The White Hare

Michael Fishwick Press Reviews

Magical realism meets incisive social critique'  The Lady

Handsomely produced, with delicate line drawings, this is a skilfully told and original novel  The Tablet

A stunning coming of age tale interwoven with folklore, mysticism and villainy at the village fete  Lounge Books

A gripping novel of rural intrigue, loss and awakening  BBC Countryfile

Fishwick's sense of wonder (childlike but never childish), expertly paced plot and relatable characters make it a highly original and deeply moving read  The Lady

The further along I got the more the suspense built up and more than once I felt a chill run down my spine Typewritered

A magical and thoughtful tale about the place where old and new communities meet, this is also a sensitive, well-told story about the rifts that occur in families and friendships, and how they can be healed. Fishwick's writing is fine and stylish and never loses the grip of a slowly building, powerful story  Booktrust

It's got a clarity about what it evokes, and a sterling mood to its pages. It could do very well indeed for this new imprint  Bookbag

If you like your stories lilting and poetic do give this one a read  Books, Occupation

... Magic! 'A wonderfully atmospheric novel. It's a real achievement to combine a family drama about grief, family and friends with a central mystery which has a dangerous edge to it, all magically bound up in nature and legend, but Fishwick has done it with consummate skill. This novel should delight the 12+ audiences of its primary target, but it also entranced me (9/10)  AnnaBookbel

Gripping ... a modern day fairy tale  Books Books Books

Both the reader and story are richly imbued with the essence of the countryside and nature ... A great look at a teenager finding his place in a new world  Sherborne Times

A promising tale of how ancient folklore is steeped in everyday life in a small community  Books for Keeps

Fishwick combines the pangs of bereavement and the perturbations of adolescence, exploring (often with a comic touch) family tensions as well as the terrors of the deep past, and all the time propelling his narrative along with an adventure that unfolds in the present ... this is the best sort of magical realism  The Spectator

The launch title for Head of Zeus's new children's imprint, Zephyr, and it sets the bar very high ... Fishwick's depiction of place and landscape as well as his creation of the atmosphere and mythology of the novel is excellent ... it is exactly the sort of book that deserves to figure in the reading lives of young people  Nudge Book

Alongside the magic and the fables, there are some difficult and bang up-to-date modern themes running through this book, and the author has combined the two very well. His attention to detail, his description of the countryside and his well-rounded and realistic characters work so well together to create an enjoyable and quite different story for children and young adults ... Fishwick has a rich imagination and is a skilled writer. The White Hare is thought-provoking and a pleasure to read  Random Things Through My Letterbox

His tense relationship with Sheila, the new woman, and her daughters, shows Fishwick to be a keen observer of blended-family life, particularly in Robbie's relationship with his stepsisters, which is edged with resentment and rivalry but also affection and friendship  Evening Standard

Myth, mystery, love and loss collide in an utterly gripping, deeply atmospheric, coming-of-age novel  Fiona Noble