In her latest work, The Wood at Midwinter, Susanna Clarke returns to the richly textured magical universe of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell with a haunting story that masterfully blends Christian mysticism with English folklore. This beautifully illustrated short story, complemented by Victoria Sawdon’s evocative artwork, explores themes of spiritual devotion, the relationship between humanity and nature, and the sometimes shocking nature of true sanctity.
The Story’s Heart
At the center of this winter’s tale is nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scott, an extraordinary young woman who shares more in common with medieval mystics than her Victorian contemporaries. Accompanied by her menagerie of beloved animals—including two dogs named Pretty and Amandier, and a philosophically-inclined pig called Apple—Merowdis makes regular pilgrimages to a wood near her home, driven by an inexplicable spiritual calling that sets her apart from conventional society.
Masterful Prose and Structure
Clarke’s prose demonstrates her characteristic precision and grace, creating an atmosphere that seamlessly weaves together the mundane and the magical. The story opens with a deceptively simple scene: two sisters in a carriage, discussing their pig’s name. Yet within these first few paragraphs, Clarke establishes the fundamental tension that drives the narrative—the gulf between ordinary understanding and Merowdis’s unique perception of reality.
The author’s command of period detail and dialogue is impeccable, evoking both the social constraints of Victorian England and the timeless quality of fairy tales. Consider this masterful passage that captures Merowdis’s otherworldly nature:
“A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They’re the same thing really.”
Such observations, delivered in Merowdis’s “sweet, clear, childish voice,” perfectly encapsulate the character’s ability to perceive connections that others miss, while simultaneously highlighting her inability to conform to societal expectations.
Themes and Symbolism
The Nature of Sanctity
Clarke presents a nuanced exploration of what it means to be a saint in an age of reason. Merowdis’s peculiar relationship with animals and her ability to converse with the wood itself recalls St. Francis of Assisi, yet her story challenges conventional notions of religious devotion. As Apple the pig astutely observes, “Saints do shocking things. It’s what makes them saints.“
The Intersection of Worlds
The wood itself serves as both setting and character, representing a liminal space where different realities converge. Clarke’s description of it as a place where “all woods join up with all other woods” and “all times join up with all other times” creates a sense of cosmic significance that elevates the story beyond a simple tale of supernatural occurrence.
Artistic Merit
Victoria Sawdon’s illustrations deserve special mention for their ability to capture the story’s ethereal quality. The artwork enhances rather than merely accompanies the text, creating a visual dialogue with Clarke’s prose that enriches the reading experience.
Critical Assessment
Strengths
- Masterful prose that creates a powerful atmosphere
- Complex theological and philosophical themes explored with subtlety
- Successful integration of Christian mysticism with English folklore
- Strong character development despite the story’s brief length
- Effective use of animal characters that avoid becoming mere allegories
Areas for Improvement
- The story’s pacing may feel slow for readers accustomed to more action-driven narratives
- Some readers might find the ending too ambiguous
- The philosophical discussions could be challenging for younger readers
- The Victorian setting, while well-realized, might feel overly familiar to genre readers
Context Within Clarke’s Work
The Wood at Midwinter represents a natural evolution of themes present in Clarke’s previous works. While Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell explored magic through the lens of Enlightenment rationalism, and Piranesi examined isolation and transcendence, this new story focuses on the intersection of spiritual devotion and natural magic.
Literary Connections
The story bears comparison with:
- The works of George MacDonald, particularly Phantastes
- C.S. Lewis’s treatment of spirituality in Till We Have Faces
- The nature mysticism of Mary Webb’s Gone to Earth
Target Audience and Accessibility
While the story will particularly appeal to fans of literary fantasy and those interested in spiritual themes, its accessibility varies:
Most Suitable For:
- Readers of literary fiction who appreciate subtle, layered narratives
- Fans of English folklore and fairy tales
- Those interested in religious mysticism and nature spirituality
- Admirers of Clarke’s previous works
May Challenge:
- Readers seeking fast-paced plotting
- Those uncomfortable with religious themes
- Readers who prefer concrete resolutions
Final Verdict
The Wood at Midwinter represents another strong addition to Clarke’s body of work. While it may not have quite the same revolutionary impact as Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell or Piranesi, it succeeds admirably in what it sets out to do: exploring the nature of sanctity and the sometimes terrifying implications of true spiritual devotion.
The story’s greatest strength lies in its ability to make the remarkable feel natural and the natural feel remarkable. Clarke continues to prove herself a master at finding the magical in the mundane and the profound in the peculiar.
Conclusion
Susanna Clarke has crafted a story that, like its protagonist, exists in the liminal space between worlds—between fairy tale and religious parable, between historical fiction and fantasy. The Wood at Midwinter demonstrates that Clarke’s gift for creating richly textured magical narratives remains undiminished, even as she explores new theological and philosophical territory.
The story may be brief, but it contains multitudes, rewarding careful readers with layers of meaning that reveal themselves upon repeated readings. Like the wood itself, the story is both more and less than it appears, inviting readers to lose themselves in its depths and perhaps, like Merowdis, find something transformative in the process.