This is Betanda’s first review on the Microcosm. You can see her bio here.
Rebekah Clayton
September 5, 2019
Troubadour Publishing
Blurb: When Rowan’s parents divorce, her brother Luke turns ‘cold and strange’, and suddenly Rowan starts hearing voices. Is someone stalking her or is she going mad? London is caught in the grip of the coldest winter on record. The Thames freezes over and the streets are half-buried by snow.
Rowan soon realises that Luke has been snared by the enemy; the voracious Hunters who want ‘power over all’, and finds that she is running for her life across the increasingly bizarre landscape of the frozen city. It takes a journey into the treacherous depths of Midwinter to save not only Luke, but all that she holds dear.
“The old lady looked long into Rowan’s eyes. In the green depths Rowan thought she could see faces amongst leaves, human-like, creature-like, deer running in the shadows of a great forest. “They are in for the kill, Rowan. Remember you have allies. But take care, for ‘The Hunters’ have many spies.”
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Betanda’s Review
Midwinter Folk is an enjoyable story which took me on the adventures of the heroine, Rowan. This magical fairy tale is Rebekah Clayton’s first childrens’ book which is centred around a young girl who is destined to undertake a treacherous journey and quest to save her brother and all that she knows. Rowan struggles with keeping her family together and completing her quest with the help from her friends. The discoveries of Rowan’s new abilities and who she really is, along with the troubles of her family life, will help this story resonate with many young people.
Midwinter Folk has all the great features a child’s fantasy novel should have: villains, self-discovery, mystical people and places, trusting and knowing supporters of the main character, a deep driven reason to complete the quest. I found myself comparing this book to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The vivid descriptions enable the reader to visualise the scenery and the characters, some of which are quite graphic and gruesome. Readers who have a spot for animals or are a little squeamish may find a few of the scenes in the final part of this book unnerving. Some of the descriptions were confusing; for example, I was unsure of the age of Rowan and got a bit lost in some of the battle scenes, however, this did not take away the true enjoyment of the storyline.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.