*Updated review *
Now I remember why I started to explore books by Black authors. I tried to remember what made me enjoy reading so much and, after rereading The Coldest Winter Ever, now I've got it. I always enjoyed reading but there was a time when books seemed to come alive for me and it is marked by Sister Souljah's first novel. I grew up in the suburbs and know nothing of life in New York, the drug game, etc. But I've always felt The Coldest Winter Ever. I learned the importance of connecting with my Black brothers and sisters; I learned that unity and selflessness are essential to my progress, they're what make me useful to the Black community; and I learned that my life is in my hands - I can choose to be Winter or Sister Souljah - a product of my environment or one who changes my environment for the better. I'm not sure Sister Souljah meant for The Coldest Winter to be such a dynamic literary work, as I know it has impacted the lives of MANY young Black men and women who felt shut out of literature. I appreciate her writing. I read a lot of urban lit and I truly believe that every urban lit writer has tried to recreate Winter's character, yet none have come close. While I haven't been so enthused by her Midnight series, it, too, served a significant literary purpose and her work continues to grow, touching the lives of young Blacks. I still encourage everyone to read The Coldest Winter Ever and be changed, have your mind opened and receive a true account of the calculated post slavery denigration of the Black male and the destruction of the Black family with the drug trade. Sister Souljah's The Coldest Winter Ever is insightful, educational and entertaining.

*Initial review *
An amazing literary work...while the novel is set in an urbane environment, I think everyone has much to learn from the characters in this novel.