I really enjoyed this young adult historical fiction. It’s lovely to read books based in Wales, so many are about Scotland or Ireland, so it’s long overdue we get more books about Wales and especially YA. Although I found the first half of the book slow to start, it did pick up around midway and then it really took off, after that I just couldn’t put it down. It's beautifully written, I love the use of the Welsh language and phrases. Overall a good story, with great writing and I look forward to future books by the author.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Not a period of history often used in fiction, I found this a well researched and compelling read. The characters were both convincing and complex, how they adapted to the changing world around them being particularly well done. You got a good feel for the trauma of the Saxon invasions on the British population, the sudden upheaval and precariousness of their existence and what people had to do to survive. My only quibble was you didn't really get a true sense of where in Britain they were, of the actual landscape, but it was only a mild one. Generally I found this well written and a really good read.

More mid-grade than YA imo. This was an ok historical novel. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters but the setting had a lot of potential. What didn’t work for me was the assumption that Saxon invaders were automatically antagonistic. We now know this was not accurate in most cases and that they settled and intermarried with the locals without much in the way of battles at all. As historical lite, this was entertaining but ultimately not for me.

The Short Knife is a tale of two sisters and their survival in a brutal period of history, when Saxons and Brittons fought for land and dominance. After their farm is attacked and their father injured Mai and Haf seek support from Gwetheyrn, leader of the Brittons. Haf finds kinship amongst the tribe but Mai's road is filled with betrayal, slavery and survival. Each misunderstanding the motives of the other. Mai finds friends and family in a Saxon compound, and is determined to put an end to their slavery but a chance encounter with Haf puts her plans and all their lives in danger. Haf and Mai, deal with their limited control over their lives in very different ways, Haf becoming a woman of power, someone to be listened to and Mai supporting those around her, unimportant and ignored, skills that come on very handy when trying to escape.

The short knife is a young adult historical fiction based on a Welsh girl called Mai. It was so lovely to read Welsh words mixed in with the story.

I found the plot slow but intense during the first half of the book but it picked up for the second half which built to a really good ending that I enjoyed!

I have mixed feelings about Mai. I felt that being so young she wound me up at times, being an adult that understood why Haf was doing the things that she was doing. So great writing there! Mai is a brave girl with a whole lot of love to give!

A huge thank you to the author, the publisher and netgalley for a copy of the novel in exchange for a fair review.

I knew very little about this period of history (AD 455) but this book really brings it to life. I hadn't realised what a struggle it had been, how much war and terror there was as Wales changed hands from Roman to Briton to Saxon. It's beautifully written, sprinkled with turns of phrases from Welsh eg igam ogam (had to look it up) that add richness and character.

This book is set in Britain just after the Romans have left Britain, it is a period of time that I do not know much about, even though this is fiction it gave insight to the tension between the different peoples that fought over the land.

Mai just wants to have family and a home, however her life takes a turn for the worst when Saxons burn her home down.

Mai is forced to flee with her sister and tad (father) but the refuge they find is not one of safety for Mai.

A book where Mai has to find out where she belongs and who her family is.

Focusing on the time between the Romans and the Saxons in Britain, The Short Knife is a historical fiction that feels like it has a hint of fantasy purely because of the unknown magic of the time period.

The plot was slow and took me a little while to get into, but I thought the structure was very well done. I found it hard to connect to any of the characters really and started to skim read around the middle, but I am grand that I finished it because the ending was unexpected and intense!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

*I was given a copy of The Short Knife in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Andersen Press and Elen Caldecott*

The Short Knife is a YA historical fiction set in 454AD just after the Roman Empire has withdrawn from Britain. Living on a farm with her sister Haf and their father, Mai has been sheltered and cared for her entire life, until Saxon men come across their farm and leave destruction in their wake.

Now with nowhere to live and fearing for their lives the family must flee their home in hope of finding fellow Britons to take them in.

Now I’m not usually one for historical fiction, but The Short Knife sounded too interesting for me to pass up. I loved this book. From the get-go, I was captive in its grasp and was only held stronger by the intensity and suspense that every page left me in.

The story is told by Mai, but from two different time periods. Beginning with her current time, the summer solstice 455AD, the story switches to the previous autumn in 454AD with the times intertwine throughout. The autumn time period shows how she came to where she is now.

At first, this was a little confusing but as time went on the story became clearer. I actually really enjoyed this format as it constantly left me wanting more. Mai refers to her sister, who in the summer solstice time is giving birth, after reading the first few chapters it became very clear who the father was. With what happened on the farm, Haf was injured by one of the men, I was worried that this baby was not conceived under consenting circumstances. However, thankfully that was not the case. Apologies if that is somewhat of a spoiler, but I would hate for that plotline to be a trigger for anyone.

Leaving me questioning what I knew about the story I found that I needed to keep reading as the want to know was great. I genuinely think that I would not have enjoyed this book as much if the plot was written chronologically. Yes, it would have still been interesting, however, the switching of time periods add mystery to the story and allowed the reader to wonder how events affected each other.

Mai was a wonderful main character. At just 13 years old she was strong-willed but knew when to let something go. She never lost her fight at any point during the book, instead, she found different ways to use it. Her narration was beautiful and at times I forgot her young age.

Seeing her over time creates new relationships and develop sisterly bonds was an important part of the story. It feels like you are experiencing her growing up with every page and the maturity of the girl at the end of the story feels wise beyond her 13 years.

I believe that The Short Knife is intended for the younger side of the YA community (ages 9 - 14), but it can definitely be enjoyed by those older. At 22 myself I found the book engaging and the darker parts of the story kept me interested. There were a few moments of slightly explicit violence and little to no romance which leads me to believe that this can be enjoyed by all.

An enjoyable historical read. Slows down after first half but covers a time period not seen very often in children’s books

'Modern classic' is a phrase used far too much but in this case I think it's well-deserved. This book is utterly absorbing. The historical details are never used at the expense of the story (no lumpy exposition here) and she skilfully weaves the two narrative timelines together in order to create just the right amount of tension, misdirection and intrigue. The characters are complex, her use and understanding of language is clever but never pretentious and like the historical details they wear their learning lightly. Highly recommended for confident readers of 11+

I first found this book when asked about fiction titles which could be used by the history department. I read an extract and based on this ordered the hardback for the Library and put the book on the booklist.

The book itself has lived up to my expectations. The descriptions of danger and menace are excellent as are the descriptions of place and character. Much research went into finding out about how people lived, their loyalties and how they worked to survive.

The story is told from Mai’s point of view but in two different time periods, the earlier one slowly tells us how she got to the start of the second. Each are equally compelling. The story could have been told in a chronological way and it might have been as interesting but this format did add mystery, for instance when reading about life in Gwynedder’s camp I was wondering how Mai survived to reach the Saxon camp? I spent a long time wondering how Haf had ended up in the Saxon camp. I did guess who the father was, but I was so wrong about who was who. A twist which I was not expecting.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this.

This was a wonderful read from start to finish. It took me a little way to get into the language used, and I think it could have benefited from a list of words and meanings somewhere in the book, although once you've got into the rhythm it becomes a delight to read and explore the language. The Short Knife wasn't quite what I had expected, as I think part of me had been expecting the usual, broader scope of historical fiction. This book has glimpses of that, but mostly this is a small, self-contained story within the wider world and historical period, and I actually loved that, as it was like getting a snapshot, especially as we follow Mai and therefore discover the world as she does. I loved the use of flashbacks, and the sense of mystery and atmosphere that permeated the entire story, and the author brought us full-circle to a wonderfully, satisfying ending.