Not only do the Dodgers win the World Series, but a favorite author has released a new book, and it’s illustrated. The author of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell has once again found the perfect story and just the right tone.
From the Publisher
‘A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They’re the same thing really.’
Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scot is an unusual girl. She can talk to animals and trees-and she is only ever happy when she is walking in the woods.
One snowy afternoon, out with her dogs and Apple the pig, Merowdis encounters a blackbird and a fox. As darkness falls, a strange figure enters in their midst-and the path of her life is changed forever.
Featuring gorgeous illustrations truly worthy of the magic of this story and an afterword by Susanna Clarke explaining how she came to write it, this is a mesmerizing, must-have addition to any fantasy reader’s bookshelf.
From the Factor Magazine Review
“Although set in the 19th century, there is something ancient and deep about this story. It feels like a traditional European fairytale, the kind that existed before they became delivery mechanisms for Western morality. In a brilliant bit of design, this tone is reflected in the physical layout of the story. Sawdon’s illustrations remind me of an illuminated manuscript, except in black and white. (If a publisher ever gets around to doing a full-color version of this story, I will be first in line to buy it.) The art is two-dimensional but vivid and strange. One full page illustration almost functions like a jump scare, mirroring a similar moment in the text. Speaking of the text, the font also has a medieval flair to it, particularly with the way the “c” and “t” are connected. The narration font of the woods is scratchy and fractured, making it look almost like you’re staring up at barren tree branches clustered together. ” – Alex Brown
Malcolm's Round Table 