Publishers Weekly
07/08/2024
Twelve-year-old identical twin brothers Nox and Noah Winters had never been apart, until Noah was sent to live with their mother’s oncologist friends Weston and Aster Day to treat his mysterious worsening condition, the symptoms of which includes spreading rashes and sores. Soon, however, Nox joins Noah at his dwellings in “middle-of-nowhere” Evergreen, Maine, where Nox chafes at his new environment, worries about his brother, and distrusts the Days, especially their daughter Thea. But when he catches a glowing, six-eyed, wolf-like creature stalking Noah at night and stealing something “golden and bright” from his chest—and Noah falls into a coma thereafter—Nox reluctantly enlists Thea as his companion in investigating. Together, they enter the otherworldly, eternally dark Nightwood, hoping it contains the secret to saving Noah. As they brave Nightwood’s many dangers, the duo unravels family secrets and realizes not all is as it seems. In this creepy duology opener, Hassan (The Summer Queen) unspools a spine-tingling tale packed with riddles, magic, and mystery in which the brothers’ fierce bond grounds the more fantastical elements of the Nightwood’s original and evocative mythology. Main characters read as white. Ages 8–up. Agent: Erica Bauman, Aevitas Creative. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Hassan’s duology opener is a classic quest story that lies on the border between horror and the fantastic... An enjoyably strange and wildly inventive journey into the unknown."—Kirkus (starred review) — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Deliciously dark and atmospheric, Nox Winter and the Midnight Wolf is an adventure into the stuff of dreams and nightmares. Nox is an improbable hero who risks everything to save his brother from being claimed by the magic of the Nightwoods. Fans of The Spiderwick Chronicles will enjoy this tale of sibling bonds, family secrets, and bravery in the face of impossible odds. Nox is a spine-tingling journey that kids won’t want to put down! —Lisa Stringfellow, Bram Stoker-nominated author of A Comb of Wishes — Lisa Stringfellow, Bram Stoker-nominated author of A Comb of Wishes
"Calling all lovers of the creepy, mysterious, wondrous, and weird—the Night Forest is everything you could ever want, and Nox Winters is here to be your guide. He might try to fight you first, but don't let that stop you. No one does spooky magical forests quite like Rochelle Hassan! Nox Winters and the Midnight Wolf is the perfect next step for Riordan fans, brimming with magic, mythology, and fierce characters. Don't miss it!" — M. K. England, author of the Player vs. Player trilogy
“An immersive monster-filled middle grade fantasy sure to enchant readers of all ages.” — Katie Zhao, author of THE DRAGON WARRIOR and WINNIE ZENG series
In Nox Winters and the Midnight Wolf, Rochelle Hassan has given readers both a fast-paced, action-filled adventure and an elegantly drawn fantasy world full of authentic relationships and emotion. Nox is angry, scared, brave, determined, and loyal—he is wonderfully imperfect and so, so relatable. I couldn’t put this one down and hope we get more tales out of the Nightwood in the future. Watch for Nox Winters and the Midnight Wolf on awards lists but in the meantime make sure it finds its way to your bookshelf. — Lori Senf, Bram Stoker Award winner and author of The Clackity
"In this creepy duology opener, Hassan (The Summer Queen) unspools a spine-tingling tale packed with riddles, magic, and mystery in which the brothers’ fierce bond grounds the more fantastical elements of the Nightwood’s original and evocative mythology." — Publishers Weekly
"Hassan paints a beautifully dark world with truly haunting details... the prose is enchanting and the mystery absorbing... fans of darker themes will find much to enjoy here." — Booklist
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2024-06-15
After several terrible months apart, Nox Winters and his identical twin brother, Noah, are finally together in Evergreen, Maine, where Noah is receiving treatment for a mysterious illness.
The seventh graders are staying in the unsettling house of their mother’s friends Weston and Aster Day, who are oncologists. Noah, Nox’s charming, easygoing opposite, is getting worse, a setback that’s tied to a spectral wolf who enters through their window at night. Joined by levelheaded, nature-loving Thea, Aster’s daughter, Nox ventures into the local forest seeking answers in the Nightwood, a parallel world of eternal darkness. Hassan’s duology opener is a classic quest story that lies on the border between horror and the fantastic. The Nightwood is populated by creatures from mythology and nightmare: animalistic forest deities, living constellations, and a terrifying yet endearing puppet. The story moves at an assured clip as Nox and Thea use practicality to survive a world they can no longer fully understand. Nox is clever and loyal, but he’s heroic out of necessity rather than inclination. He’s propelled by a temper that’s a genuine struggle for him, making his life and relationships difficult to manage. As the true nature of Noah’s condition and the secrets of the twins’ history unfurl, so do Nox’s first forays into trusting people outside his family and accepting his own flaws and mistakes. The central cast presents white.
An enjoyably strange and wildly inventive journey into the unknown.(Fantasy. 8-12)
