Nineteen-year-old Polly Whitacker has two sets of childhood memories. One childhood is normal and uneventful. In her other set of memories, Polly shares an unusual friendship with Thomas Lynn, a mysterious cellist. Together, Polly and Tom imagine stories of heroic adventures which seem to come to life. Characters they create turn out to be living exactly where they imagine them. To save Thomas Lynn, Polly must fight to protect her memories and her friend from the magic trying to destroy them.
On one level, Fire and Hemlock is an intriguing urban fantasy for tween and teen readers. Polly and Tom are fun characters that share a magical and mysterious friendship. Their adventures where imagination and reality mingle create a compelling story. However, on a deeper level, Fire and Hemlock is also a treasure for mythology and classic literature lovers. Diana Wynne Jones turns a simple children's story into an urban fantasy Odyssey. She draws from Thomas the Rhymer, Tam Lin, The Snow Queen, Snow White, The Odyssey, and other classic myths and stories. From whichever level you choose to read, Fire and Hemlock is a magical story for a variety of ages.
Recommended ages-12 and up