THE WAY PAST WINTER

A young heroine sets off into an endless winter to rescue her brother from a mythic bear.

This Scandinavian-inspired fairy tale starts off strong with a mesmerizing legend of the bear Eldbjørn, who protects the forest. Three siblings—Sanna, the oldest girl; brother Oskar; and the youngest, Mila—learn of the destruction of the woods and the heart-tree to which the bear is drawn. The story then jumps forward many years—Mama died after Pípa, their fourth sibling, was born, and Papa left five years back, never to return. It is endless winter, and the children are hungry and cold and abandoned. The morning after an enormous stranger with golden eyes accompanied by a group of men arrives at their door, 17-year-old Mila discovers 16-year-old Oskar missing. The chase—in a sleigh pulled by dogs—to find and save him begins. The edgy atmosphere of the closed-in cabin is rapidly replaced by adventure as Mila’s drive to locate her brother brings to life stories Mama told them about the Bear. Imagine Narnia’s Lucy rescuing brother Peter from Philip Pullman’s armored bears. The focused plot contains Brothers Grimm–like scenes of horror and death. The book is quite violent for younger readers, but the spare storyline and simple characters may feel too young for older ones. Still, there are those who will embrace this frozen fantasy. Characters are White.

An atmospheric tale for older readers wanting an action-focused fairy tale.