A thrilling tale of political action and love . . . Breslin evokes compassion for the hapless Imperial family, without losing sense of the crisis facing Russia’s people, and seamlessly inserts her characters into the events leading to the rise of the Bolsheviks

Theresa Breslin gives a gripping account of Nina’s life in St Petersburg amongst the growing unrest of The Russian Revolution, seamlessly blending historical events and traditional folk tales with a dramatic plot. This meticulously researched book is a must-read for historical fiction fans and a great way to mark the centenary of the Russian Revolution.

Breslin's young adult book takes on some big themes from Russian history and makes them accessible to all.

Rich with historical detail this fascinating and epic tale will sweep you away whilst reminding us of the chaos and turmoil of the Russian Revolution. Riveting.

There will no doubt be many more novels about the [Russian] revolution this year and this will be at the forefront.

[A] wonderful historical novel, filled with fear and violence, starvation and romance.

There are thrills and surprises along the way, and the invented characters mingle with those taken from the historical record. The novel is a very good way to introduce young adults to these extraordinary people.

I absolutely loved The Rasputin Dagger. [I] completely fell in love with the writing in The Rasputin Dagger, and I will definitely be diving into more stories by [Breslin]. Breslin really is an expert storyteller; she reeled me into her world of revolutionary Russia, and I was very sad to leave it at the end of the book.

Theresa has woven her magic again! Everything felt so real (probably because some of it was). Be sure to add this to your book collection - its now on [my] reread shelf!

The Rasputin Dagger was my first historical YA in a while, and I was really craving a good one. Luckily it
delivered! I found it totally immersive . . . I adored the way politics was woven in, something which is often neglected or glossed over in YA books.

Each of Nicola Barker’s books is a world unto itself; with H(A)PPY, winner of the Goldsmiths prize, she pushed the novel towards objet d’art, using colour and madcap typography to conjure a visionary dystopia of surveillance and control in which creativity and individuality refuse to be constrained.

Nicola Barker’s extravagant, rambling, joyous and more-than-slightly insane novels always present a certain challenge to the reader … No one else writes like Barker does…a reason to cherish her extraordinary work … [H(A)PPY is] an info-shamanic freakout. It’s a work of print art … You don’t read this novel; you let it pour over you … Once again: no one else writes like Barker, and no one else could have written this book.

Exquisite and unpredictable prose … fluidity is without a doubt the most prominent feature of this novel, which dips into poetry as abruptly as it springs up a diagram.

[A] timely, invigorating novel.

As a physical object this book itself is a work of art; a mind-bending adventure in typography and consciousness to be looked at as much as read.

As unconventional as its narrator … Mira A is out of kilter, and her rebellious thoughts and emotions cascade across the pages of this visually starting, hugely original tale in a burst of colour as she desperately struggles for freedom and independence over authoritarian control.

Profoundly different from anything I’ve read previously … I will keep coming back to the story for months to come.

Mira, the heroine of Nicola Barker’s hugely original book, strives to step outside the confines of the story that she has been told to keep, in a desperate struggle for freedom. A startling read.

Science fiction-meets-satire piece that mediates on the true meaning of life ... a must-read.

[A] visually starting, hugely original tale.

An essential story to read….Barker, whose previous novels have been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, continues to dazzle with H(A)PPY.

Hag-Seed is funny and poignant, and offers much to amuse and delight.

Great fun, full of wit and invention and incident

Inspired and witty

Genuinely moving ... The tender way in which Atwood handles [Felix's] story really gives Hag-Seed its power

Atwood on mischievous form

Witty and clever

Stella Loves: Taking on a re-write of Shakespeare's The Tempest is a tall order. But Margaret Atwood is well up to the task with her new novel Hag-Seed

Blows layers of dust off the play while asking clever questions about the relationship between power, delusion and creativity

A delight... not only an unputdownable tale of revenge, it is also a masterclass in how to teach Shakespeare to those who think they won't like it

Atwood’s canny remix offers multiple pleasures: seeing the inmates’ takes on their characters, watching Felix make use of the limited resources the prison affords (legal and less so), and marveling at the ways she changes, updates, and parallels the play’s magic, grief, vengeance, and showmanship

So inventive, heartfelt, and swiftly rendered... Highly recommended.

Fellow fans, I am thrilled to report: Atwood is just as brilliant as ever. I would suggest scheduling some cozy armchair time with her book in the weeks to come

The new novels promise an intriguing opportunity to revisit the tales we know so well and see them in a new light.

Atwood joins the roll call of literary stars retelling Shakespeare's plays... masterful... My favourite retelling so far

An ingenious construction.

She merely understands that fiction can be a powerful weapon of
persuasion… A woman with inexhaustible talents

[A] triumphant reworking of The Tempest.

Atwood’s take on The Tempest is intense and extravagant… Atwood beautifully reimagine Shakespeare’s The Tempest… She writes with gusto and brilliance.

Hag-Seed enchants, endears and empowers. Seeing The Tempest through the cast of characters Atwood creates and the author's own overarching narrative gives the original play new life.

Atwood beautifully reimagines Shakespeare's The Tempest as Felix's personal and professional stories so aptly mirror the plot of the mystical and magical play. She writes with gusto and brilliance, making her the dream author to be part of the Shakespeare series.

The most successful 'retelling' of Shakespeare yet in Hogarth's anniversary series [...] us a thrilling revenge drama ... [It] rattles along with Atwood nimbly reworking the classic

[Atwood's] unique take on vengeance, enchantment and second chances is sure to delight old and new fans alike

A novel of great humour and creativity

A fitting tribute to a play built on magic and illusion. It’s a celebration of theatre, yes, but just as much a celebration of learning and teaching. Atwood’s spellbinding adaptation is a testament to Shakespeare’s lasting relevance.

Atwood’s novel reflects the play’s multifaceted nature… A fun and imaginative novel.

Atwood unrolls a dazzling remake of The Tempest… Ebullient comedy and keen perceptiveness combine in a bravura fictional tribute to Shakespeare.

A passionately original, heady, often musical modern remix.

I’d love to wake up on Christmas morning with Margaret Atwood’s Hag-Seed nestled in my stocking.

[A] highlight.

[Hag-Seed is] particularly clever and witty, with layer upon layer of correspondences with the original text waiting to be teased out by readers.

What’s impressive here is not just 77-year-old Atwood’s undimmed brilliance but the sheer effort she puts into the project… An absorbing read but also an erudite examination and explanation of the play’s themes. Not to be missed.

[It] would make an amazing Christmas present.

Atwood brings forth a cast of characters that comfortably inhabit their own world but often burst out of the page in song and rhyme. It is a playful piece of writing, tempered by grief and revenge and the bitterness that can consume, but ultimately this is a book full of the joys of redemption and hope. Wonderful.

Cleverly done… Very complex, like a set of Russian dolls. But it works amazingly well.

Delightfully crazy.

Rich and inventive… The play-within-a-play tripe is audaciously Shakespearean, and so is Atwood’s free-ranging imagination and witty way with language.

Masterful… Clever, funny and tender

She casts The Tempest adrift in a prison and makes a magisterial case for the timeless, classless relevance of Shakespeare’s plays.

I am in awe of Atwood

A real must read