Katharine Orton

Abstract: After escaping a Soviet prison camp, Lina is pursued by a powerful witch and her shadow wolves in a riveting debut that imbues frozen wilderness with fairy-tale magic. All that twelve-year-old Lina knows of the world is the Stalinist labor camp where she was born, a place of hunger, cruelty, and deprivation. After a daring escape into the frigid Siberian wilds with her best friend, Bogdan, Lina vows to reach Moscow and find her long-lost grandmother, whom she hopes will help her return to the camp to rescue her mother. But out in the dark forests and haunted tundras, Lina and Bogdan catch the eye of a vengeful witch, a refugee of oppressive new laws about magic, who commands an army of shadow wolves. She seems drawn to some mysterious power within Lina herself. Pursued by the witch and in fear of recapture, Lina will need every ounce of courage she has - and a whisper of her own magic - if she and Bogdan are to survive the journey and bring hope to a dark place. An enthralling debut that weaves Russian fairy tales through a fast-paced adventure.… (mer)

"Nevertell" started well and I liked Lina’s description of the harsh conditions she and the other prisoners had to face in the Siberian labour camp. There was also a lot of action when she and Bogdan first escaped as they battled with the Siberian winter and the long journey ahead but then they met the sorceress, Svetlana, and her ghost wolves. I didn’t mind the magical elements that were introduced but I found the novel went downhill at the midway point, especially once we discovered who Svetlana really was. Suddenly, she went from evil sorceress to sweet, little, old lady.

I am sure "Nevertell" will appeal to many middle grade readers with its blend of action, magic and Russian folklore, but it didn’t do much for me.… (mer)

Set in the UK, just past WWII, we have protagonist Nona (11 y.o. orphan) and their adopted uncle. And then fascinating supernatural shenanigans happen.

This is very much of a genre that I adored as a kid, very Susan Cooper or Diana Wynne Jones. Unfortunately, as an adult, it is emotionally exhausting to read, not least because our child protagonist has been effectively abandoned by their only adult support. And yes, it isn't deliberate or malicious, but it is very much a mirror of the loss that has already happened, and reads very strongly as a metaphor for mental illness and/or dementia.

It is a Chosen One type story, but rather than relying on the child suddenly having adult level skills, it requires the skills that the child already has, and has honed being a child.… (mer)