A twisty tale of a mysterious mansion on a cliff and a young girl, her mother and grandmother.
Steeped in local myth of a White Hare they must navigate their new lives.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. I have never read anything by this author but the email promo piqued my interest. Mila, Magda, Janey and Jack came to life as did the remote area of Cornwall where they lived. There is an ancient mysticism in Cornwall which Johnson captured beautifully. I found myself staying up too late to keep reading! An excellent book.

Janey, Mila and Magda are three generations of women who buy a rundown house in Cornwall and resolve to fix it up and open a B&B. This is the last time this book makes sense. Everyone in the village is scared of the house, but not really with any reason, the town vicar is evil but no one cares and none of the characters are likable. Oh, and the child, Janey, has a pet rabbit that seems to be possessed but no one seems to notice. It's alot of tropes in one book and none of them work on their own much less together. The ending is far fetched, almost as if Johnson just wrote and wrote and then decided it was time to stop. There is magic, but we never really find out if it was magic or someone was manipulating everyone. Characters pop up with no real backstory. A lot of people love Jane's books because of their connection to myths and legends, so it's possible I just don't know enough about the myths of Cornwall to really get what was going on.

What an atomospheric story. There was always the question whether occurances were human in origin and therefore could be explained away, or if there was something larger at play. As things unfold in the story, it becomes less and less clear.

The only thing that didn't quite sit right was the reveal for Jack. It felt a bit like an info dump and broke me out of that tension that had been building up until that point. We already had many of the clues for Jack's identity (I'd figured that was who Jack had to be by this point), but it just felt rushed.

An overall very enjoyable read.

It would be hard not to fall in love with this magic-tinged historical fiction. I loved this book so much I stayed up several nights to read it, refusing to bookmark it until I absolutely could not hold my eyes open any longer. The loss of sleep was worth it!

The White Hare is set in post-WWII England. The narrator, Mila, her daughter Janeska (Janey), and her mother Magdalena have left London and bought a large house in Cornwall, which Magda and Mila hope to refurbish and turn into a hotel. Mila also hopes the change of location will allow her to move on from a toxic relationship. Magda too has lost her husband of many years to the War and is seeking to rebuild a life for herself in a new place. The two women are Polish evacuees/refugees of the war; England is their home now.

As the story unfolds it becomes clear that it will not be so easy to shed the past for the three of them; it comes back to haunt them in real and imagined ways. The house and land too that they see as their revival brings its own hauntings and histories into the present. This magic interacts with Mila, Janey, and Magda in positive and less-pleasant ways; it becomes clear there is something afoot at the house at White Cove.

The White Hare is not only a tale of magic and myth; what drew me back to its pages night after night was the deep, terrible past between Mila and Magda, the angry relationship between Janey and her grandmother, and the wedge and glue that comes into their lives, causing friction and connection all at the same time, in the form of another character, Jack. In many ways, this is a novel of intergenerational histories; the ways in which understandings of the self and our place in the world are inherited. That said, Johnson does not suggest that the past dictates the characters' present or future; there is hope for change.

And there is plenty of change in this story. (The plot revolves around the revival of a place and its new denizens after all.) The novel is not a vehicle to retell history; it is much more subjective than that. This is a novel about how a group of people who have individually suffered ordinary and terrible events struggle to reconcile their pasts with their futures. Every one of the characters' actions and choices are imbued with a history, sometimes a good one, often a tragic one. As the novel progresses, the reader witnesses how the characters' histories and their knowledge of another's helps them shed those ghostly pasts and create a new future for themselves and each other.

The White Hare immerses the reader in a poignant lesson of how the past and present are ever intertwined. Lingering in the latent, vibrating background is the White Hare herself, a spirit that inhabits the land and the haunted history that comes alive in her presence. The novel suggests that there is a world beyond our own mundane one, in which we are embedded. In The White Hare this is the magical, historical world, a state of being in which the past and present are not constrained by the physics of time.

