Hi everyone, don’t worry, this week’s read is not as dark as last week. You’ll have more contemporary characters mixed with magic and some heartwarming history here. If you, like me, enjoy stories of siblings then this is for you!
Title: In Darkling Wood
Author: Emma Carroll
Genre: Fiction – contemporary/fantasy
Publication details: Faber & Faber; London, 2015
ISBN: 9780571317578 (Paperback)
What this book is about: When Alice’s brother is taken to hospital for a heart transplant, Alice is bundled off to her grandmother’s house. Back in 1918, the war over, another girl awaits her brother’s safe return from the Front. Neither girl must give up hope. At the bottom of Alice’s grandmother’s garden lies the Darkling Wood, a place of magic, secrets and salvation. If you believe in fairies, that is…
My review: What caught my eye upon seeing this lovely cover was the statement ‘For fans of Eva Ibbotson’ written on the back!! (At the time, I had been besotted by her writing!!) Just to let you know, this was Emma Carroll’s first book I read, so I decided to start this book!! And boy what a treat I had!! Full of family secrets, heart-rending tragedy and magic!! I really liked Alice’s quiet determination to go see her young brother Theo as he recovers from a heart transplant and the poignant letters written to another brother by an unknown girl during World War One. When everything fell into place I felt goosebumps go up and down my spine!! An awesome story of ghosts and fairies!!
My rating: 4 ⭐
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 