"A classic quest story set in pre-historic Ireland, told in verse,"
October 2024 Debut of the Month
This absorbing verse novel tells the tale of Fia and her best friend, Solas the snow deer, as they set off on a quest through the deepest, darkest mid-winter to find the mythical Deer Mother and persuade her to spark the return of warmer days after three long, desperate years of cold and snow.
Accompanied by Fia’s cousin Mish, they face an array of dangers including terrifying Shadows who tempt Fia to give up, while she knows that if they find the Deer Mother, there may be a terrible price to pay for her help.
The story is told in verse, the short sentences and vivid images making it highly accessible while emphasising the mysticism and timelessness of the story.
Dermot Flynn’s atmospheric illustrations increase the drama, colour seeping in as the trio near the end of their journey. Readers who enjoy this may also like Sophie Kirtley’s The Wild Way Home, another prehistoric adventure built on human animal friendship.
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A great poetic book, with really good pictures, it has a wintery feel and would be great to cosy up with in the colder months.
This is not at all like the books I normally read, but it was great and I really enjoyed reading it. It tells the story of Fia through poetry (not the rhyming kind) so the language is very poetic, but the story is still very clear, interesting and exciting. Fia must bring back the sun to save her village from eternal winter. The village wants to sacrifice her snow deer and she needs to go on a journey to bring back sun so that Solas (the snow deer) is safe. The story is also about the sacrifices she has to make.
The pictures are great - it is all in grey (black/white) and yellow with the amount of yellow building through the final part of the book adding to the tension and the whole experience of reading the book.... Read Full Review
A quick and easy read I could not put this down.
I thought this book was really good I stayed up all night reading this it was so hard to put down. My favourite character was the Deer Mother and my favourite part was when Fia finally gets to go out on her own.... Read Full Review
