They said later that he rode into the village on a horse the color of buttermilk, but I saw him walk out of the wood. I was kneeling at the well; I had just lifted water to my lips. The well was one of the wood's secrets: a deep spring as clear as light, hidden under an overhang of dark stones down which the brier rose's fall, white as snow, red as blood, all summer long. The vines hide the water unless you know to look. I found it one hot afternoon when I stopped to smell the rose's. Beneath their sweet scent lay something shadowy, mysterious: the smell of earth, water, wet stone. I moved the cascading briers and looked down at my own reflection. Corbet, he called himself to the villagers. But I saw him before he had any name at all.

This is a Tam Lin inspired story and it’s so so very weird. I thought “Fire and Hemlock” by Diana Wynne Jones was confusing already, but this one takes the cake.

The writing is beautiful as always, but the story is so confusing most of the time since it goes between dream, reality and the fae world and there is room to doubt what is happening and why. Even though I was so confused, I really enjoyed this book. I do not recommended it for people that have no patience to wait for the reveals though or that mind being left with some questions that only might be found on rereads.

In this story we follow Rois and her family as they get to know a newcomer called Corbet Lynn and get involved in something not quite of this world. There are rumours about his family being cursed and everyone in the small village is curious about him and his story. There is mystery, a love story that doesn’t go as expected and a lot of confusing scenes.

I really liked the magical comforting and sometimes scary atmosphere and imagery. As always, the story had some turns I did not expected and I really liked what it had to say about love and family. At this point I just should have more faith in the author to not follow the terrible conclusions that others do in this kind of stories. I also found the characters neat and I can tell that because I remember most of their names.

The ending of the book was pretty good to me, but it seemes like there is a sequel called “Solstice Wood” that I will have to check in the future. ( )

Are the important struggles visible or hidden, in this not-so stranger comes to town narrative crossed with an inverted Sense and Sensibility? A dream flight through what is certainly real to Rois and may have real life and death consequences to her family but is beyond their ability to sense. ( )

This book will always be a winter favorite. ( )

A lovely horrible dream of winter, Faerie, farms, languishing and obsessed girls, and a cold and tragic young man held thrall to a cold queen. The quality of McKillip's writing keeps me going when I can't figure out what the heck is going on. ( )