This was a n enjoyable time slip story set at the outbreak of Word War II. The story unfolds well, the twin elements of stone age and modern era working well together. Deceptively simple, this deals with loneliness, trust, and friendship, alongside communities fear of 'the other' and how that can make people commit terrible crimes. I loved the character, especially the interaction between Alfie and Smidge. I also got a real sense pf place throughout the novel.. Overall, well plotted and a good read for autumn.

I think that this is a book that can be related to by various children in different situations. Whilst set during the war, it focuses more on a child who doesn't fit in, who gets bullied by other children and who no-one seems to understand or want, not even his mother. The country life with his kindly aunt suits him much better and he actually happy, although he is still a loner and London kids evacuated with him still pick on him, , Then he meets Smidge. Smidge is his best friend and they love doing things together. But country life is not without it's quirks and there is something strange about Smidge which is somehow connected to the Midwinter Burning, an ancient ritual that these country folk are determined to follow. But superstitions are just that right, nothing bad actually comes out of them, or does it??

I only started this book before my the ebook licence expired so I couldn't finish it, unfortuntely! I would have loved to finish it cos I really enjoyed the few chapters that I did read, and it felt like it would be a special title.

This time-shift story of two boys’ lives colliding between the outset of World War II and the Stone Age in Devon, South West England was a very enjoyable read indeed - in fact I could help myself but to excitedly recount the entire plot to anyone who’d listen.

Alfie Wright (or ‘Wrong’ as the bullies call him), is a school boy from a broken home in London… he’s his mother’s “little accident. Spilled milk…”. Alone in the world, not knowing what the love of a family feels like, he is the only child smiling as the train pulls away from the station filled with distraught fellow evacuees chugging away from a city about to be at war with Germany. There’s something about Alfie. Even as the last child left to be picked by a host family he remains hopeful. He meets Auntie Bell and her son who live on a farm of horses, a pig, dogs, chickens and cows. Who knew milk came from a cow’s nipples?!

This story is of an era, has a sense of nostalgia for simpler times when children were chucked outdoors in the morning with a packed lunch and not expected home until teatime. Alfie explores the landscape, and one day he is fiddling with his magnifying glass when he discovers he can see an alternate reality through it. He is then mysteriously pulled to the nearby henge-like standing stones. A chance meeting with another boy his age and Alfie finally gets to experience true friendship. Only, this friend, he doesn’t seem to be from 1939 - his clothing, his language, his incredible carving and hunting skills… and he keeps disappearing. School days in the village, going to church, and farm work fade into the background. There’s talk of a midwinter burning in the village… some old pagan custom. A skeleton is discovered after a storm, and it’s of a boy about the same age as Alfie…

Very exciting and heartfelt historic fiction.

Who would have thought that a children’s book will turn out to be one of the best books I’ve read in 2022?! Not me! But it happened!

‘Midwinter burning’ absolutely stole my heart with it’s incredible storytelling, heartbreaking plot surprising metaphors with life lessons for readers of all ages, beautiful quotes and well-written characters. The book was gripping from start to finish and although the story was simple enough to be understood by children, it was deep enough to give adults something to think about.

Honestly, I think the amount of heavy topics this book covers, e.g. grief, bullying, realities of war and loss, the sacrifice of life, psychological abuse, being unwanted by a parent, it all makes this book pretty dark for a young reader. At the same time, the author of ‘Midwinter burning’ manages to deliver all these lessons in a way that doesn’t feel too overwhelming and I believe it’s perfectly suitable for a bit older kids. However, I also think the the writing style and all the previously mentioned stuff may not be as accessible for the youngest readers and may stop them from fully enjoying this book.

Nonetheless, ‘Midwinter burning’ is a beautifully written story, which I think everyone should read, especially the fans of historical fiction and time travel stuff (not quite but I have no idea how to describe that in English other than ‘timeline mishmash’).

Lastly, I just want to mention this abso-freaking-lutely perfect cover! Even if I haven’t read the book I would still buy it just for this cover! Just… wow🥺

I realised that there is no Kindle option, so I unfortunately cannot give a review for this. I wish I could and will edit this review if this is made available.

I’m a huge fan of Tanya Landman: the creativity and uniqueness of her books never ceases to amaze me, and Midwinter Burning is no exception. Landman has created her own genre with this book - part historical fiction, part fantasy, part mythology. It’s totally different to anything I’ve read before and Landman uses dual narrative beautifully to interweave two separate, but connected, storylines.

The plot follows Alfie, a young misfit who has been evacuated from London to the countryside at the start of the war. There he meets Smidge, a similarly lonely boy with whom Alfie instantly bonds. Together they explore the local standing stones to uncover the truth about some local legends.

This is a thoroughly intriguing book, which would be enjoyed by pupils in Year 5 and beyond. The plot, with its use of non-linear time sequence and time slips, is quite complex and so it would be best suited to more confident readers. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately unable to read as I don’t have a tablet or a phone big enough for reading on so can’t use netgalley app. I hoped there would be a send to kindle option for this