sevenstories’ #CBR4 Review #11: Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

“In 2073 on the remote and secretive island of Blessed, where rumour has it that no one ages and no children are born, a ritual sacrifice takes place. It echoes a moment ten centuries before, where, in the dark of the moon, a king was slain, tragically torn from his queen. Their souls search to be reunited, and as mother and son, artist and child, forbidden lovers, victims of a vampire, after they come so close to finding what they’ve lost. But can love last forever?”

A refreshingly different young adult novel of love and people across the ages all centring around one mysterious island and two people pulled together in different ages. I struggled to put it down and eagerly turned the pages to see what story Sedgwick was creating for each of the distinct vignettes that span 2073 to a unknown time centuries ago. For me, this is absolutely Sedgwick’s best work. This is a superb, unique novel that is wonderfully constructed to build a story of love and magic and sacrifice.

The full review is on my blog.

First Line: ‘The sun does not go down.’

Try it if… you like young adult novels that break the mould and try something a bit different or you like clever and unnerving stories.