Episode 24: Snowed In
Summary: Brrrrr, it’s cold in here! There must be murder (or love?) in the atmosphere. Today Holly and Devin explore books where the characters are snowed in. They agree that putting characters in “locked room” situations is more intriguing, especially when the author is adept at character development and turning the location into a pressure cooker for the protagonists. It was especially interesting to reflect on how the same exact situation, with a few tweaks, can logically lead to lovemaking or murder.
Topics Discussed:
The Dagger (3:55): Holly discussed One by One by Ruth Ware, a novel set in a rustic mountain ski chalet in the French Alps that follows a group of employees at the fictitious company Snoop as they navigate being trapped in the home after an avalanche blocks all exits. Her key takeaways were:
Snoop, a trendy Londo tech startup, allows users to listen to whatever music a celebrity or other user is listening to right at that moment; Ware uses app features effectively to build tension as the book progresses.
The narrative point of view oscillates between Liz (former Snoop employee, now shareholder) and Erin (chalet housekeeper who is stuck along with Danny, the cook) to give both an insider and outsider perspective on the Snoop drama.
A buyout offer is brought to the table just before the avalanche hits; the power is cut off and the tension builds as the group tries to reach backup generators to no avail. Slowly, the situation becomes more and more sinister and Holly especially loved scenes where everyone has to go to sleep but cannot because they are terrified and suspicious.
The Heart (18:28): Devin discussed Frigid by Jennifer L. Armentrout, a novel that tracks two childhood best friends (Sydney and Kyler) as they go on the final winter break trip of college to Kyler’s family cabin at a ski resort in West Virginia. Initially intending to be a group trip, Sydney and Kyler end up being the only two to make it to the cabin before the Nor’Easter bears down on the town and makes travel impossible. Her key takeaways were:
Written in 2013, this book leverages some classic tropes for college romances; a virginal woman hung up on the “man whore” best guy friend who is too distracted by leggy blondes to notice that his amazing brunette best friend also has great boobs.
Once they arrive in the ski town, a subplot emerges where an unknown entity is trying to actively hurt or sabotage them by cutting the generator, slashing tires, and even shooting buckshot into the cabin at one point. This serves to add tension to the plot, but Devin would have preferred if the characters were developed enough to have tension all on their own.
The romance in the novel was fun and included several NSFW scenes. That being said, if you’re a stickler for grammar, character development, and don’t like the pet name “baby,” perhaps pass on Frigid.
Hot On the Shelf (37:32):
What’s Making Our Hearts Race (40:55):
Holly: White Lotus on HBO Max
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