The Way Past Winter

Kiran Millwood Hargrave. Chicken House. (256p) ISBN 9781912626076

The Way Past Winter

The Way Past Winter

In an everlasting winter, sisters Mila and Pipa set out in search for their brother Oskar. Mila is certain that he didn’t accompany the stranger of his own accord, that he didn’t leave like their father did. Her other sister, Sanna feels that he has abandoned them as their father did.

I loved The Way Past Winter from the start where the beginning of winter is described, the relationships between the siblings clearly set out in chapter 2, the bleakness of the landscape, and the magical feel throughout.

There is a smattering of Norse-flavour throughout, but not the Vikings of the north but the people who lived there and their daily lives.

The story is tight and well-written, as we’ve come to expect from Kiran Millwood Hargrave, and travels at a good pace, not over-fast but keeping you on the edge of your seat making it impossible to put the book down (had to do it once to make dinner – adulting is so boring) until you’ve reached the conclusion.

The illustrations and cover art by Helen Crawford-White make a beautiful enhancement to an already beautiful book, really looking forward to the finished product.

This is such a treat and will be another winter classic along the lines of Snow Spider, The Snow Queen, and Sky Song.


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Sisters

Daisy Johnson. Vintage. (192p) ISBN 9781529111057

Sisters

Sisters

Just having finished Fen I was delighted to see that Sisters was up for request on NetGalley.

I loved Daisy Johnson’s writing style in Fen, the giver of secrets and revealer of ancient mythologies. This continues in Sisters, on the surface a story of an intense sibling relationship and of modern calamities.

September is the oldest of the two sisters, with July coming along less than a year after. September is the dominant personality in the family, July follows on.

September is the builder of tales, mythologies, and games. This leads to some very dark places that July has little choice but to follow.

Exiled to Yorkshire, to Settle House on the coast after an unexplained incident the darkness and claustrophobia of the house and the memories it invokes (it was their father’s house) twists and becomes part of the revelations of that incident.

As you tumble through the story you get caught up in the feverish telling of stories, of the mixing of narratives, of being in someones skin and behind their eyes.

Promises are made to be kept and the conclusion brings that around so frighteningly.

Absolutely stunning work, if I was you I would preorder this ready for July and dive in as soon as you get it.


If you want to help and support this blog and my other projects (Indie Publishers and Indie Bookshops) you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

If you can’t support with a monthly subscription a tip at my Ko-Fi is always appreciated, as is buying things from my Ko-Fi Shop.

You can always email me on contact@bigbeardedbookseller.com with any suggestions.