Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

Gordon Jack

Summary

Midwinterblood takes place over thousands of years.  Each chapter tells the story of Erik and Merle who encounter each other on a remote Scandinavian island.  In each story, Erik and Melle connect in different ways and are tragically torn apart.  Why this cycle is happening, and how the characters will break it, is a mystery that unfolds over centuries.

Critical Evaluation

This book is easily a 10 out of 10. The book is structured as seven short stories, all taking place in the same place, but across very different time periods.  Marcus Sedgwick does an incredible job of linking these diverse stories involving, at different times, ghosts, vampires, and Vikings.  The mystery of why Erik and Merle keep meeting is very compelling.  The ending, which brings the reader back to the future, explains enough to be satisfying, but leaves some intriguing questions to ponder.