Two mothers and two daughters with a complicated history find themselves in Cornwall, where mysterious and magical pagan influences still hold sway. I enjoyed immersing myself in this book’s magic and mystery. Suspend your belief and settle down for a great read.

I was unable to engage with the characters after reading a third of the six hundred or so pages. It was so un-impactful that I kept forgetting to return to reading it. Based on the title, I was expecting a story related to Alice in Wonderland, not the odd imaginations of a child and a grumpy grandmother.

The ambience of this book is captivating and it held me captive through to the end. It is a story about mothers and daughters, how their characters developed from their experiences and then touched each others nature. It is a story about growth, self-confidence, friendship and empathy. The authors talent in bringing the places, people and relationships to life is extraordinary.
This a story of a daughter, her mother and daughter when they move to a new home. In the far west of Cornwall lies the White Valley, which cuts deeply through bluebell woods down to the sea at White Cove. The valley has a long and bloody history, laced with folklore, and in it sits a house above the beach that has lain neglected since the war. It comes with a reputation and a strange atmosphere, which is why mother and daughter Magdalena and Mila manage to acquire it so cheaply in the fateful summer of 1954.
No character is without flaws but neither are they without strengths. There is good variety in the characters and the relationships. I will be looking for more books by this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

A beautifully written book with compelling scenery descriptions. Some eeriness, magic, romance, mystery and high hopes for a new beginning in Cornwall. All elements of a good read for me. And I finally figured out the opening scene!

I was given an advance copy to review by Netgalley

4.5 stars
1954, England is still recovering from WWII. Fleeing a sham marriage, Mila is dragged to remote Cornwall with her cold and overbearing Polish mother and her beloved 5 year old daughter. Their money and lives are sunk in a crumbling old house by the sea where magic and old goddesses still reign. There they met a cast of eccentric characters, and Jack, a mysterious and egnimatic wanderer.

Rich with atmosphere, this is a story of the history of the country, of women powerful and oppressed, of mothers and daughters,
of tragedy and ultimately of love. Not darkly Gothic, there is an element of it lightened by the golden light of a welcoming spirit.

I really enjoyed this book, devouring it in two days.

Goddess, see me
Goddess, hear me
Goddess, be with me

I always enjoy stories that celebrate the power that women possess, especially when they are united.

I would love to visit some of the Cornish valleys and experience the ancient history. The author describes it as a place that "embraces its myths, legends, folklore, and superstitions." There are still the Christianised names in the area (why do religions have to ruin everything?) but the original names, traditions, and tales have been passed down for centuries and generations.

It took me a little while to get into the story in the beginning, but as it went on I enjoyed it. The historical background, the myth involved, the scenery, mystery of buried secrets all were intriguing! A little magical fantasy was sweet and eerie all at the same time.

I loved every page of this book. The descriptive prose was beautiful and all the characters quite intriguing. This book was magical for me.

Great for fans of magic realism books! Loved the vivid imagery and the enchanting setting of Cornwall. Also loved the historical backstory of the myths that have resided on the Cornish coast for thousands of years. Yet, I almost felt a bias speaking through from the author's perspective. Christianity/myths/fairytales....they have always opposed one another and that is obviously historical fact. Yet, instead of feeling it from the character's perspectives as you should, I felt like I could sense a point trying to be proven. This is obviously an opinion and did not make it a bad book. Still a good story I would recommend. #netgalley #goodreads #thewhitehare #janejohnson

3.9 but rounding up to 4.0. For Kate Morton fans-—of which I’m one and yearning for another of her wonderful books, Jane Johnson’s, The White Hare, might satisfy. There also was a bit of a reminder of Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic series included to spice it up. I found it very engaging, with its secrets, mysteries, love, loss, deceit, abuse, ancient rituals and traditions, otherworldliness, good versus evil, and rebirth. Set in Cornwall, post World War II, Ms. Johnson has deftly been able to make one feel as if you have been transported there, with its earthly, natural geography including the sea, the lush foliage, dark forests and winding streams, birds, and seasonal influences. The story was captivating and I found the book hard to put down. The characters are very diverse and interesting, but all generally well defined. The ending, however, was just meh in my opinion. All in all, though, a good beach read. I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for a candid and unbiased review.

First impression: this is a very British book, not just from the setting in Cornwall, but the grammar and spelling too, so be aware of that. Though I will admit that after a bit, I forgot all about the differences and just got into the story. In 1954, Mila, her mother Magda, and Mila’s 5-year-old daughter Janey move to a run-down house in Cornwall. They are determined to make a fresh start to their lives. But things don’t go well for them there. Not everyone is happy to have them there, plus there are rumors that the place has a history of strange happenings.

In the beginning of the story, Mila is so timid and Magda works her relentlessly. Magda is determined to turn the house into a guest house or B & B, but is is Mila who has to do all the work and deal with the contractors. And then there’s Jack. A mysterious man who shows up when he wants and has a mysterious background.

Slowly, Mila makes friends with some of the neighbors, but she becomes increasingly concerned about Janey’s change in behavior—talking as if her stuffed rabbit is real and guiding her to do things Mila isn’t happy about. Things come to a head over the Christmas holidays with a find discovered by Janey and her rabbit. Then life really gets busy for the trio.

