Sister Soulja's best selling novel that was released in 1999.It was published by Simon and Schuster. The story is told from the perspective of Winter Santiaga, the rebellious, pampered teenage daughter of the well-known neighborhood drug kingpin, Ricky Santiaga. Winter also lives in Brooklyn, New York and has the attitude to match. Winter lives in the Brooklyn projects along with her mother and 3 younger sisters. Winter also has a penchant for designer clothes, shoes, and the finest jewelry and accessories. But when the authorities arrest Santiaga and seize all their assets, Winter is determined to stay on top and maintain her high-class lifestyle.
Tropes found in The Coldest Winter Ever:
- Abhorrent Admirer: Winter to Santiaga's best and most respected worker, Midnight. Subverted, because Winter is depicted to be more attractive than most examples of this trope. Also justified because Winter is underage, and Midnight is Santiaga's most trusted and respected worker, so he therefore fully trusts Midnight in every way, so it would not be very noble for Midnight to hook up with Winter. Not to mention how protective Santiaga is over his family.
- Addled Addict: Winter's mother later on in the novel. She falls into a deep depression after her face is disfigured after an accident, and she no longer has the financial means to keep up her beauty regime.
- Adults Are Useless: Most of the authority figures in the novel. Winter's parents are a good example. Santiaga gives Winter and her sisters every and anything they want as far as material things, but not once do we see him acting like a real father, providing moral guidance and discipline. Mrs. Santiaga is another example, because she behaves more like an older sister to Winter and her sisters than a mother. Also, the Santiagas' housekeeper, Magdalena, who is an illegal immigrant, and has to leave that evening to return to her country, which causes the Bureau of Children Welfare to have to take Winter's sisters. Another example is Winter's Aunt B, who Winter stays with in later in the novel, and is implied to have stolen money from Winter.
- The Aggressive Drug Dealer: Ricky Santiaga, who is not only a drug kingpin with his own empire, he is also a ruthless killer, who will murder anyone who dares to disrespect or mistreat his wife or daughters, or anyone bold enough to disrespect him in any way. Also Bullet, who informs Winter that if she ever lies to him, or is disloyal, she will suffer in the worst way. Also, when Bullet is very rude to Winter's mother after her Descent Into Addiction when she comes to Bullet for her drugs.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Well, let's see... Mrs. Santiaga is married to Ricky Santiaga, their family's patriarch, who is not only the neighborhood drug kingpin, he's also a heartless, ruthless criminal who will kill anyone who crosses him and he won't think twice about it. Mrs. Santiaga loves her husband with all her heart and soul. Then there's the title character herself, Winter, she has a crush on her father's top worker, Midnight, which is subverted because Midnight is not really generally bad despite working for Santiaga. She dates a guy named Bullet, who is a drug dealer, and very wealthy, but is shown to not care much about her at the end of the novel. He drives back to Winter's old neighborhood in the projects, not realizing the dangers that await Winter there. Winter's best friend, Natalie, who dates Slick Kid, who accompanys Bullet on their night out on the town in Brooklyn, she later dates a guy named Will, who is also a drug dealer, and he also tries to push up on Winter, even asks for Winter's phone number, then goes on a movie date with Winter the following night, creating friction between the two friends. Winter's two aunts, Aunt Laurie and Aunt B, who's husbands BOTH work for Santiaga, and lastly, at the end of the novel, Winter's younger sister Porsche, who's older, and just like Winter in every way, is also in a relationship with a drug dealer. Being that the novel is set in Brooklyn, New York, and revolves around gritty, inner-city life, most of the female characters seem to fall under this trope,
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Porsche, Mercedes and Lexus, Winter's sisters.
- Beauty Is Bad: Winter herself. Beautiful, killer body, naturally long hair, exotic look. Yet, she's spoiled, rebellious, materialistic, shallow, selfish, vain, violent and dishonest. She disobeys her father TWICE in the book, going to Brooklyn to hang with her old friends. The second time, her father is arrested by the cops and all of their possessions are seized. Not to mention, her and Natalie's dates, Bullet and Slick Kid, were also enemies of Midnight and Santiaga. After Winter's sisters are taken by the Bureau of Child Welfare, and their house is repossessed, rendering them poor and pretty much homeless, she pretends not to be related to her mother and sisters. This is even after her mother's injury and operation, which results in Mrs. Santiaga being disfigured. Winter does not acknowledge her mother as such, because in Winter's eyes, her mother is no longer "beautiful." Winter later dates Natalie's new boyfriend, Will, out of jealousy, because Natalie is now on Winter's level of wealth. Winter is just simply bad!
- Berserk Button: Do not ogle Winter or suggest that its okay for her to be sexually active, if you are Ricky Santiaga. Apparently, Bubbles learned this the hard way.
- Simone fits this trope as well, after Winter refuses to pay her bail while she's in jail AND pregnant.
- Also, Winter herself. If she doesn't get her way, or if she thinks another woman is involved with Midnight. A good example is when Natalie makes a snide comment about her family's assets being seized by the authorities.
- Big Beautiful Woman: Lashay, one of the girls who live at the House Of Success, the group home Winter gets sent to. Lashay likes to wear Stripperific clothing, usually ones that are too small or tight. Lashay, however, doesn't consider herself overweight.
- The Big Rotten Apple: Crime? Check. Poverty? Check. Crooked cops? Check. Violent and apathetic residents? Check. Set in New York City? Double check.
- Blatant Lies: When Winter plans to sneak to Brooklyn and party with her friends, she tells Santiaga that she's going to a college party, and she's going with Vanessa, who clearly doesn't exist. Strangely enough, Santiaga never questions who Vanessa is or how Winter met her.
- Bratty Half-Pint: Winter's younger sisters, especially Porsche. Also overlaps with Annoying Younger Sibling. Winter herself, in her younger years. Later becomes a Bratty Teenage Daughter.
- Bratty Teenage Daughter: Winter knows how to manipulate her father to get what she wants, also manipulates her mother into not coming with her on a trip to their regular beauty salon to get her hair done because she wants to sneak to Brooklyn to see her friends, lies to her father that she's going to a college party on her birthday and goes to Brooklyn to party with her friends. Also goes to Brooklyn against her father's orders, but is found and escorted home by Midnight.
- Brooklyn Rage: All of the characters in the book. Unless, of course, they're not from Brooklyn.
- Can't Get Away with Nuthin': When Winter is brought back home by Midnight after sneaking to Brooklyn against her father's wishes.
- Also, when Winter is preparing to smoke a marijuana joint in her room, but is reminded by her mother not to,
- Creator Cameo: Sister Souljah appears in the book, AND she's the author.
