Fia and the Last Snow Deer

by Eilish Fisher, Dermot Flynn (Illustrator)

Born under the same solstice sky thirteen years ago, Fia and her reindeer Solas have a powerful and unbreakable connection. But now, struggling to survive a seemingly eternal winter, Fia's village turn their sights on Solas - both for the meat the last remaining reindeer can provide and an ancient prophecy promise that an ultimate sacrifice will once more return sunlight and life to the world . . .

Refusing to allow the worst to happen, Fia and her cousin Mish run from the village with Solas, seeking out the Deer Mother - the mythical being who wakes the sun at the winter solstice and who they believe is their only hope of saving Solas and their village.

But the wilderness is harsh and shadows lurk at every turn. Can they make it to the Deer Mother? And, if they do, what choices will they face to bring back the sun?

A truly timeless verse novel set in snowy pre-historic Ireland, about hope, kindness and the power of friendship, from exceptional new writing talent, Eilish Fisher, brought to life with stunning illustrations from Dermot Flynn.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Ireland, Childrens, Poetry, Historical Fiction

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 26, 2024

Reviews

[ahya | ahyascottage · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Alluring and folkloric with a wonderful message of hope and strength in friendship, this is such a perfect wintry read ❄️

I don’t feel like my rating reflects the quality of the book - it’s one that I’d have no troubles recommending - but I just struggled to engage with the story sadly! I wish I was rating it higher!!

[Katrina Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book in verse about a brave young girl who adventures into the unknown to fulfil a prophecy and save her village. At her side is her cousin, a wolf and Solas her deer.

The language, friendship and themes of hope and renewal are beautiful.

---

Rambling notes for my memory:

For years, the sun hasn't risen and the hunting party return again with not enough food to survive.

Fia was born on the same day as the final reindeer and their connection is strong. The villagers are likely to kill it to eat unless they flee.

Her grandmother Gerd is the village wise woman who understands the prophecy of the Deer Mother who ought to bring spring and encourages Fia to do what she knows is right. To reunite the deer with this goddess. Gerd gifts Fia an antlered headdress that keeps her warm and helps her sed through the eyes of the wolf.

She and her cousin Mish were the closest friends when young, however they have become distanced since Mish took what Fia thought was her place in the hunting party. In fact, Mish did it to save Fia for greater things.

He insists on joining her on the journey, and despite her pride, she allows him. Their friendship rekindles as she discovers his kindnesses. The wolf that comes to them, the deer does not startle at, and Fia realises it is no threat. In fact it becomes their companion. Mish gives away the majority of his food to keep it alive.

The deer mother is essentially Galadriel.

Acorn as a token of hope.

Triggers: scary whispering shadow creatures, Mish almost dies, you think the deer mother will cook the deer into her potion (she doesn't, phew).

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read some wintery books and this was definitely it. Prehistoric Ireland is stuck in an endless winter and a young girl goes on a quest save her reindeer friend and to return the summer. This provided the snowy forest landscapes and magic I needed!

[Méabh McDonnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A glistening verse novel with a concept that sings. Fia is full of heart, bravery and, despite the unending winter, warmth. Folklore and magic abound in the verses following a Palaeolithic Ireland trapped beneath a blanket of snow and darkness. Fisher breathes frosty beauty into every carefully chosen word. A truly transporting and spellbinding read.

[Fleur]

Really beautiful. Back in November I was in London and I chose this book in Waterstones as their book of the month. Although I think they're often beautiful, for some reason I tend to find it difficult to connect with books containing illustrations. How much can I rely on the words? How long should I be looking at the illustrations to understand the full story? Same with this book. But the end was pretty powerful and the story contains a nice lesson and moral dilemma. Also the cover is gorgeous!!

[katie meddins (maresh) · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely story blending irish folklore, animal companions and subtle notes on a changing climate

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a beautiful book! perfect to read during the last couple days when it was so icy out.

[Alice Lamora · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wondrous fairy tale 💜 The illustrations are gorgeous, and the story is absolutely magical.

[BookBairn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderfully atmosphere novel that speaks to ages past to myth and magic. I didn't connect with the characters as much as I would have liked and that took me out of the story and at times I did feel it drag on which is unusual in a verse novel. I did love the artwork which really brought to life the story and was whimsical and magic-filled.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. I chose to read it now, as I felt as though I needed something a little more gentle after reading novels about cannibals and vampires (which I also loved). It definitely helped me to dial things down a little bit, but it was still an emotional read.

The book is told in free verse. Fia is a young girl whose community has been living through a very hard winter. Food is scarce and her people are struggling. When their hunters return from their latest journey with little food, they all know that something needs to change, else it may cost them lives. They need the Deer Mother to bring back the sun, and a way to encourage this may be to sacrifice something. Fia has a snow deer; they were born under the same solstice, so their bond runs deep. In order to try and save her community, she embarks on a journey to try and find the Deer Mother. Only thing is, if she does manage to find her, will she be able to make a sacrifice, to help others?

The main message of being able to sacrifice something for others, and so putting others before your own needs or desires was very well done. As with this genre of tale, Fia learns things about herself, and those around her, on her physical journey, meaning that she has grown and gained insight into herself. The story is well crafted, meaning that you care about all of the characters, whether they are humans or animals. It also shows that sometimes, the sacrifice that you may need to make isn't quite what you thought it would be.

A lovely book. The illustrations also help to bring this to life. The colour palette is monochrome for the majority of the tale, but as we near the end, there are splashes of yellow and gold, reminding us that there is always hope.

[Kirsten Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous read of the year.
This book is in prose, but it's so well constructed that at times you forget.

The writing and illustrations are beautiful and well crafted. The text as a whole is a piece of art.

Fia's home is starving and now it's time to believe in the prophecy - now Fia doesn't want to believe it as does what she can to break it as she loves her Snow Deer.

Between the lines this text is about believing in yourself, but also realising the power of family and working together.

I borrowed it from the library, it's a book that would make a great gift.

[Lucia Benavides · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t tend to read YA books, but this was at the home library of a place I stayed in in Ireland. The story was magical and heartwarming, and I enjoyed the atmospheric world of ancient Ireland the story took me to. The illustrations were beautiful. Only giving it 3 stars because I’m simply not a fan of the simplicity of YA lit - it’s just something personal!

[Hannah Rials Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous, atmospheric, full of adventure, heart, great character arc and incredibly illustrations! I love this ancient Celtic novel in verse for fans of history, Celtic mythology and animal tales - no animals are harmed!

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly magnificent and magical. I listened to this short audiobook, read perfectly by Honi Cooke. I’m going to get a hard copy in order to enjoy the illustrations by Dermot Flynn. Love a bit of Celtic storytelling and it doesn’t get much better than this!

[Selma Stearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful and poetic book about magic, winter, and sacrifice set in ancient Ireland. The whole book is in verse and it has stunning full page illustrations - its technically a kids book but I think everyone would get something from it!

[Rachel Janzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful - a work of art more than a book.

[LudmilaM · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A sweet story about friendship, kindness and sacrifice.

[Nile Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

really sweett!! also kind of dark which i appreciate in kids media! Really loved that it took itselt seriously :)

[Kirsten Oetting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just beautiful.
Gorgeous book, lovely story that obviously made me cry - but what doesn't!

[Samantha Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely beautiful read. So lyrical, and folklore-ish. Thoroughly enjoyable!

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

i cried 5 stars

[Penny Cipolone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story so appropriate and encouraging story for these times. Beautifully illustrated as well. A total pleasure to experience.

[Eibhlín · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eilish Fisher's remarkable story has all the ingredients of an instant classic.

Leading up to a solstice many moons ago, Fia, her snow deer Solas and cousin Mish set out to find The Deer Mother in order to restore life to Ireland’s icy landscape. A story of friendship, love and hope this captivating debut is not one to miss.

Fisher’s beautiful verse narrative combined with Dermot Flynn’s stunning illustrations have truly made magic in literary form. ‘Fia and the Last Snow Deer’ has become a new favourite and will be a go to recommend from now on.

Thank you Penguin for the advance copy.

[Jen Nishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has got to be the most beautiful book I have ever read. The art is beautiful. The writing is beautiful. The story is beautiful. The characters and plot are fully developed and realistic. The plot is well plotted. It’s just all around fantastic and entirely unique. It was expensive bringing this book over to Canada. Add in a postal strike and it took forever to get here. But it was entirely worth it. It is unlike any other book I’ve read.

[Kelly Hides · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming tale of trust, courage, and determination that is steeped in history and Irish folklore.

[Ruth Paszkiewicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely free verse story of prehistoric people struggling in an endless seeming winter, mythology comes alive in this beautifully lustrated tale of friendship between man and nature and the struggle to survive until summer wakes again.

[Ciara · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sometimes our strength is not the actions we take for ourselves, but those we take for others. "

The final book for my junior book club this year was "Fia and The Last Snow Deer" by the unbelievably talented Eilish Fisher.

