The Land in Winter

The descriptions of winter felt so visceral and immersive, but I wondered if that was a conscious choice to mirror the characters' emotional states. What inspired the tone of the landscape?

Their decisions seemed deeply human but also morally complex, which made me reflect on how people behave under extreme pressure. How do others interpret their actions?

The pacing allowed for a lot of reflection, but I’m curious whether that was planned to heighten the emotional weight or if it evolved naturally during writing.