What was also very satisfying for me was the way in which the novel resolves. Not only do the characters come to their own organic conclusions, but history also is validated and finds a place of belonging in the present in a very real, tangible way. It emphasizes Johnson's narrative: that the past is never as far away as it might seem, it is really buried -- sometimes literally -- in our contemporary moment. For readers who love long, nuanced resolutions and endings, The White Hare delivers in abundance; nothing is left hanging.

This is a novel that takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions, from sadness to anger to pity to redemptive hope. It is inspiring. It is queasy in some parts. Reader, be warned, there are mentions of abuse, gendered and sexual violence, violence and murder. Ultimately, for me, this was an inspiring tale of vindication and hope.

This is a lovely, if a bit conventional, Gothic romance/mystery that uses Cornish myth and lore beautifully. I loved the exploration of the white hare and the White Lady, purported to be an ancient deity in the area. The characters were complex and interesting, and grew over the course of the novel. All of the bits of archaeology, plant-lore, and magic came neatly together. This should be a hit with readers of all kinds--romance readers, history buffs, Gothic fans, you name it. Readers who like Kate Morton's books or those by Diane Setterfield will love it.

Set in Jane Johnson’s own neck of the woods, The White Hare explores the ancient mysticism of the wilds of Cornwall, Mousehole (pronounced Mauzel) being a favourite stomping ground of mine. This led me to an interest in this novel and having read most of Johnson’s work, I knew I would not be disappointed.
Mila, a single mother, and her young daughter, Janey, take possession of an old house in Cornwall, along with Mila’s mother, Magda. Their initial goal is to renovate the home into a boutique get-away guest house. But the house, set in a remote valley, comes with its own hidden secrets and the local residents are not very forthcoming. While Magda puts her talents to work on the house, Janey and Mila explore the surrounding countryside, absorbing its stories, but it is Janey who frequently disappears as the supernatural and ancient mythology and culture of the area channel through her. A local handyman turns out to have a greater vested interest in the house than first expected, as his story evolves from his past, and when the land gives up its secrets, Magda and Mila are able to help the local manor house back to its former glory.
I loved everything about this book, the characters, the setting, the story-arc, the deep-dive into the ancient past, the concept of the land being imprinted with all that’s gone before. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this book, it was magical and mystical and it drew me in quickly. The feeling of anticipation kept me turning the pages anxious to see how things developed and I was pleased with the satisfying ending. The writing style was engaging and it beautifully described the setting and each character.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this copy.

Reading The White Hare is like sledding leisurely down a slope whose direction you know but of whose landing place you are unsure.

Jane Johnson creates a haunting and mystical environment into which you happily, if warily, slide. Her Cornwall holds old and new secrets that unfold throughout: who is the stranger living behind the walls, what does the squiggly line that shows up everywhere really mean, how do modern and ancient beliefs coexist, is there really a White Hare and, if so, does it protect or menace?

In addition to the mysteries of Cornwall, there are the people who live there. They all have interesting stories and surprising secrets that come together as each is revealed.

I had some thoughts but was never sure where this ride would end up, however I was always glad I was on it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The White Hare by Jane Johnson
This was such a fantastic novel, when I realized I had read The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson, I was excited to read The White Hare
This novel is about a mother, daughter and Granddaughter who have moved from London to Cornwall. Janey was previously married with a 5 yrr old daughter Mila, they have had to sell the house and Janey's mother Magda has decided to move with them. They are of polish decent and have kept some food and customs. They set about refurbishing their home in the valley and discover oddities along the way, and meet several neighbors, some quite strange at first. Jack helps them out when needed and Mila really takes to him. Mila seems to have quite a 6th sense now that they are living in this new area, she and her stuffed rabbit make all sorts of discoveries.
This is a must read, the author is amazing at introducing her characters, giving them personalities, she make you feel like you are right there in the story. Just fabulous, can't wait for her next novel

If you are interested in ancient Cornish history, folklore and fantasy you may appreciate this novel more than I did. The story about a grandmother, mother and child moving into an old manor along the Cornish Oceanside was a bit slow for my reading preferences.

First of all, thank you so much @Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for allowing me to read this wonderful book!

