Reviews

Reviews of The Eye of the North

“In this proficient debut, O’Hart writes with a mischievous arch tone that fans of Lemony Snicket will warm to, and Emmeline is every bit as inventive as Violet Baudelaire. Her whooping sidekick Thing – a grubby, Cockney who calls to mind Dickens’ Artful Dodger – is an able guide for Emmeline as she trudges through the Arctic landscape looking for her parents. With its quirky characters and breakneck pace, The Eye of the North is a rollicking, thrilling and timeless adventure story.” The Irish Times, March 3rd 2018

“Terrifically exciting for nine-plus readers, its natural companion is Sinead O’Hart’s The Eye of the North (Stripes, £6.99). Eccentric Emmeline Widget smuggles herself on to a villain’s ship with a boy called Thing. Her quest involves a mythical monster, lost parents and a freezing voyage conjured up in crystalline Celtic prose that gleams and crackles like purest ice.” Amanda Craig in The New Statesman, March 28th 2018

“An action-packed adventure frosted with magic” – Library Girl and Book Boy, February 2018

“The Eye of the North is an incredible adventure-filled tale of Emmeline and her friend Thing, who have to go and save Emmeline’s parents. There’s baddies, goodies, boat rides, Paris, peril, capture, mysterious creatures, power hungry doctors and incredibly fun characters.” Steph at A Little But A Lot, February 2018

“Lovely writing and a fertile imagination in a unique setting make this a truly enjoyable read.” – Nigel Quinlan (@Nigellicus), via Goodreads

“This book is pure middle-grade gold, pitched perfectly in tone at its audience. It is sure to be lapped up by boys and girls alike. This impressive debut is my first 5 star read of 2017. I hope it’s a huge hit. It certainly deserves to be!” – Kieran Fanning (@KieranJFanning), via Goodreads

Reviews of The Star-Spun Web (UK edition) and The Starspun Web (US edition)

“A good old-fashioned engaging and inventive page-turner.” – Kirkus Reviews, August/September 2019

“The Star-Spun Web had me in its grip from page one. Lyrical writing, a well-crafted plot and exceptional story-telling make this book ring with adventure and believability…” – Mary Esther Judy (@MaryEstherJudy), via Goodreads

“I was totally engrossed from start to finish – fantasy adventure at its best!” – Mary Rees, via Goodreads

“This was a complete HOOT from start to finish! A joy to read. POW, went the plot! POW! POW! A truly fantastic story by a truly magnificent writer.” – Eve McDonnell (@Eve_Mc_Donnell), via Goodreads

“An original take on multi-verse to HDM [His Dark Materials], a thrilling adventure, and a great 2nd book for Sinéad O’Hart!” – Vashti Hardy (@VashtiHardy), via Waterstones

“The Star-Spun Web is a mysterious story full of magic, science and wonder…and, despite my intense dislike of spiders, I actually began to warm to Violet, Tess’ pet spider! It’s a book that I was always excited to get back to reading; I genuinely cared about the characters and was rooting for Tess! As a character, she is one of my favourites I’ve come across in middle grade books; she’s just the right amount of feisty, vulnerable and intelligent.” – Kayleigh (@snailycanflyy) via Waterstones

Reviews of Skyborn

“If you want an MG story to grab you by your emotional lapels and hurl you back and forth like a trapeze artist’s swing, then buy your ticket to Cyrus Quinn’s circus, take your seat in the big top and enjoy the show!… It will be massively enjoyed by confident readers of 9+ and would make an excellent whole class or bedtime story which I am sure that adults will enjoy as much as their young audience; just be prepared for constant pleas for “one more chapter”!” – full review HERE

“Another fantastic adventure from Sinéad O’Hart with her trademark carefully, crafted characters and pacey plot.” – Emma Bennett via Waterstones

“Absolutely loved it! Totally captivated – to the point of having done nothing else all day except to follow Bastjan and Alice around on their thrilling adventure. A perfectly evil villain in Quinn and just loved Crake.” – review posted on Amazon.co.uk on June 13, 2021

Reviews of The Time Tider

“…[N]ot a minute is wasted as pre-teen readers are pulled at whirlwind speed into… Sinéad O’Hart’s story of loss, abandonment, and courage.” Pet O’Connell, Cork Echo, 25th February 2023

“The Time Tider is a slippery fantasy-adventure, with a genuinely thrilling ending…” Sara Keating, The Irish Times, February 18th, 2023

“[The Time Tider]’s a first-rate adventure story, and beautifully written.” Anne Cunningham, Meath Chronicle, February 18th, 2023

“Mara and her new friend Jan must race to find the thieves, save her father and discover her own destiny in this heart-stopping new adventure from Sinéad O’Hart.” Jenny Murray, The Irish Examiner, 21st January 2023