I enjoyed this dreamy, magical short story read by the author herself, but I think I enjoyed the discussion with the author even more. Its great to get a bit of insight into a writer's thought process and inspiration and this certainly delivers.

Perfect for fans of Clarke's stories.

A beautiful and wintery short story, narrated by the author herself.
I loved the addition of the music to support the story.
It is beautifully written, but I am not sure what to make of it and if I fully understood.

Nice christmasses short story. The narration was enchanting and really good. This was just an half an hour recording so very quick and easy. Generally I enjoyed it

Beautiful. I am just the biggest fan of Clarke's writing and have been waaaaaiting for something new since Piranesi. I will forgive her for it only being a short story because it was so beautiful and mystical. A simple story, a wonderful message, a lingering feeling of magic.

This audiobook is read by the author, which I find really cool, especially if you like a nice British accent.
This a very atmospheric short novel, including some sound effects like wind and birds.
There are talking animals, a talking forest... and I think that's all you need to know since the book is so short.
If you liked Piranesi try it, it gives the same kind of "not sure where this i going but I'm in for the ride" feeling.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK Audio for access to the audiobook against an honest review.*

This was one of my last reds last year, perfect to catch up to the reading challenge. The story is short, well-written and published with gorgeous illustrations, making this an enjoyable read.

The plot of The Wood at Midwinter is rather odd. It’s an original and beautiful story, but I didn’t expect it to develop the way it did. Still, I enjoyed the writing. Also, I listened to the audiobook, and I highly recommend it, as the author narrates it and some atmospheric music is added.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK Audio for the ARC

A short and magical novella from a brilliant writer. Atmospheric and wonderous, The Wood at Midwinter packs a puck within the short pages

This 20-minute short wintery fairytale was very atmospheric with the background sound effects almost like a radio play, and perfectly read by Susanna Clarke herself.

There are clear parallels with other fairy tales, but I'll be honest I didn't really get it. In the afterword Clarke explains part of her inspiration is the way some people can experience the world differently and will never be fully understood by others. I fear I am one of those others. I also suspect more fun for those who read Jonathan Strange, as it's set in the same fantasy world.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley, but I also have purchased my copy of this book.

I'll admit to being slightly biased; Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel is my favourite book and I was excited to return to the world, no matter how briefly.

A beautiful little Christmas short story about a girl who speaks to animals and nature. There is a touch of magic in this book that makes you want more.

The audiobook is also well-produced, with fitting sound effects.

Engaging short story read by the author. Could have been longer or been turned into a full-length book but delightful none-the-less

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They’re the same thing really.’ Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scott 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.

I did not expect this short story to be this short! This was more of a picture book length than a novella, with an audiobook of 33 minutes only.

Whimsical and atmospheric, this story depicted Christmas vibe perfectly. Full of symbolisms with the talking animals and the snow (which Susanna herself explained in her Afterword), it drew parallels with the Christmas story of Mary and Jesus (or was it just my interpretation?).

While missing out on the beautiful illustrations, I gained an experience by listening to the fully produced audiobook, complete with sound effects, beautiful music, and narrated by Susanna herself.

I’d highly recommend listening to this if you’re in the mood for something gentle to quieten your busy mind.

A delightful short story written and read by Clarke. Her words bring to mind such a vivid imagery. I recommend listening to this story. As an added bonus the author gives a little more context to her story and her other works.

An interesting and beautiful story. I wish it was longer but I still liked listening to it. I loved how great it was spoken, especially with the music,

I was over the moon to discover the audiobook was narrated by the author herself, Susanna Clarke. I always find the audiobook experience to be elevated when the person behind the prose gets to perform their words exactly how they envisioned it. This was a beautiful, masterfully crafted wintery short story that explores how interwoven humanity and nature are. The narrative is interlaced with magic and wonder, and I’m so glad I got to listen to it during the festive period. I am now even more excited to delve into Clarke’s other works, especially after discovering this short story is set in the same universe as Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.

Thank you to Bloomsbury UK Audio and NetGalley for the Audio ARC. All opinions are my own.

It was wonderful but it was over before I knew it - I didn't get the point of publishing a story 10 pages long if I am honest. I would have loved this to be a bit longer.

This short story, from the author of Piranesi, is still in my mind. it has been weeks that i listened to this and it has ghibli movies vibes. Ghibli movies you also watch and in the end you are confused and thinking: what just happened. her writing is beautiful and she explains her thoughtprocess afterwards. it was quite the experience.

A beautiful short novel read by the author herself.
Merowdis is a very sweet young woman, she supposed to be 19 but I kept thinking she was younger, for her sweet almost naïve demeanor.
The animals are gorgeously written, each have their own personality and I liked that a lot.
Additionally with this audiobook you even get background noises and ambiance music which definitely set the mood.

Gorgeous, lush, and way too short, this was a lovely short story that could have gone on for forever and I would have gladly listened.

Susanna Clarke has a lovely, soft, lyrical voice that lulls you into the world that she is creating and makes you wish you were there and never had to leave.

I am really looking forward to getting the book to see what everyone says are amazing illustrations as I am sure they will enhance the story further.

If one is in need of an escape from reality, this fantastic short story will always do the trick. I highly recommend this!! Gorgeous!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Susanna Clarke, and Bloomsbury UK Audio/Bloomsbury Circus for providing this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE WOOD AT MIDWINTER is a very short tale of a girl who converses with animals and wants a child - only to be promised a bear cub. It's a very abstract tale full of magic that is both tangibly wintry and hard to grasp at once. It's a little vignette, a glimpse of a girl who no one understands, walking in a world others can't see.

Susanna Clark narrates her own tale, which is always nice as it lets the author put their own emphasis in. The tale also has a musical background of bells that adds to the festive feel of it.

About a third of the book is the afterword, an explanation of inspirations behind her other works and how it leads to this one. It was interesting to see how this tale came together, particularly as this tale is so abstract.

Loved listening to this short audiobook narrated by the author. Very atmospheric with the descriptions of the woods, the background sounds and the music, but would have preferred a little more story at the end. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.