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Gods in Winter, The (p)

Ages: 10 and up
Pages: 152
List Price: $8.95
Cover: Paperback
Published: 9/1/2005
ISBN: 1-932425-47-0
ISBN-13: 978-1-932425-47-5
A highly imaginative novel, set in England, inspired by classical mythology.

Reviews

"[A] real treat. On the surface a story about an English family relocating to a research center in the countryside, this lively family story turns out to be a retelling of the myth of Persephone in a contemporary setting. ...Even for those without any knowledge of the Greek myth behind it, this is a wonderfully told, suspenseful story. But I can't imagine anyone who reads it not rushing to brush up on Demeter and Persephone, and sighing in satisfaction at the clever way Miles has reworked that ancient tale."
     —Horn Book

"This imaginative retelling of the legend of Persephone, set in contemporary England, is a lively tale, well told."
     —Childhood Education

"In Patricia Miles’ deliciously witty and lively fantasy, an ordinary English family are caught up in a strangely harsh and long-lasting winter, and the Gods of antiquity turn out to be not so moribund after all. The narrator, a boy who writes just what he sees, keeps us dizzily on the margins between the everyday and the immortal truths of mythology until our heads spin."
     —Jill Paton Walsh

"As I began to read, Adam Bramble’s clear, straightforward boy’s voice caught me up. … The story set hooks in me, drawing me deep into it. Intent on the pages as Adam laid out each new detail, I felt awe as the ancient story of the kidnapping of Persephone unfolded in a modern British home."
     —Tamora Pierce

"Happy endings are had by all and the Brambles carry on in the best possible quirky-family tradition. They just keep loving each other and believing in the impossible, which is what makes them one of my new favorite families."
     —Eclectica Magazine