Sorry.
December 14, 2017
3.5 Solid Stars review to come
May 28, 2019
Veldig artig. Høyrde på lydbok og opplesaren var genial.
December 28, 2023
3,5⭐️ Drangsholt er supermorosam og det er godt driv i denne boka òg, sjølv om eg likte den fyrste boka hakket betre.
Mykje av det som var bra i den fyrste boka er fortsatt med her (humor, dialogar med overraskande punchlines, absurde situasjonar), men eg synest det var vanskelegare å bry meg om karakterane i denne boka. Hovudpersonen vart kanskje litt vel ekstrem her, til dømes. Unntaka var det varme glimtet glimt i det fyrste møtet med morfaren og den fine avslutninga hjelper. Det var favorittaugneblinkane mine i boka (i tillegg til ALT som har med litteraturstudentane å gjere).
Sideplotet med den interesserte studenten og heile bomturen oppe på fjellet vart litt halvvegs gjennomført, opplevde eg.
Når det er sagt, fyk eg gjennom desse bøkene. Eg har anbefala dei til fleire allereie, så eg er kanskje i overkant streng med antal stjerner..
Mykje av det som var bra i den fyrste boka er fortsatt med her (humor, dialogar med overraskande punchlines, absurde situasjonar), men eg synest det var vanskelegare å bry meg om karakterane i denne boka. Hovudpersonen vart kanskje litt vel ekstrem her, til dømes. Unntaka var det varme glimtet glimt i det fyrste møtet med morfaren og den fine avslutninga hjelper. Det var favorittaugneblinkane mine i boka (i tillegg til ALT som har med litteraturstudentane å gjere).
Sideplotet med den interesserte studenten og heile bomturen oppe på fjellet vart litt halvvegs gjennomført, opplevde eg.
Når det er sagt, fyk eg gjennom desse bøkene. Eg har anbefala dei til fleire allereie, så eg er kanskje i overkant streng med antal stjerner..
February 18, 2024
Veldig underholdende bok! Winters kaotiske familieliv vises på godt og vondt. Boken kommer også med en god dose humor som treffer. Gleder meg til å ta fatt tredje!
December 1, 2025
Digga denne! Så light read og artig.
August 3, 2018
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not actually sure if I really liked this book or not. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. Winter in Wonderland is about a negative, unsatisfied wife, her childish, brooding, going-through-a-midlife-crisis husband, and the way their currently rocky marriage is impacted by their fake, imposing neighbors. Overall, the story is written in a way that keeps it entertaining enough to keep you reading until the end. It says a lot when the most mature character is a child - the middle daughter who constantly gets ignored, fueling her independence, I believe. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. The main character, Ingrid Winter, is dissatisfied with her career as a Literature professor, and takes on a petty attitude in her professional and personal life. She's a mediocre wife who constantly complains, not a great mother to all her children, and thrives on drama. I find it odd (and unrealistic) that every one in Ingrid's life are out to get her: her students all hate her, her colleagues all seem to want her to fail, her husband is unhappy and speaks to her horribly, even random strangers treat her with no respect. She acts out every once in a while but really just accepts most of this behavior - which to me seems out of character. She caves and really, has no backbone. She doesn't stand up for herself but blames everyone else for her problems. The grandfather's small side story was entertaining and the book had some silly passages throughout. The side story with her student was unnecessary and out of place. Although you have no investment in any of the characters, you end up with a satisfying ending. The writing is smart and witty, creatively descriptive, and fast-paced. Like I said, it's hard to say whether I really liked this book or not. Maybe things were lost in translation...
I'm not actually sure if I really liked this book or not. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. Winter in Wonderland is about a negative, unsatisfied wife, her childish, brooding, going-through-a-midlife-crisis husband, and the way their currently rocky marriage is impacted by their fake, imposing neighbors. Overall, the story is written in a way that keeps it entertaining enough to keep you reading until the end. It says a lot when the most mature character is a child - the middle daughter who constantly gets ignored, fueling her independence, I believe. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. The main character, Ingrid Winter, is dissatisfied with her career as a Literature professor, and takes on a petty attitude in her professional and personal life. She's a mediocre wife who constantly complains, not a great mother to all her children, and thrives on drama. I find it odd (and unrealistic) that every one in Ingrid's life are out to get her: her students all hate her, her colleagues all seem to want her to fail, her husband is unhappy and speaks to her horribly, even random strangers treat her with no respect. She acts out every once in a while but really just accepts most of this behavior - which to me seems out of character. She caves and really, has no backbone. She doesn't stand up for herself but blames everyone else for her problems. The grandfather's small side story was entertaining and the book had some silly passages throughout. The side story with her student was unnecessary and out of place. Although you have no investment in any of the characters, you end up with a satisfying ending. The writing is smart and witty, creatively descriptive, and fast-paced. Like I said, it's hard to say whether I really liked this book or not. Maybe things were lost in translation...