I loved every second of it. It had all the feels… Family conflict, friendships beautiful scenery, relationships being mended.

Oh, this book was so beautiful! Truly more 4.5 stars because of the occasionally overwrought writing and the terrible Polish spelling (non-sequitur: why make a particular language/nationality a HUGE part of the plot and then devote no time to finding that there is, in fact, no such name as "Tomacsz" or "Janeska" in Polish?)

Anyway. The setting is beyond. It's seriously eerie and perfect. This has everything: a haunted house, family drama/trauma, history (WW2 + ancient), and the kind of mythology I live for. It's a long read but a good one, especially if you're a fan of the Practical Magic series (or anything by Alice Hoffman, really.)

The synopsis for this novel focused on three generations of women, Magda, Mila, and Janey moving into White Cove, a mysterious large home, with the hopes of turning it into a bed and breakfast. They keep hearing from the locals that there is something different about the house and that it has a dark past.

The last 25% of the novel was so much different from the first 75%. It felt, for the most part, like not much was happening besides Mila focusing on her past and regrets and Magda focusing on getting the house ready for a grand party on New Year's Eve. Then, the story shifts to focus on Jack and more of the history and lore surrounding White Cove. While I enjoyed the end of the book, it just did not seem to fit in with the rest of it. I wish we had more of the history of White Cove throughout the rest of the novel.

The setting is 1954 in England on the Cornish coast. The picture of the countryside and the old home mila and her mother Magda have purchased and plan to restore has a rather unsettling past. The story has a bit of the paranormal, history and romance

Such a beautiful blend of characters, history and a touch of suspence. The bit romance is a plus .

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

How does one review such a mystical and magical book with delicious prose and excellent characters each with a terrific back story? Well first you point out what a wonderful read the book was. Then you relax your skepticism and enjoy the written word. Throw in some ancient history regarding the area this novel takes place in and just enjoy. When 3 generations of female relatives, grandmother Magdalena, her daughter Mila and Mila’s young daughter Janey, all leave 1950’s London to restore a former beauty of a home in Cornwall that has laid barren since the war what could possibly go wrong? Restoring the house to its former glory in order to open it as a guest lodge comes at a price. We have bossy Mom and Grandma Magda who runs the show or thinks she does but with great conflict due to her unflinching and never apologetic attitude, her daughter Mila, docile, meek and used to Magda’s bullying but trying to forge a new beginning and home for her and her young daughter and 5 year old Janey. Janey is absolute in the fact that there is a presence here and talks with great authority about a past she could know nothing about, Enter the handsome mystery man and that dreaded character that oozes evil and the stage is set. What happens next is both awe inspiring as it is impossible to believe. But do we know for certain that the world is only experienced in black and white or is there something that is too powerful to ignore even though it defies logic? This novel is a treat for your soul..

The story was captivating and I found the book hard to put down. The characters are very diverse and interesting. The story, characters and setting were beautifully staged. It took me a bit to get used to the authors writing style, but once I did I really enjoyed it

A charming story! Mila’s life with a horrible/overbearing mother and a young daughter who is filled with imagination and magic along with an interesting place right on the ocean makes for a lovely tale. Love the way it “wraps up” at the end.

Having devoured all of Alice Hoffman's works, I was intrigued by the comparison to Jane Johnson and eager to discover the similarities. I was not disappointed; the book had me from the very first chapter. Mother, daughter and granddaughter are escaping scandal and heartbreak in London to a remote house near the sea in Cornwall which they plan to renovate into a bed and breakfast. Before they even arrive there is a supernatural event foreshadowing the many mysteries to come including hidden spaces, pirate treasure, a handsome stranger with a dark past and a benevolent female presence. Nature lovers will appreciate the lush prose and vivid descriptions of the countryside and the references to herbal remedies. As the story turns gothic, historical events merge with ancient folklore to keep the pages turning. I can hardly wait to dive into Ms. Johnson's other works.

The White Hare by Jane Johnson is a strange trip indeed. A young mother must find her way after being married to a dashing stranger. Set in the coast of England, the story is a mix of folklore, longing and hope.