The Way Past Winter - Kiran Millwood Hargrave

The Way Past Winter - Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

Mila lives with her brother, Oskar, and their sisters, Pipa and Sanna, following the death of their mother (whilst giving birth to Pipa) and the disappearance of their father.

One night, a mysterious stranger comes to their door, requesting shelter for himself and his men - is it just Mila who sees that he seems to hover above the snow?  The following morning, the men have gone ... and so has Oskar ... as have all the boys in the village, except Rune, a mage.

Convinced that the mysterious stranger is at the heart of all of this and determined to save her brother, Mila sets out, with the help of Rune, on a daring (and sometimes terrifying) journey towards the North and Thule.  But can they make it in time and what will they discover when they get there?

O's opinion:

I really enjoyed the book, but Mum's already written her opinion and I made the mistake of reading it and found out that I agree with what's she said!!

I found that I really liked the fact that the book was written in a more traditional style yet a sense of mystery and adventure was strongly evident (I found I was willing the brother to be OK).  I also loved how Mila didn't give up, even when her sisters did.  I liked her sense of determination.

This was a really good book and I can't wait for another novel from this brilliant author.

K's opinion:

I'm a huge fan of Kiran's books and so was thrilled (actually giddy with excitement would be a better description) when I finally got my hands on a coveted proof-copy of this book ... and wow!  I wasn't disappointed.

There is a poetic elegance to the writing that simply left me speechless.  It is so beautifully written that I could only marvel as the story unfurled from the pages and bound itself into my soul so effortlessly (rather like the golden cords!).  You will feel connected to the characters long after the final page has been read.

As an English teacher, I'm always looking for ways to inspire the children in their own writing and The Way Past Winter has proved an invaluable resource.  Whilst reading it, I have ear-marked vocabulary and phrases to help develop the children's writing (you can see just some of the markers in the picture!) and the book, having sat tantalisingly on my desk for the past week, has caused many a curious child to take a look!  Their interest has been piqued and I know they will be thrilled when they discover that Kiran will be visiting school in a few weeks' time.

But back to the book ... I always love to see strong female characters portrayed in stories and Mila and her sisters didn't disappoint - it's important to see that girls can be strong, determined and fierce when they need/want to be.  Yet I feel that it is Rune whole stole my heart: his calm, composed manner and his resolute sense of self sends a message to us all ... know yourself; be true to yourself and be proud of who you are.

This is a triumph of a novel, Kiran; I am simply in awe of your writing (and just a little bit jealous!) and look forward to thanking you in person for writing it when you come to school!