January 11, 2023
4.5! I absolutely love this series. I hope the third one is translated into English! Do not go into this expecting quirky adventures; there is a teeny bit of that, but overall it is an incredibly accurate portrayal of an overworked, disenchanted person making her way through a regular, everyday life as a Mom, wife, employee trying to remember what the point of it all is.
October 24, 2016
Jeg flirer. Min gamle foredragsholder på UiS er enda bedre i denne boka enn den forrige. Anbefales :-)
February 28, 2024
Nok ei god bok frå Drangsholt. Historia går vidare og det med i like sprø retningar som i den fyrste boki. Likevel følte eg at sprøheita i bok éin vart artigare i sin merkelege og tilfeldige rekkjefylgje. No som sprøheita er sette i linær historie vart det heile litt mindre sprøtt og boki missa litt av magien. Men alt i alt ei god bok.
Språket er lettlese og godt.
Språket er lettlese og godt.
October 22, 2023
Veldig underholdene å lese om Ingrid Winters kaotiske liv. En bok som treffer på min humor. Er veldig glad i dialogene i Winter-bøkene, enkle, men likevel morsomme. Likte også veldig godt morfaren og relasjonen mellom han og Ingrid. Kommer til å lese den tredje boken også.
November 5, 2023
Godt skrevet, morsom, befriende og nydelig! 10/10 spør du meg.
August 16, 2018
Real and fresh
I love how everything is so real. The fretting about whether your husband really thinks you're a butter and will leave you for someone obviously without kids and a kangaroo pouch. The reality of wondering what are your kids doing behind closed doors. What about boyfriends or girlfriends? Will you be left behind and then all alone with thoughts of eternity. The ever present question of how you can afford vacation and still go grocery shopping? It all works out in the end, but not before you climb a stupid mountain and nearly die several times in the course of a year. It's nice to know Ingrid knows the struggle that lives in the heart of every woman married with kids. At least all of us nutty ducks can flap together.
I love how everything is so real. The fretting about whether your husband really thinks you're a butter and will leave you for someone obviously without kids and a kangaroo pouch. The reality of wondering what are your kids doing behind closed doors. What about boyfriends or girlfriends? Will you be left behind and then all alone with thoughts of eternity. The ever present question of how you can afford vacation and still go grocery shopping? It all works out in the end, but not before you climb a stupid mountain and nearly die several times in the course of a year. It's nice to know Ingrid knows the struggle that lives in the heart of every woman married with kids. At least all of us nutty ducks can flap together.
November 2, 2017
It's kind of a strange book. Kind of rambling, with no obvious point, but I couldn't stop reading it. It was weirdly compelling.
Ingrid's life is kind of falling apart. Her job is in jeopardy, her husband is acting weird, and they're in over their heads in a new house that needs a lot of work. (This is the second book in a series.). But somehow she keeps everything together. She doesn't always understand what's going on, or why.
I loved her grumpy old grandfather, and I loved that the story is about real life, with all its anger and pain, miscommunications and misunderstandings.
Highly recommended. Stuck with it. It, like life, will be worth it in the end.
This was a free galley from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ingrid's life is kind of falling apart. Her job is in jeopardy, her husband is acting weird, and they're in over their heads in a new house that needs a lot of work. (This is the second book in a series.). But somehow she keeps everything together. She doesn't always understand what's going on, or why.
I loved her grumpy old grandfather, and I loved that the story is about real life, with all its anger and pain, miscommunications and misunderstandings.
Highly recommended. Stuck with it. It, like life, will be worth it in the end.
This was a free galley from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2018
I didn't like this book at all :/, but I guess it was partly my fault. I had read the description a long time before I actually read it so, when I actually began reading it, I was expecting this book to be about an awesome trip during Christmas time hehe
But this book is actually about the drama in a 4o-something woman's life. It was boring. Extremely boring. Coming from a 21 year old, of course.
I mean, I did have some tiny things in common with Ingid Winter, like the fact that I hate fakers and (sometimes) tend to mock them while I'm on my own; and Gramps was a wise old man, delivering deep quotes from time to time. But I hated Björnar's attitude when he yelled at Ingrid to "quit nagging", and the fact that Ingrid just did anything to comply with her husbands demands and moods.
I hate that the whole last chapters were about telling women that they're the ones who should be trying to fix their marriages by behaving submissively.
The one thing I did like about this book was the fact that Ingrid was against mysoginy, sexism, and gender stereotypes.
But this book is actually about the drama in a 4o-something woman's life. It was boring. Extremely boring. Coming from a 21 year old, of course.
