I got this UK-edition softcover from an online seller, for another release copy - and because I really liked the cover-art by Natasha MacKenzie! It's by T. Kingfisher, a pseudonym for Ursula Vernon (whose graphic novel Digger I loved), and it's another of her spins on classic horror stories, in the way that The Twisted Ones riffed on Machen's "The White People". [Other works of the author's that I especially like - the "Dragonbreath" children's series (see Lair of the Bat Monster), and the very adult and poignant mythology-based Jackalope Wives and Other Stories.]

This one's a dandy story, with appealing protagonists Kara (newly-divorced and now taking shelter in her uncle's museum of curiosities) and Simon (the barista next door, with a fabulous if eccentric fashion sense and pretty awesome loyalty - and the secret of youth: "Simon had to be nearly forty, if not older, but he looked about eighteen. Somewhere, a portrait was probably aging for him."), as they discover a hole-to-otherwhere in the walls of the museum.

The between-the-worlds place here seems to be patterned very strongly on Algernon Blackwood's "The Willows", so it's a water-and-small-islets-with-willows setting - plus concrete and metal bunkers on some of the islets, suggesting that the area was colonized at one time. And some of the bunkers aren't empty {shudder}. The landscape seems to shift at times, and is so similar in appearance that it's all too easy to get lost - and as if that weren't unnerving enough, there are invisible presences that sometimes drift through the region, devouring some living things and... playing with others. The catchphrase there is "Pray they are hungry"...

There are tantalizing hints (and a few brutally obvious revelations) as to what happened to other parties that ventured there, and some of this helps our heroes (while some bits give them nightmares).

There's plenty of horror here, but also a lot of charm and even humor - a mix that Kingfisher is deft at. (One bit that made me laugh out loud: Kara's ex keeps phoning her to express concern, no idea if he's trying to annoy her or is just guilty about the breakup and thinks she would appreciate some coddling. But she's impatient of this from the outset, and once she starts fretting about the willow-world she can't spare a thought for Mark or his issues, so the conversations are delightfully distracted on her part and increasingly frustrated on his.)

Without giving spoilers I can't go into detail, but I will say that I enjoyed the interactions of Kara and Simon as they tried to cope with the increasingly bizarre events surrounding the opening-into-willow-land, and found the climactic battle thoroughly awesome.

[There's a TV Tropes page on the novel, but beware of spoilers.]

I left this book propped up on a window ledge inside the entrance to the welcome center; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

Released for:

** 2024 4 Elements challenge **

I was surprised to find this book in my local Savers thrift shop today; how it got here from the Salem NH rest-stop where I left it back in March will have to remain a mystery!

I'm adding this to the Wrap-it-up bookbox/ray, which will be on its way to its next stop shortly. Hope someone enjoys the book!

taken out of waternixie's Wrap It Up Bookbox

will find a new home for this one

reserving this one to send to another bookcrosser

sending this one off to another bookcrosser as a trade.......enjoy.
Happy Travels

Thank you so much!