Jane Johnson – The White Hare @JaneJohnsonBakr @HoZ_Books @RandomTTours #RandomThingsTours 

I am really happy to have The White Hare by Jane Johnson on the blog today for the blog tour on behalf of Random Things Tours. Thanks to Anne Cater and Head Of Zeus for the copy of the book.

The White Hare is a novel about Edens lost, found and remade; about displaced souls, betrayal and secrets; for those who seek a little magic in their lives.

In the far west of Cornwall lies a valley that cuts deeply through bluebell woods down to the sea at White Cove. The house above the beach has lain neglected since the war. It comes with a reputation and a strange atmosphere, which is why Magdalena and Mila manage to acquire it so cheaply in the fateful summer of 1954.

Magda has grand plans for the place: to restore it to its former glory as the venue for glittering parties, where the rich and celebrated gathered for cocktails and for bracing walks along the coast. Her daughter Mila just wants to escape the scandal in her past and make a safe and happy home for her little girl, Janey, a solitary, precocious child blessed with a vivid imagination, much of which she pours into her plush toy, Rabbit.

The White Valley comes with a long, eventful and often bloody history, laced with tall tales and local legends. Locals say that a white hare may be seen running through the woods there. Some say it is a phantasm, or superstitious nonsense; others say the hare is as real as you or me. It may be a sign of ill omen; or a blessing. Feeling fragile and broken-hearted, cast out of her old life, Mila is in great need of a new start and all the luck she can get.

A novel set in Cornwall that totally immersed me in a world of its legends, mysticism and history. The beautiful cover and the synopsis both made me want to read it. I love legends,the supernatural, in fact anything that can’t fully be explained. It all takes me away from the world around me.

Mila, her daughter,Janey and her mother, Magda move down to Cornwall to escape a scandal with Mila’s marriage. They buy an old run down house, situated between the woods and the sea. Sometimes what seems a bargain may not be all it seems. Magda dreams of a higher class B&B. Mila just wants to be safe with her daughter, and plow on with their new life.

They don’t settle in as easily as they thought they would though. Being outsiders and Polish too doesn’t help along with the rumours, superstitions and folklore that spread like wildfire. The Valley has a history that doesn’t help Mila feel totally at peace. A white hare is occasionally seen in the valley although not everyone does get to see it. The ones who do never know whether it’s a blessing or not.

This is such an atmospheric read, in fact the atmosphere is a major factor in what makes this novel such a great read. A layered story that unfolds the deeper into the book I read. I hardly took my attention away from it as revelations came and events happened that really made me wonder what would be next.

The tensions between Magda and Mila are strained as the story begins, with Magda being a driving force. She is very harsh on Mila, and Mila just focuses on her daughter, Janey. This does change as the story develops and things happen.

I loved how Jane Johnson wove the different elements to the plot together. They all added an eerieness which blended so well to create even more atmosphere to the story. There are even light points that did make me smile.

I thoroughly enjoyed this expertly written, almost magical tale and will be looking out for more of her work in the future.

Author Bio

Jane Johnson is a British novelist and publisher. She is the UK editor for George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb and Dean Koontz and was for many years publisher of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Married to a Berber chef she met while researching The Tenth Gift, she lives in Mousehole, Cornwall, and Morocco.