The Giant Under the Snow

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 The Giant Under the Snow, by John Gordon

I heard of this one somewhere and was intrigued, and I had to buy it on Kindle.  I'm not sure it was ever published in the US?  If so, it was decades ago; this story was published in 1968.

Jonquil (Jonk), her boyfriend Bill, and his best friend Arf (Arthur) are nice, slightly disaffected teens of the late 60s.  On a school field trip to the countryside, Jonk wanders off and finds herself on a barrow that is surprisingly hand-shaped.  Then she's chased by a terrifying dog and takes shelter at the home of Elizabeth, a somewhat mysterious woman.  Soon the three find a Celtic buckle that turns out to be the deciding factor in a resurgent war between two powers, and between the winter solstice and Christmas, they have to try to help Elizabeth and foil an ancient evil.

This is a really interesting and unusual story, much in the vein of Alan Garner or perhaps Susan Cooper (but a little bit older).  It's legitimately suspenseful and frightening, with a huge earthen giant slowly emerging from the land, and the question of who will control it hanging in the balance.  The trio are given magic that allows them to fly, which is exciting, lyrical, and dangerous.  Jonk and Bill take turns leading out with their innate understanding of the situation, while Arf's stubborn, desperate skepticism often handicaps him, but also enables him to come up with creative ideas. 

Truly a good read for fans of British fantasy. 

  

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