Awards
2014 Michael L. Printz Award
Synopses & Reviews
Seven stories of passion and love separated by centuries but mysteriously intertwined — this is a tale of horror and beauty, tenderness and sacrifice.
An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking: the seven stories in this compelling novel all take place on the remote Scandinavian island of Blessed where a curiously powerful plant that resembles a dragon grows. What binds these stories together? What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside? And what might be powerful enough to break the cycle of midwinterblood? From award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick comes a book about passion and preservation and ultimately an exploration of the bounds of love.
A Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of 2013
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2013
Review
"Part love story, part mystery, part horror, this is as much about the twisting hand of fate as it is about the mutability of folk tales. Its strange spell will capture you." Booklist, starred review
Review
"The Time Travelers Wife meets Lost in this chilling exploration of love and memory....Haunting, sophisticated and ultimately exquisite." Kirkus, starred review
Review
"Sedgwick's prose is unadorned yet melancholic." BCCB, starred review
Review
"Sedgwick's prose is taut, careful, and chilling." The Horn Book, starred review
Review
"Reminiscent of David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas...stark, suspenseful writing." School Library
About the Author
Marcus Sedgwick is the author of White Crow and Revolver, which was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in the UK and was named a Printz Honor book in the US. The author of eleven widely admired previous novels, he lives near Cambridge, England.