The imagery in the story is beautiful. You can almost “see” the setting and feel the mystery surrounding the house and the land. And the relationship between Mila and Magda, Mila and Jack, and Janey and Jack. And Janey and her rabbit. Magda is not likeable—she’s selfish and self-absorbed, but she does come around in the end. Mila goes from being a doormat to having some backbone. So both characters do grow, but neither is very “heroine-like” in the beginning. The paranormal stuff is light, but definitely a part of the story. Though I thought the story was a bit slow at times for me, there is a decent ending that satisfies.

Recommendation: For a bit of British paranormal history set not too far in the past, pick this one up.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing this book. I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

I have spent the last day deeply immersed within the pages of The White Hare. An absolutely enchanting read that has components of everything I love most; a slightly mystical spooky atmosphere, beautifully written scenery, the complicated dynamics of mother daughter relationships, multi-generational mysteries. All gorgeously written and intertwined. I have had little time for reading these past couple of years and can honestly say what a pleasure it has been to reignite my love for losing myself within a wonderfully historic read. Having previously read The Tenth Gift and The Sea Gate I knew that I would enjoy reading the white Hare and it certainly met and exceeded my expectations.
‘If you are a lover of authors such as Barbara Erskine, Susanna Kearsley and Kate Morton then this is the book for you!

This was very enjoyable! I liked the fully formed characters, the setting and the ancient history of Cornwall thrown in. I would definately recommend this book

Thanks to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC. This was a fantastic historical novel! Magda, Mila, and Janey escape to the Cornish countryside looking for a fresh start. They purchase an old mansion in the hopes of renovating it and turning it into a holiday guest house. The author does a phenomenal job describing the setting, the wildness and mystical quality of the seaside landscape and the few locals who are not always welcoming of strangers. The story contains magical elements, characters who revere the earth and its gifts, and who follow the pagan ways of olden times. It is a story of feminine power and of the cycles of life and the challenges that these newcomers face. Highly recommend!

I have received this book via NetGalley for my honest review.

The White Hare tells the story of a family starting over. Mila and her mother Magda have purchased an old house on the Cornwall coast and together with Mila's young daughter Janey are there to begin their new life. First to restore the house to not only live in but to run as a business for those wanting to visit this part of the country. Upon their arrival, a mysterious presence makes itself known and young Janey and her precious Rabbit are welcome conduits. In this part of Cornwall, a ragtag band of Cornish folk welcomes them while at the same time being wary of the newcomers. After all, the place has been an unlucky one for a long time. Over time mysteries old and new are resolved and the mysterious presence makes itself known.

To be honest, trying to come up with an interesting way to describe this book was really hard. I did not enjoy this one for content or style. The lack of dialogue makes this one drag and then when you do get dialogue it is more of a dialogue dump where so much information for the plot is kind of said and wrapped up all at once. Where is the feeling? Where is the emotion?

I was genuinely disappointed because the cast of characters here is really great. I loved them all and yet the story just wasn't there for me.

The White Hare was a great novel by Jane Johnson. It had a great mix of dark characteristics and fantasy. The story drew me in from the very beginning and I kept wanting to dive into the characters and where they were going to end up in the novel. It really paid off in the end.

I was given the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review from Net Galley.,

As a fan of Kate Morton I went into this book with hopes, but honestly, I did not expect my hopes to be at all met. I was SO WRONG.

This book is fantastic, and for fans of Kate Morton...I enjoyed it even more than the books she has written.

The story, characters and setting were beautifully staged, and the plot unfolded beautifully as the story progressed. In a typical novel I will be frustrated by the character interactions, especially the passive nature of how the female characters interact with one another, but in this book ALL characters interact on equal levels, and there is not an uneven playing field among the characters.

As an avid reader of WWII stories, this was a pleasant surprise, as the women characters and the beautiful mythology behind the plot were new and beautiful; and utterly special in their telling.

The White Hare is a moody period piece with just enough intrigue and just enough vivid description to keep the reader engaged. While some of the characters are downright unlikable in the beginning, the payoff at the end is absolutely worth it. A wonderful book that combines myth, history, and intrigue.

A splendidly eerie story about mystery and ancient Cornwall myths. I loved how it showcased the power of three generations of women (Magda, Mila, and Janey) as well as the struggles they have restoring the White Cove house, a rundown mansion in the 1950s.

Jane Johnson does such a good job tying together every loose string so that you can have that perfect 'ah that what that was' moment. The book had shorter but intriguing chapters that read seamlessly. While it was a quick and enjoyable read, it didn't leave a lasting impression and it wouldn't be the first book I'd pick up to read again.

I had not read anything by this author before and started it not knowing quite what to expect. I was engrossed from the start. The author has a lovely way of making the setting almost like a character in itself, and the hint of magic or powerful myth is just enough to give it a bit of a gothic feel without ever crossing the line into the ridiculous. The family dynamics are completely believable even when horrifying, and the voice of the narrator is beautifully done. She has a whole and complete world view, and her voice captures the way our minds work- stretching, coping, not linear. I highly recommend this.