I mean, I did have some tiny things in common with Ingid Winter, like the fact that I hate fakers and (sometimes) tend to mock them while I'm on my own; and Gramps was a wise old man, delivering deep quotes from time to time. But I hated Björnar's attitude when he yelled at Ingrid to "quit nagging", and the fact that Ingrid just did anything to comply with her husbands demands and moods.
I hate that the whole last chapters were about telling women that they're the ones who should be trying to fix their marriages by behaving submissively.
The one thing I did like about this book was the fact that Ingrid was against mysoginy, sexism, and gender stereotypes.
March 3, 2018
Litt utenfor normenn, det denne oppfølgeren noe bedre enn den første boken om Ingrid Winter. Dette skyldes nok at den er litt enklere og Ingrid fremstår mer konkret i kampen om å finne sin plass i samfunnet, arbeidslivet og familien.
Bøkene om Ingrid Winter viser det presist skråblikk på samfunnets ulike faser og systemer. Jeg liker godt at Ingrid støtter på og kjemper med spørsmål som: Hvorfor jobbet vi så mye som vi gjør? Og hvorfor kan vi ikke bare klarte oss med mindre og jobbe mindre? Dessverre opplever jeg ikke at boka gir noen løsning på hvordan Ingrid forholdet seg til disse problemene... De bare forsvinner.
Boka er full av mye lun humor og penger ut mang en stereotype i dagens samfunn på kløktig vis. Av denne grunn er jeg spent på om den holder seg aktuell over tid.
Bøkene om Ingrid Winter viser det presist skråblikk på samfunnets ulike faser og systemer. Jeg liker godt at Ingrid støtter på og kjemper med spørsmål som: Hvorfor jobbet vi så mye som vi gjør? Og hvorfor kan vi ikke bare klarte oss med mindre og jobbe mindre? Dessverre opplever jeg ikke at boka gir noen løsning på hvordan Ingrid forholdet seg til disse problemene... De bare forsvinner.
Boka er full av mye lun humor og penger ut mang en stereotype i dagens samfunn på kløktig vis. Av denne grunn er jeg spent på om den holder seg aktuell over tid.
December 15, 2017
Ingrid Winter's misadventures is a delightful read as it makes the rest of us feel normal. Not everything goes to plan and not every plan needs to succeed in order to have a good life. Ingrid finds herself at odds with life and other responsibilities but manages to get through each mishap or wrong turn and still come out on top. Nice to know there is hope for the rest of us
July 19, 2018
Ingrid strikes again!
I enjoy reading about Ingrid's misadventures and the situations she finds herself in, through she hasn't changed much from the first book, you can tell the author added area of personal growth to her character making her a bit less neurotic but still keeping whi Ingrid is at the core.
I enjoy reading about Ingrid's misadventures and the situations she finds herself in, through she hasn't changed much from the first book, you can tell the author added area of personal growth to her character making her a bit less neurotic but still keeping whi Ingrid is at the core.
December 26, 2017
Gotta love Ingrid Winter!
This is an excellent follow-up to the first installment of the Ingrid Winter tales. Ingrid is so real and honest that it's hard to put the book down. Can't wait for the next installment.
This is an excellent follow-up to the first installment of the Ingrid Winter tales. Ingrid is so real and honest that it's hard to put the book down. Can't wait for the next installment.
June 3, 2019
Lest i feberrus. Tok drøye 2t og jeg fant den komplett intetsigende. Småfornøyelig, men no møre.
January 1, 2018
A sequel to a weak novel, this is still dull reading.
January 31, 2018
Makeløs!
February 4, 2018
So fun and real and well written
February 21, 2018
WAcky, over the top, but somehow relatable, Ingrid winter makes me LOL.
May 26, 2019
Loved to read this book. Haven't read the first one yet, but can't wait to do so. Loved the humor, and I could see myself in a lot of her situations. So fun!
June 30, 2018
Fem timers humring! 😄
August 30, 2018
Lettlest feelgood, som makter å utføre en meget vanskelig oppgave: Å være et par hakk bedre enn bok nummer 1.
Kaster meg sporenstreks over Winterkrigen!
Kaster meg sporenstreks over Winterkrigen!
December 12, 2017
I received this book as part of the Goodreads Giveaway Program. My opinions are my own.
I finished this book with a furrowed brow, the truth is I wasn’t sure what I thought of it. While I could never quite get into sync with the story, it was a compelling read. I just don’t know if it went anywhere and I was certainly glad to move on to the next book on my list.
Interestingly a review by an Amazon customer of the first book in the series caught my attention and summed up my feelings for this second installment perfectly.
“The read was really interesting. It got silly at times but I honestly couldn't stop reading the book. The main character was a little bit too much of a pain. I did not like her at all - whiny, hypochondriac, not a very good wife or mother. I was really glad when I got to the end of the book.”
