The Black North

by Nigel McDowell

Overview

The Divided Isle, once a place of peace and tranquility, has been ravaged by war. Twins Oona and Morris live quietly with their grandmother in the south, but the threat of the Invaders of the Black North—the ravaged northern part of the island—is coming ever closer. When Morris is kidnapped by one of the evil Briar Witches, Oona must journey to the Black North in search of her him, accompanied only by a jackdaw with mysterious powers, and a treasured secret stone which the Invaders want more than anything.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781471400674
Publisher:	Bonnier Books UK
Publication date:	04/01/2016
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Nigel McDowell is the author of Tall Tales from Pitch End.

Editorial Reviews

"A great read and a cunning reworking of Irish history and lore into fantasy."  —Eimear McBride, author, A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing


"A seductive mix of imagery-laden writing, unusual villains, and riveting adventure will pull readers in." —Kirkus Review, 4/15/2016


"There is never a dull moment in this adventure." —School Library Journal


"evocative" — Booklist Online 6/6/2016

From the Publisher

2016-03-30
Thirteen-year-old twins Oona and Morris Kavanagh join the Cause to fight the Invaders from the Black North and defend their home from the evil that threatens to sweep across the land.However, the violent Invaders are not the only threat. Burrowing Briar-Witches, who drag children down into the dirt, attack, stealing boys for the King in the North and girls for the witches themselves. Morris is stolen, leaving Oona alone to decide whether to make her way toward safety in the South or risk traveling North to rescue her brother and the others. She is helped by a shape-shifting jackdaw from the North who tells her she must be something special for the Invaders to want her so badly. This distinctive fantasy is rich in Irish folklore and filled with magical creatures such as the Coach-A-Bower, a dark figure whose task it is to escort souls to the afterlife. The white protagonist, refusing to be ruled by the sexist rules of her society, wields both magic and her knife against the darkness. A seductive mix of imagery-laden writing, unusual villains, and riveting adventure will pull readers in. Moments of self-conscious, almost Joycean prose break the narrative flow, a literary tic that calls attention to itself but does not seem to serve a larger artistic purpose.Ambitious and engaging. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews