This is a hard book to review, though I absolutely loved it. It's got McKay's trademark writing - full of personality and daily life, characters who feel real enough to meet, wonderful sibling dynamics, and (seemingly) effortless description and atmosphere. The mood of this book is like a living thing. The story centres around a complex family with step-parents, new siblings, and a new home. It's woven with magical metaphors that grow into the family's lives: books with the real possibility of escapism, a cat-friend who won't stop growing, a house full of green magic. It's beautiful -- a book I will recommend and reread - but a book that is a hard thing to explain. Maybe that's something that makes is so great - it may well be a book that is different for every reader.

Having loved The Skylarks' War, I looked forward to reading this and I was not disappointed. An absorbing, emotional tale with characters you will fall in love with. Just a lovely read.

Hilary McKay is such a fantastic author. Her books have a magical quality to them and, what I love the most, is the depth and insight with which she writes her characters. Her characters always feel so authentic. They're flawed but so lovable.

I loved the exploration of family dynamics in The Time of Green Magic and the development of the relationships. It was heart-warming to read about!

Hilary McKay is a brilliant writer. Her depiction of characters and relationships are utterly perfect. Her writing style is magical and completely sweeps me away. More importantly, they never fail to make me feel a myriad of emotions. This book pulled at my heartstrings and left a smile on my face. Read it, if you want a heart-warming, magical story.

I went into The Time of Green Magic expect something lyrical, magical, and nostalgic, but sadly something about it just didn't click for me, and I ended up feeling disappointed. The book felt far less focused on magic and far more on the issues of living with a blended family, which I appreciate in an objective way as being well-handled and sensitively written, but it just wasn't what I was expecting, and I don't tend to enjoy contemporary settings. I thought that the age range of the step-siblings was too broad for this to feel a comfortable read - you're dealing with an 8-year-old's separation anxiety as well as a 14-year-old's first crush, and 12-year-old Abi, who I thought would be the main character and my favourite, just gets lost in the mix. I would have preferred a stronger focus on the plot rather than dipping into and out of all three children's feelings and general issues.

Strong writing, but too concerned with normal life for me.

I’m reading The Time of Green Magic by @hilary_mckay and it’s joyful and sad and funny and keeps making me clutch my heart.

Gripping & atmospheric, this is a family drama with magic skilfully woven through it. Fantastical aspects feel plausible thanks to the endearing, relatable characters & McKay's gentle touch.

An exceptional read, perfect for curling up with as the nights draw in.. This book reminded me why I love reading children's fiction so much, I really can't recommend it enough!

I am a huge Hilary McKay fan and love the way she can create an atmosphere and a picture in your mind with her words. She has a brilliant way of writing to make you feel as though you are standing with the characters.

This was a quick read for me as I felt so happy to be with this new family, learning how to cope, how to live with new siblings and a step parent, and learning to work together.

Abi, an only child finds herself with 2 new brothers after her widowed Dad meets Polly, a single mum. The inevitable happens and they all move into a new home together. This is no ordinary home though and Abi, Max and Louis need to figure it out, from the strange books that make you feel a part of that world, to the magical green ivy covering the house. Not to mention the Iffen.....is that real or part of the soaring imaginations of Abi and Louis?

This is true Hilary McKay, perfect for readers with imagination, curiosity and a thirst for perfect sentences, words and characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the chance to read it in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant and one I will be buying!

I received a digital copy from Netgalley/Macmillan Children's Books in exchange for honest feedback.


I read The Skylark's War earlier this year and at first, while I enjoyed it, I wasn't bowled over. However, when I reflected on it later, I realised the skill of Hilary McKay's writing, which shines through in The Time of Green Magic; she doesn't rely on big dramatic scenes to keep the reader going. McKay is the master of subtlety and every day drama, painting a brilliantly accurate picture of family life.


Throughout The Time of Green Magic, I was pulled into the frustrations of Abi, Max and Louis; it's never easy when two families join together and need to find a new dynamic, sharing people/places/things they never had to before. Many of us have been there and the feelings described were absolutely on point, even raw at times. The scenes painted by McKay were vivid in my head and I often felt I was there with Abi, seeing things through her eyes.


The characters have substance and while I enjoyed Louis and his eccentricity, Abi was my favourite as I remember being a lot like her. Books were (and are) my escape and I now really want my own ivy house to read in! I think this novel really captures beautifully how magical books and illustrations can be, catapulting the reader into another time or place and bringing people together.


The Time of Green Magic is uplifting and filled with the complexities and trials of family life. Hilary McKay offers a story rich with emotion and sentimentality in an almost matter of fact style; this definitely stops it being too cloying while dealing with themes of a heavier nature! The vocabulary is wonderful and varied, fantastic for extending children of a middle grade age range! I really enjoyed this novel and feel it will be as big a hit as The Skylark's War.