_____
This is the kind of book my husband calls “slice of life” and just the kind of book he lives to read, while I prefer a bit more structure to my fiction. It isn’t that I think this is a bad book, I just can’t FEEL anything for Ingrid Winters. She pops from one bad situation into a worse one throughout the story, but often it so much her own fault or from her own lack, that any sympathy I should have felt for her just evaporates and I am left simply feeling her frustration.
The author has however done a fabulous job of surrounding her heroine with complex, vibrant, often humorous or satirical characters that I would actually enjoy reading more about. I laughed more than once with Grandpa’s misadventures in the retirement home and with Alva’s solution to her own misadventures in preschool. As a wife, I could totally commiserate with a husband’s need to DIY and as a sports fan, well, let’s just say there definitely some elements to this book that will be imminently relatable to a lot of readers.
This book should find an audience with those that enjoy a dry wit and penchant for calamity.
I finished this book with a furrowed brow, the truth is I wasn’t sure what I thought of it. While I could never quite get into sync with the story, it was a compelling read. I just don’t know if it went anywhere and I was certainly glad to move on to the next book on my list.
Interestingly a review by an Amazon customer of the first book in the series caught my attention and summed up my feelings for this second installment perfectly.
“The read was really interesting. It got silly at times but I honestly couldn't stop reading the book. The main character was a little bit too much of a pain. I did not like her at all - whiny, hypochondriac, not a very good wife or mother. I was really glad when I got to the end of the book.”
_____
This is the kind of book my husband calls “slice of life” and just the kind of book he lives to read, while I prefer a bit more structure to my fiction. It isn’t that I think this is a bad book, I just can’t FEEL anything for Ingrid Winters. She pops from one bad situation into a worse one throughout the story, but often it so much her own fault or from her own lack, that any sympathy I should have felt for her just evaporates and I am left simply feeling her frustration.
The author has however done a fabulous job of surrounding her heroine with complex, vibrant, often humorous or satirical characters that I would actually enjoy reading more about. I laughed more than once with Grandpa’s misadventures in the retirement home and with Alva’s solution to her own misadventures in preschool. As a wife, I could totally commiserate with a husband’s need to DIY and as a sports fan, well, let’s just say there definitely some elements to this book that will be imminently relatable to a lot of readers.
This book should find an audience with those that enjoy a dry wit and penchant for calamity.
January 22, 2020
I picked up this book because I'd read the first one some time ago and remembered enjoying it. I have to say it was a struggle though to become engaged in this one, but once I got into it I really liked it. I've seen some reviews about the main character, Ingrid being unbelievable because of her negativity, but I don't think that's a fair assessment. I think we get to read this story from Ingrid's stream of conscious point of view, and if we're honest with ourselves, we wouldn't want ANYONE seeing into our own! She is absolutely at a point in life where she is struggling with her life, where it actually is compared to where she thought she would be, but I don't think unreasonably so. Happiness is not a destination and to me it seems like Ingrid is figuring this out again, like we all should from time to time. It's probably one of the most candid and realistic portrayals of marriage at mid-life and comparing your own relationship to another couple who is only allowing you to see what they want you to see. No one is perfect, no relationship is perfect, and appreciating the moments and the journey should be the focus. I completely related to and enjoyed the story once I accepted the stream of consciousness point of view.
March 7, 2018
I didn't read the 1st book of this series, but didn't even know there was one until after finishing this one and I didn't feel there were big things missing from starting here.
Ingrid is a pretty negative person overall, but I do think many of her gripes are what lots of people think and feel, perhaps in a bit more exaggerated fashion. I didn't dislike the character at all, and felt some moments of understanding.
Ingrid feels disconnected and a bit downtrodden in her life. Some of it is her own fault, but even her husband has let her down by seeming to become enamored of the new neighbors rather than understanding her dislike of the "Muppet" family and all their perfection.
A winter trip in the mountains leads to some humorous events, and the eventual realization that her own life can be much more what she wants if she'll open up and accept that everyone is looking for the same thing.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and am sharing my honest options.
Ingrid is a pretty negative person overall, but I do think many of her gripes are what lots of people think and feel, perhaps in a bit more exaggerated fashion. I didn't dislike the character at all, and felt some moments of understanding.
Ingrid feels disconnected and a bit downtrodden in her life. Some of it is her own fault, but even her husband has let her down by seeming to become enamored of the new neighbors rather than understanding her dislike of the "Muppet" family and all their perfection.
A winter trip in the mountains leads to some humorous events, and the eventual realization that her own life can be much more what she wants if she'll open up and accept that everyone is looking for the same thing.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and am sharing my honest options.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews