Into the Faerie Hill

by H.S. Norup

As soon as Alfred arrives at his granny’s cottage, he feels like he’s being watched. There are steep cliffs and dark forests all around, teeming with unfamiliar life – even odd little faerie creatures only Alfred can see. When free-spirited Saga bursts into his life, he begins to appreciate the beauty of these places that have always scared him.

But this special world is under threat: Alfred’s dad is working on a project to dig a giant tunnel through the landscape for a motorway. As he joins Saga in the community protests against the plan, Alfred draws ever closer to the strange world of the faerie creatures, following a thread that seems to be leading him deep into secrets from his family’s past.

Genres: Middle Grade

224 pages, Paperback

Published March 2, 2023

About the author

H. S. Norup is the award-winning author of The Changeling Child, Into The Faerie Hill, The Hungry Ghost and The Missing Barbegazi - a Sunday Times Book of the Year in 2018. She grew up in Denmark, where she devoured fairy tales and escaped into books. After living in six different countries, she now resides in Switzerland and writes stories inspired by her travels, set in the borderlands between the real and imaginary worlds. When she's not writing or reading, she spends her time outdoors either skiing, hiking, swimming or taking photos.

Reviews

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first discovered Norup’s writing with her wonderful book, The Hungry Ghost which opened my eyes to how far children’s books or ‘middle grade’ fiction has come since I was a child. So, when I was approached to take part in the blog tour for Norup’s latest work I just couldn’t say no!

The novel was a wonderful, magical adventure but one that didn’t shy away from difficult issues and situations for kids to navigate. Our protagonist, is 12-year-old Alfred, who has never found a place where he belongs. Never staying in one place too long, he has always been the outsider in school, only ever feeling at peace in the water, alone. However, all that changes when his father’s job takes him back to his Granny’s house with the strange wood carvings that have haunted his dreams since he can remember.

I really loved following Alfred as he navigates being back ‘home’ and the conflict it brings around his late mother, here, he is even more aware of his mother’s absence but yet he knows it’s here where he will be able to learn more about her. I also liked seeing how Alfred interacted with his Granny and, his first friend, Saga. Although both Alfred and Saga are ‘outsiders’ or perceived as the ‘weird’ children, it was great to see how they were entirely different and had very unique personalities. Norup’s characterisations are always a joy to read, however here it seemed even more important to be able to get it right, to show the readers that it’s okay to be an individual and how that can look. Also, even though his appearances are fairly short, I loved the relationship between Alfred and his Dad and the conversations they have with each other: it was just so wholesome to see and endeared me to Alfred even more.

The way that the magic and fantastical blended in with the real world, especially how they were combined with the issue of land being destroyed to make way for a tunnel, was beautifully interwoven. I really appreciated the way that Norup incorporates fairytales, ‘old wives tales’ and superstitions so casually throughout the story too. By doing this, the story, and the world, felt real despite the faerie creatures as there were so many aspects that made me think of superstitions or people that I’ve encountered which aren’t too dissimilar from those in the story. As a reader, you can really tell how much of herself and her own experiences of so many beautiful locations Norup has drawn upon to create this world making it feel both familiar and surreal.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the way Norup introduces such important issues, such as the environment, to kids in a way that both demonstrates the seriousness of the situation, how there isn’t a ‘magical’ fix, and yet, empowers the reader that not all hope is lost and anyone can make a positive impact. This isn’t something that is just left to the adults to solve, in fact, anyone can make a difference in a variety of ways which is also shown in the novel. The same can also be said for the presentation of complicated family relationships and family secrets, too. Whilst many people want to do what they can to protect their children from having to face these issues, it highlights how important it is to give kids the tools, and attention to their thoughts, to encourage them to fearlessly live and embrace the future.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book and all of the concepts and themes that were explored. Norup has, once again, written a wonderful story that will appeal to so many readers and inspire the love of reading in so many kids.

[Eve McDonnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be warned! H S Norup has an uncanny ability – she can cast a spell and snag your mind entirely, transporting you deep into the wondrous atmosphere of her stories. Into The Faerie Hill hosts a magical surprise around every corner, be it the unexpected trait of a brilliantly imagined character or a breathtaking environment so beautifully told. Alfred and Saga’s journey gradually nudges you deeper and deeper into a world where the surreal feels so real you’ll wonder where the true boundary between our world and that of the faeries exists. Both wildly fantastical and heart-wrenchingly down to earth – a stunning journey about nature, family and finding your true self.

My thanks to Pushkin Children’s and the author for the advanced copy.

[Hayley (Shelflyfe) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so thrilled to receive an early copy of 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋 by HS Norup, which is due out March 2nd 🍄🧚🏻‍♀️🐝
I absolutely LOVED this book. I expected I would love it, as Norup's previous book The Hungry Ghost is my favourite children's book ever, but Into the Faerie Hill is an absolute stunner too.
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'𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫,' 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐫. '𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬.'
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The story follows Alfred, a 12 year old boy, as our main protagonist. Alfred is special, and a star swimmer, but he spends a lot of his time trying to make himself invisible.
This isn't surprising when he has already spent some of his short life dealing with hardships, like losing his Mum, moving a lot for his Dad's work, and having one leg shorter than the other (which other kids have picked on him for).
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𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞'𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 - 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 - 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. 𝐈𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠.
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Alfred arrives at his Granny's cottage to stay for a few weeks, as his Dad has taken a job nearby, to work on building a motorway tunnel through the nearby countryside.
While staying at his Granny's, Alfred feels like he's being watched, but he can't put his finger on why; is it the hedgehogs in the bushes, the crows on the roof, or someone or some𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 else?
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𝐃𝐚𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝: 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐇𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥. 𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥?
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Trying to get away from this uncomfortable sensation, Alfred explores the nearby area, and soon comes across his Mum's gravestone. But the details on the stone don't add up with what he thought he knew, and this raises many questions for him. Could his Mum still be alive somewhere? Why do his Dad and Granny change the subject whenever he brings her up? Does he actually belong with his Dad and Granny, or somewhere else with his Mum?
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠.
𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐨, 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞? 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬?
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Having lost my own Mum, I felt a real connection with Alfred, and my heart really went out to him. His hope of finding some clues about her in Granny's cottage, and his surprised joy at finding out that one of the neighbours knew his Mum definitely impacted me emotionally.
Often grown ups keep things from children with the intention of protecting them, or with the intention of protecting themselves, but it's so important that we know about who our parents were, so we feel we know our own origin story.
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𝐇𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧? 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥? 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐝, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲-𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭. 𝐎𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫.
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Alfred makes friends with Saga, his neighbour, who is his complete opposite. She isn't afraid to stand out - in fact, she seems glad to be different, with her hair up in four buns, and some of her clothes on inside out!
Saga is the founding member of The Faerie Investigation Society and she is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to faerie lore, nature, and all of the sink holes in the surrounding area. She even has a little faerie sidekick; a tree sprite who she fondly calls Mr Tumbleweed, though of course that's not his real name, because there is power in a name and you must be careful who you reveal yours to.
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'𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 - 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞-𝐨𝐮𝐭. 𝐌𝐫 𝐓𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐞.'
'𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭?' 𝐀𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦.
'𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝?' 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬.
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Saga is an environmental warrior, and she is fiercely against the drilling of a tunnel and building of a motorway through the beautiful countryside. Even without the belief that faeries might live in the nearby sinkholes, she cares deeply about the beautiful animals and plants surrounding the area.
She is a leader in her community, and even though she can't make everyone listen, she does rally quite a lot of people into protesting against the drilling. Alfred's Granny is against the drilling of the tunnel too, and she stands proudly with a placcard.
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𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥! 𝐖𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. 𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦!
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐀𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚'𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐠. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫.
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I loved Norup's descriptions of settings within the story, which were so cozy and lush, even in the ordinary human world.
The images of Granny's cottage, and Saga's home, took me back to my own childhood visits to my grandparents' house - especially the comforting chaos of Saga's kitchen.
There was also such a wonderful sense of safety surrounding the grown ups that Alfred and Saga interact with, especially Saga's uncle, who makes fun of the stuffy adults that have their priorities in the wrong place.
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(Continued in comments)

[H.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I'd share some of the wonderful author quotes for the book (and I can't make changes to the book's description):

"A gorgeous book… Full of magic, charm and wonder." - Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear.

"I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful adventure into Faerie Land... It's going to be a huge hit." - Thomas Taylor, author of Malamander.

"A tapestry of a book: mythology, folklore and environmental challenges woven together with such bright characterisation and immersive details that I couldn't put it down. A gorgeous book." - Hilary McKay

"I adored the eerie, magical, charming Into the Faerie Hill. Can’t wait for the sequel!" - Piers Torday, author of The Last Wild trilogy

"Both wildly fantastical and heart-wrenchingly down to earth, a journey about family and finding yourself." - Eve McDonnell, author of The Chestnut Roaster

"Enchanting mix of faerie lore, family mystery and eco-activism. Magical and memorable, and full of love for special places and people." - Nicola Penfold, auther of When the Wild Calls.

"An exciting quest deep into a dark and tricky Fairyland, where stalagmites scream and leaves can burn – and where the secrets of Alfred’s family lie. This one body loved this book!" - Sinéad O'Hart, author of The Eye of The North.

"Tremendous fun! An atmospheric eco-fairy tale full of visual flair and imagination." - Liz Hyder, author of Bearmouth.

"WHAT a gorgeous book… an enchanting magical mystery blending real and imagined worlds, folklore and eco-activism!" - Rashmi Sirdeshpande

"Beautifully written and haunting, and above all things, a wonderful story from a writer who has a truly original voice." Tamsin Rosewell, bookseller and illustrator

"Into the Faerie Hill is bursting at the seams with magic. Hugely inventive, Helle creates vibrant worlds and characters, both human and faerie, that you never want to leave behind when the book ends." - Juliette Forrest, author of Twister.

[Sinéad O'Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and her team at Pushkin Children's Books for allowing me to read a proof of Into the Faerie Hill (set for publication in March, 2023). Unsurprisingly - as I'm a huge fan of H.S.'s earlier books - I really enjoyed this one, too!

Into the Faerie Hill is the story of Alfred, a boy whose mother died shortly after he was born. He has lived ever since with his father, who has recently become employed on a new job - building a tunnel through a hill - on a site near Alfred's Grandma's house. So, Alfred goes to stay with her while his dad works. Grandma (who is a great character) has a cottage built in the shadow of a cliff, and in each of the cottage's windows there is a carved figurine, some of which seem to have a strange and fascinating power. Alfred meets a young girl named Saga - a fabulous character full of life and sass and cleverness - and their adventures become entwined. Saga is trying to stop the tunnel being built; Alfred is seeking answers about his mother. And what of the odd little creatures that live in Grandma's garden, and in the vicinity of the Faerie Hill? And what of the strange sinkholes - where do they lead? And the wooden figurines in Grandma's house - how are they tied up in the whole mystery?

I admired so much about this book, including Norup's use of fae-lore and and her depiction of the cold, beautiful, merciless, tricky High Faeries. In that sense it reminded me of the fae in Terry Pratchett's wonderful Lords and Ladies, who are also glittering and beautiful and tricky and utterly cold, and it happens to be my favourite Discworld book! I loved her characters - Alfred (the etymology of whose name I was charmed to learn at the end of the book) and Saga, Bjorn and Batty (who I wished I'd met earlier in the story), Granny and Dad and the present-while-absent Nereida (another amazingly clever name), but my heart belongs to Mr Tumbleweed, whose wonderful dialogue and 'creaking floorboard' voice are such an achievement. I adored him! I also really admired the book's inclusivity, in terms of Alfred's disability and how it's handled, and I really enjoyed Alfred and Saga's friendship. The environmental theme was excellent, and so very relevant to the world we live in.

If you've enjoyed H.S. Norup's previous books, especially her debut The Missing Barbegazi, you'll love Into the Faerie Hill. It's a really lovely adventure with high stakes, emotional depth, and genuine peril, and I can't wait for more from Alfred, Saga, and co.!

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Faerie Hill did not disappoint! It is magical and mysterious, wondrous and complex and beautiful.

From the start, it is clear that there's something unusual about Alfred's Granny's cottage. The wooden sculptures positioned at each window have an air of mystery and magic, but more than that is this prevalent feeling of menace. There's just something creepy and unsettling about them, however lovely Granny is, that makes the cottage feel a little unsafe. Then there's whatever is creeping around the underbrush that definitely isn't a hedgehog. That's one of the things this story does so well. Nowhere feels safe or secure, and while there are rarely visible dangers there's this constant and palpable sense of menace that is just such a perfect capture of the eerie threat of faerie. There are rituals and there are rites, from the carvings to the saucer of milk that goes out each evening, but they're just there to appease an unseen threat or ward off a mischief. There's also the observance of well documented rules, like the power present in knowing someone's real name. Some of this is imparted by Saga, who is just a wonderful supporting character, kooky and eccentric, knowledgeable, but informed mostly by old stories not always supported by fact.

That's one of the fascinating things about faerie, and it really comes out here. So much of it is mysterious and unknown. There may be some rules that have been passed down, and many of them can be found here, but there's a world we know nothing about. Into the Faerie Hill gives us a small glimpse of it and some of its inhabitants, but leaves so much more unseen. I'm really hoping for a second book that unravels a few more of the mysteries set up here and shows us more of this fascinating world! It's a world of hierarchy and power, magic and ambition and illusion and deals that are rarely quite what they seem. The queen comes across as a being of great fickle power and there's a real sense of threat coming from her throughout her land. I absolutely loved the use of small faeries as ornaments by the high fey, such a disturbing power play! Even the allies are fundamentally unknowable and hard to trust, exactly as it should be. That's definitely not to say that they're unlikable though, and the shape changers are presented with real charm and I was left wanting to know so much more about them.

So yeah, I adored the depiction of the land of faerie and its inhabitants. But what else is going on? Well, driving the plot is an environmental issue, a tunnel being dug through the hill for a motorway. There's a lot in here about the impact of urban development on the natural environment and how much we lose to bulldozers. It's handled really well. It's not overdone, but it's always there providing a background and driving events throughout the novel. It adds dramatic tension too, as the day draws closer for work to start, and it's cleverly worked throughout the novel as a reason for so many of the characters to act.

There's also some family drama in there, as Alfred starts to ask questions about his heritage. Or rather, he starts to think of questions that he's afraid to actually ask. Again, this was done really well, with an emotional subtlety and tied in to the whole plot of the novel. It's a really intriguing mystery, with little clues uncovered from a wide variety of sources that slowly unfolds throughout the story and leaves us wanting to know more.

So there you have it. Into the Faerie Hill is a book packed with mystery and menace and magic. The plot is effectively driven by the environmental issues and there are older secrets threaded throughout the whole story. It all comes to a satisfying conclusion, but definitely left me wanting more!

[Valinora Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew from the first page that I would love this book. The writing is so engaging, I was completely immersed in the world, with settings combining the beauty of nature with a sense of danger. From the first page when Alfred views Granny’s cottage nestled against a limestone cliff:

‘Tree roots formed deep lines in the rockface. They looked like pointy teeth, ready to gobble the cottage in a single bite.’

