A review by triscuit807
The Wind on the Moon by Eric Linklater

5.0

4.5-5 stars. On the surface this book is exactly the wonderful escapist fluff you would want to read during wartime, and yet, at times it is quite deep. Dinah and Dorinda are sisters, one light and one dark, separated by 2 years in age. Their family is well to do enough that they have a governess, Miss Serendip (who explains everything whenever she speaks). Their mother is something of a fainting flower type, their father wants to be a stern figure, but lacks the viciousness his own father has. This is an adventure story populated by odd villagers (e.g. the Judge Rumple and the lawyers/barristers Hobson and Jobson to name a few), a bunch of nasty village children, a zoo occupied by a bunch of marvelous animal characters, Mrs. Grimsby who is never identified as a witch, and a singing vicar. It's story filled with absurdity and is delightfully charming. The illustrations are...peculiar but charming. I read this for my 2020 Reading Challenge (Swords/Stars "classic SF/F) and the 2020 Hugo nominations (Retro Best Novel).