https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/bsfa-award-best-novel/

Lovely liminal contemporary fantasy, with lots of Doctor Who references as well. ( )

DNF: I only managed to get halfway through this one; I gave up because I was finding the story too confusing, not having read the first in the series. I'll come back to it if I find a reasonably-priced copy of the first book. I did like it, but the events of the first book - Comet Weather - do seem to have a bearing on the second, and I need to read that first.

ETA Jan 2024: Finally finished this after reading Comet Weather. The book is very much a continuation of the first, which is partly why I bounced off it on my initial try. The action largely moves away from Mooncote, and now centres in London, where Serena lives and Stella is currently living, although things are still happening in Somerset. More shifts happen between worlds and between times.

Very well written, the pacing is still leisurely, taking in various folkloric elements and weaving them into a satisfying tapestry.

Recommended

Blackthorn Winter is another story of the Fallow sisters and their mother Alys, she of a mysterious background and behavior. The girls all seem to have different (and unknown to them) fathers who are not part of their lives.

It follows on from Comet Weather, but is not a direct sequel to that book in terms of continuing a main story left unfinished. It does pick up some strands to be further investigated and there is more uncovering of the folklore of the sisters'Somerset country upbringing and the fantastical elements of their surroundings.

A major plotline this time around adds scenes and characters that seem to come from further afield and, as well as exploring further the rural environs, we are now introduced to what might be described as elements of London phantasmagoria, reminding me now of authors and books such as China Mieville's King Rat and Kraken, as well as Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, Sarah Pinborough's Forgotten Gods sequence, Christopher Fowler's Roofworld and so forth.

I continue to really like the ensemble cast nature of these book sand I want to know more about the characters. For example, I'd really like to know what’s on the playlist at Stella’s gig on the old sea fort?

Both Blackthorn Winter and Comet Weather before it are excellent examples of modern British urban fantasy and Liz Williams is an author I want to read more from. Highly recommended. ( )

I thought this book had a very interesting premise, however, I do not think it was executed well. To be honest, I thought it was pretty boring, and it never grabbed my attention. I would not recommend it. ( )

This book was OK - it is a sequel to "Comet Season" by the same author, but the description said "Blackthorn Winter" was "stand alone." I'm not sure that's really true, because there were a lot of references and referrals to characters and events that occurred previously and, while not essential to the plot of the current story, they certainly would've helped clarify things for me. So my recommendation would be to start with the first book, and it will make following and understanding this one easier.

As for things I really liked about this book: I thought the characters were exceptional! Each one seemed to have a very distinct personality and voice, and I very much enjoyed how the magical realm and the "real" world linked and interacted. Each person, human or fey, seemed to have their own distinct look, feel, and characteristic voice and personality. In some of them, there was even growth and development throughout the story.

However, sometimes there was no explanation for that development. I mean, I get that it's a story about magical occurences and stuff like that, but when [SPOILER ALERT] a character spends half the book not talking, and then all of a sudden starts talking one day, with no real explanation? That's just...jarring, I guess. And there were some characters that were introduced (ahem, Serena's daughter) and then they did next to nothing for the entire rest of the book. Why even have them in the book, then?

Also, there were a few logic points that I didn't understand, in trying to keep up with the rules of the world that the author built. One of the sisters' ex-boyfriends is seen in a vision on a black boat/ship, and then another of the sisters also sees a black boat/ship, but they're not the same black boat/ship...I guess? Things like that, I think it would have been easier to follow if the one the boyfriend was on was completely different from the other one, or more of an effort had been made to explain why the black boats were important or distinctive. As it was, it was just...confusing. Same with the flood/rains.

In fact, a lot of this book was confusing for me. It seemed like everyone was journeying, either walking, driving, or sailing back and forth - across the river, across town, across country - always on some kind of trek to somewhere or back again. I liked the characters, and they are truly what kept me reading (especially Anione), but all the journeying back and forth just to link together a bunch of things that didn't make much sense to me (still not sure how the radio gig played into things...)? Eh...no thanks.

Still, I liked the overall premise and the characters enough that I would give this book 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. An A for effort, and a good concept, but something fell apart in the actual execution. Perhaps if I had read the first book before embarking on this one, it all would have made more sense. ( )