From the worried coolness of Granny’s welcome to something scuttling in the hedgerows, the strange and slightly terrifying wood carvings that adorn the cottage, and Granny’s insistence on leaving milk out for the …hedgehogs, it’s a creepy start to Alfred’s two week stay while his Dad works on the nearby motorway project. Fortunately he meets Saga, a girl his own age, with a tree sprite companion that everyone else (apart from Alfred) thinks is a toad. Saga immediately co-opts Alfred into her project to stop the motorway project tunnelling through Faerie Hill while agreeing to help Alfred find out about his mother, who he has never met and knows little about. I don’t want to give spoilers but suffice it to say the children have to venture into Faerie Hill…

Both Alfred and Saga are endearing characters. Thanks to his Dad’s job, Alfred has moved a lot – ten different cities in six countries over three continents – which has left him feeling an outsider, and unable to fit in. Saga, on the other hand, is full of confidence and revels in being different. She’s quirky and clever and a super foil to more introverted insecure Alfred. I empathised immediately with Alfred, his desire to be invisible, his longing to find about his mother, and his fears and insecurities. I loved his determination and his growing realisation of the true meaning of belonging.

With plenty of heart, an exciting story, sinister faerie folk and a family mystery, not to mention wonderful characters, this is a story not to be missed. Highly recommended.

[Melissa Blizzard · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Nereida goes missing, her son, Alfred sets off to find her. True, he and his best friend and travel partner originally intended to seek out the variety of creatures who dwelled in Faerie Hill but on their journey, they inadvertently discover more than anyone could ever dream possible. Saga befriends Alfred before learning that Alfred's father is employed by the organization responsible for drilling into and through Faerie Hill-- and of course, Saga is a member of the party making signs and posters and rallying to protest against the destruction of this beautiful natural world.

Through the progression of this book readers will be introduced to a myriad of mythical beings from sprites to faeries, to shapeshifters, and even wolves with antlers. Mr. Tumbleweed, aka Mustardseed, is Saga's closest companion and was gifted to her from her birth by her fairy godmother. Little Mother and Little Father dwell near Alfred's home and finally his "Granny" divulges their secrets to Alfred. Although Alfred's father appears to remain cynical and skeptical until the end of the book when readers are trusted with an important secret.

For readers who adore authentically Gaelic narratives-- such as verbs ending in "-t" rather than the customary "-ed", contractions being brandied about as if in an attempt to turn them into accepted word choices, and occasional punctuations marks that appear oddly placed throughout the text, this book will be a delight. Perhaps it is sometimes quite profound to have this closer and more intimate portrait of an author's innate thinking process.

[Boooks with Tokyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5⭐️ First of all, thank you to NetGalley, the author and her team at Pushkin Children’s Books for an arc of “Into the faerie hill”. I absolutely adored this book. I’m a big fan of all stories related to faeries and the folk, and this book made me feel like when i was younger and i was obsessed with reading about fantasy realms far away from the real world. Also, the story reminded me a lot (obviously in the best possible way) of other amazing stories related to faeries (Spiderwick chronicles, bridge to terabithia and arthur and the minimoys). If you enjoyed any of these stories as a kid, or if you want an amazing book related to faeries, i highly recommend reading Into the faerie hill 🖤🧚🏻‍♀️

[Victoria Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book full of magic, folklore, myth and mystery. I was pulled right into the story from the start, wondering where (and who!) Alfred’s mother was, what the mysterious carvings in the cottage windows were for, who the strange creatures in the forest might be, and what secrets were hidden in the Faerie Hill. It’s a story that promises much right from the start and certainly doesn’t disappoint its readers – it’s jam-packed with adventure and magic, and has a wonderful tale of friendship and belonging at its heart. An absolute gem of a book.

[Juliette Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Faerie Hill is bursting at the seams with magic. Hugely inventive, Helle creates vibrant worlds and characters, both human and faerie, that you never want to leave behind when the book ends. This is one for those who love folklore, mystery, friendship, eco-activism and nature. Helle's writing is so beautiful - she's an absolute treasure and one of my favourite authors. Don't miss out. Buy this book today. Just don't go into the Faerie on your own ...