I cannot understate just how delighted I am that this was our choice as it was the perfect book to finish this New Years Eve.

Fia and her snow Deer Solas were born under the same solstice 13 years ago. Three winter solstices have passed since they've seen the sun, which has plunged her village into an eternal winter.

Encouraged by her great grandmother Gerd (also the village Shaman) Fia, alongside Solas and her cousin Mish, set off on a journey to find the Deer Mother and offer her the ultimate sacrifice in exchange for the return of the sun.

"You will know where to go.
Trust yourself, trust your deer.
Listen watch, learn.
You will not be alone."

Fia isn't just on a physical journey, but also a spiritual one. She faces increasingly complicated feelings and inner struggles as she tries to understand her place in the village, as well as amend her fractured relationship with her cousin Mish.

"Words aren't like arrows,
You can't pull the barbs out
And heal the wound."

I love that novel is written in verse. I think verse novels are absolutely fantastic as they make the story accessible to children of all reading abilities and really immerse you into the flow of the narrative.

The accompanying illustrations by Dermot Flynn are breathtaking, and transport you completely into Fia's world and the harsh perpetual winter.

"It's been so long since I've seen either
Stars or fireflies.
Either in my dreams or when I'm awake. "

This book is a masterpiece and a stunning work of art, that offers a new insight into ancient mythical Ireland that will be a joy to read for adults as well as children.

I'm so glad this was my last read of 2025, what a way to finish the year!

Happy New Year everyone, I leave you with yet another fantastic quote from Fia and The Last Snow Deer:

"Whatever you decide,
whoever you decide to be,
that is your choice."

[Olga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of middle-grade book that quietly raises the bar.

Fia and the Last Snow Deer reads like an ancient story that has somehow survived intact - passed from mouth to mouth, fire to fire. Spare. Rhythmic. Purposeful. The verse does real work here: it strips the story down to bone and breath, making every line feel intentional. No padding. No over-explaining. Just forward motion through snow and myth.

Fia is fierce without being flattened into a trope. Her bond with Solas - born under the same solstice sky - feels elemental rather than sentimental, and the central conflict lands hard: survival versus love, prophecy versus choice. This isn’t a soft, cosy winter tale. It understands hunger. It understands fear. It understands what it costs to be brave when the adults around you are desperate.

What really got me was the scale. Despite its accessibility, this book feels epic - tribal, mythic, cinematic. You can see it as a film already: the endless white, the moving shadows, the Deer Mother waiting somewhere beyond belief. The illustrations elevate it further, working in quiet partnership with the text rather than competing for attention. Together, they make the book feel like an artefact.

There’s something deeply respectful about how Fisher treats her young readers. She trusts them with ambiguity. With sacrifice. With the idea that hope doesn’t always look the way we expect it to. And that trust pays off.

A beautiful, wintry, elemental story — I would love to see it on the Carnegie longlist.

4.5 ⭐

[Hattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a unique and beautiful story — I’d never even considered that middle-grade verse might exist, but I can’t think of a better form for this ancient Irish folk story to have taken, especially when accompanied by the most distinctive and atmospheric illustrations.

I’m so pleased I stumbled across this story in hardback, as the colours are so vibrant and impactful. It’s such a shame that the paperback version has dulled and dampened Dermot Flynn’s spectacular art.

I really believe this is a story for all generations. To me, it’s reminiscent of classic fairy tales (Grimm and Andersen), because it doesn’t shy away from the difficult, the gruesome, or the frightening — and yet its overall message is one of comfort, warmth, togetherness, and selflessness.

The perfect story for a dark, cold winter’s night, about the power of hope, resilience, and how important it is to place your trust in others, as well as in yourself.

A difficult one to rate, for sure, but I think owing to its originality and spectacular form, it's at least a 4*.

[Sara SR · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 rounded up to 2 stars.
I loved the originality of the formatting, with the beautiful illustrations and the broken prose. However, there was barely a plot. Sure, Fia and Mish (and Solas) go on an adventure, but what do they actually do? The characters were too one-dimensional for me to understand their choices.
Some of the things that bothered me were:
1) Mish and his revival - how? The reflective passage as he is dying felt like a cop-out. Who exactly was this meant to distract?
2) You're telling me Gerd knew all along? So she made her tribe suffer, and arguably others, and the animals, and the herds suffer and starve and almost die when she had the solution all along?
Very annoyed with how this book turned out, especially as it is so beautiful.