Wood at Midwinter

This short story from the Women's Prize winner (Piranesi) revolves around 19-year-old Merowdis, who can talk to trees and animals, and whose life changes when she steps into the woods one day ― i paper, The best new books out in October

Victoria Sawdon provides winsome black and white illustrations to this elegant story, which has the quiet hush of snowy weather but comes with a bite of frosty other- worldliness that is disquietingly shivery ― Daily Mail

A beautifully crafted and haunting tale that has the same enchanting, immersive and transportive storytelling as Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. In this novella, Clarke explores themes of magic, nature, and the passage of time, creating a rich atmosphere that is utterly beguiling . With the same Piranesi whimsy and mystery, this is perfect for a cold winter's night ― Glamour

Clarke continues to show her impressive capability to craft a setting in a few sentences . Light in plot, heavy in theme, and sprinkled with magic, The Wood at Midwinter offers a perfect way to ready yourself for the incoming autumn season. Be prepared to cosy up and envelop yourself in the snowy woodland alongside Merowdis and her animal friends ― nb Magazine

Praise for Susanna Clarke: 'Clarke creates a world beyond our wildest imagination that also tells us something profound about what it is to be human -- Bernardine Evaristo, Women's Prize Chair of Judges 2021

What a world Susanna Clarke conjures into being -- David Mitchell

For fans of Clarke, this is a must-buy ... The perfect mid-Autumn read ― Anything Goes

A miraculous and luminous feat of storytelling -- Madeline MIller

Like Hilary Mantel, Clarke made the very notion of genre seem quaint ― Guardian

One of the greatest and most interesting writers of fantasy in the past hundred years or more ― Times Literary Supplement

A treasure, washed up upon a forgotten shore, waiting to be discovered -- Erin Morgenstern

Purely joyful reading -- Naomi Alderman

Utterly compelling - bewildering, intense, moving, shocking, combining a haunting fantasy with sharp insight -- Rowan Williams

As beloved fantasy writer Clarke's atmospheric and gently funny fable about the holiness of nature, so gracefully illustrated by Victoria Sawdon, unfurls, Merowdis experiences a transformative encounter. ― Booklist