When journalist Marcus Seven arrives on Blessed Island, he feels very strange. Maybe it's that no one turned up on his OneDegree app (the idea being that everyone is connected by only one degree, so anywhere you go, you'll find someone who knows someone you know) on the flight over, which isn't a thing that happens. Ever. Or that the islanders are waiting to greet him at the dock after the ferry ride. Which doesn't make sense, because no one knew he was coming. But there's something about the young woman, Merle, and the old man, Tor, that seems familiar somehow. Which is impossible, because they claim to have never left the island, and Eric certainly hasn't been there before.
Still, everyone seems very friendly. There are no hotels or inns on the island, so Tor arranges a house for Eric. Naps, tea, walks and swimming - Eric is so relaxed, he keeps forgetting why he came to the island in the first place. Something about investigating rumors of eternal youth and strange, dragon-shaped flowers. But with the relaxed, easygoing nature of Blessed Isle, all that doesn't seem so important anymore, especially not when he is falling head over heels in love with Merle.
Still, there is something not right. Why is he so creeped out by Tor? Why doesn't anyone seem to want him to go the western side of the island? Why does he feel like this has all happened before? And why does everyone keep offering him more tea?
In seven interlocking stories, Marcus Sedgwick tells the story of Eric Seven in 2073, an archaeologist in 2011 who's made an amazing find, a World War II airman who has crash landed in 1944, a famous painter who's become in recluse in 1902, a tale of two children and a ghost in 1848, a Viking village with a vampire problem in the 10th century, and a king's ancient blood ritual in a time before time. Midwinter Blood is eerie, seriously creepy, and unravels in very startling ways. The story of Eric and Merle reaching back through the ages will make you wonder who you really are - and who you might have been. And it will also make you eyeball the next mug of tea someone offers you with a great deal of suspicion... especially if you feel like a nap afterwards.
Megan
(who has such a huge pile of books to read, I have no idea what to choose next... maybe Dark Triumph, the sequel to this year's MCTBA honor title Grave Mercy!)
Fun Fact: The painting that plays a huge part in the novel, Midvinterblot by Carl Larsson, is real - you can see it in the National Museet in Stockholm, Sweden, or you can look at an image of it here!