[Ben Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book of mystical wonder! I loved this adventure story of self-discovery. The sprites, pixies, high-faeries and shapeshifters are fabulous and their relationships are complex. I thoroughly recommend reading Into the Faerie Hill either for yourself as an adult, of with your child, probably 9+.

[Omiai · Rating 4 out of 5]

a really enjoyable read. It had some clever new takes on the faerie realm, and some exciting story twists and turns.
the characters were interesting, and also not just your typical kids books heroes.
it leaves you hinting at a possible 2nd book, which I will be looking out for as I enjoyed this a lot, and would definitely want to read more about these characters.

[Hannah Rials Jensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readable, cool environmental angle, but it just didn’t grip me at all, the characters or the way the faeries were introduced. I can definitely sell it for fans of faerie stories, but fell a bit flat for me.

[Vonprice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic, folklore and eco-fiction combined in an enthralling MG novel. You can read my full review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....

[Marvin Vingerhoed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooi geschreven, spannend wat er gaat gebeuren. Link met nu door tunnel, milieu ed.
Echt een fijn wegvluchtboek. Ik las dat een deel is gebaseerd op Keltische folklore en dat de schrijfster oa op het idee kwam tijdens wandelingen tijdens corona in de bossen achter haar tuin.

[Andrea Young]

My 8y/o daughter really enjoyed this magical tale and looks forward to the next book! Made for a good bedtime book for us to read together as I enjoyed it too.

[rina dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Helle and her stories, so I was very excited to receive an early copy of Into The Faerie Hill and what an absolute joy this book is.
Helle has such a talent when it comes to storytelling and transporting the reader into a magical, cosy universe. Into The Faerie Hill is pure escapism, and I never wanted it to end.

Alfred, a 12 year old boy, is the main protagonist and is quite special. He's an excellent swimmer, despite one leg being shorter than the other, he's had to acclimatise to moving around a lot due to his father's work and deal with a lot of grief since he lost his Mother, so when he goes to stay with his Grandma for a few weeks he takes it seriously when he feels like someone is watching him. Steep cliffs and dark forest surround the cottage he's staying in, but it's also teeming with life, faeries, and other creatures call this place home, only Alfred can see them but that doesn't mean their home doesn't need protecting, so when it's under threat from contractors it's down to him to advocate for them and maybe they can teach him something too, like what truly happened to his Mother.

With themes of family and belonging, Into the Faerie Hill is such a captivating story, from the setting to the issues of protecting nature and looking after our environment to truly finding yourself it's absolutely beautiful. I loved the friendships in this book, especially between Alfred and Saga. Their passion for their surroundings and all that lives shine through. It is a story that is fantastical and magical but also incredibly moving and humble. I can't recommend this beautiful book enough! Helle's stories are engaging and thoughtful, and I can't wait for what she does next.

[Kitchen Sink Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faerie is a land of mystery, a tapestry of magical beings, beasts, and other wonders many of which could be beyond human imagining if it were not for authors such as H.S. Norup whose imagination weave them together into tales of characters and places that in our hearts we know exist even if sometimes our minds are set to merely wonder. Into the Faerie Hill, published by Pushkin Chidlren’s, is a book of mystery, a tapestry of ancient folklore and mythological tales woven together to tell us about Alfred and his search for family secrets which may hold the key to the mysterious past of his own family. Be warned however this book is a complex tapestry for it is woven with many threads, it introduces many fantastical characters and creatures, and it will lure you into places that you never knew existed.

Alfred first visited his granny’s cottage five years ago and he still has dark-forest nightmares that he is sure come from that first visit. His attempts to make himself invisible don’t work and whilst his dad literally skips to the front door Alfred just can’t escape the feeling that he is being watched. He is not wrong for all around the cottage there are steep cliffs, dark forests and faerie creatures that only he can see, that is until the free-spirited Saga bursts into his life. Using the map carefully included at the front of the book you too can explore this new world with Alfred and Saga, see them in a new light and in fighting a giant tunnel threatening these special worlds maybe you too can uncover some special secrets.