Midwinter
The Wood At Midwinter by Susanna Clarke is a magical and charming story celebrating its main character’s love of all things natural. Clarke, best known for her novels Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell and Piranesi, has reached into the world of folk and fairy tales to create this evocative tale of fantasy and wonder.
Merowdis Scott is not like other young women. Not only can she talk to animals and trees, she is really only happy when she can walk in the woods. No matter what the weather; spring, summer, fall or even winter, she is more at home with forrest creatures than humans.
Accompanied by her loyal dogs, Pretty and Amandier, and her friend Apple the pig she heads off into the woods one snowy afternoon. Here the group encounter a black bird and a fox. While Pretty might be a little mistrustful of the latter, Merowdis is delighted to make new friends.
However, Clarke has not created some idyllic world. This story is set in the 19th century where a young woman of Merowdis’ age is expected to make a good marriage. While Merowdis had considered becoming a nun, she had agreed with the Mother Superior’s assessment that she really wasn’t obedient enough for that role.
However, she had no desire to marry anyone either. What would anyone want with marriage? While she contemplates these and other thoughts – like the false idea of the woods sleeping in winter- for as Merowdis says the wood is always listening.
Clarke has her main character come to the woods to contemplate and share her deepest thoughts. On this occasion, as it nears Christmas, her mind has turned to her desire for a child – one born on Christmas day to a virgin. The woods, and the fox, reply to this thought that humans are foolish for wanting children in the middle of the winter. How can you feed a new born in winter asks the fox.
Here Clarke starts to build the ties between the Christian story of Jesus as the Son of God born on midwinter and the celebration of the beginning of the sun’s return after the Solstice. The son/sun that shine light and goodness upon everyone and heals all hurts.
As the woods and Merowdis discuss these ideas, the snow picks up and starts to squall. Suddenly a woman appears in the snow squall holding a baby bear in her arms. Merowdis realizes it’s a vision of her cradling her long desired mid winter child. The bear is an orphan who she will raise in the woods.
The Wood at Midwinter is a wondrous and fantastical story. Clarke has created a world both familiar and strange. Familiar because it straddles both the worlds of reality and fairy tale. With just a few words, and the beautiful illustrations of Victoria Sawdon, and she manages to create something magical that will delight readers of all ages.
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