A review by monalyisha
Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson, Thomas Warburton

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

❄️ Welcome to my new obsession. ❄️

First, some backstory. It’s important to know that I had a little house rabbit for 12 years. Her name was Moxie. A common nickname for her was “Moomin.” Understandably, I’ve been meaning to read a Moomin book for a long time! 

As it turns out, Moxie was more a combination of Moomintroll and Little My — sweet, curious, *definitely* up to something, irritable (somehow in a cute way), and small. As for Little My? She never feels sorry. Instead, she’s “always either glad or angry.” And “she always had the gift of having fun on her own.”  That’s Moxie (also called “Little Moo”) to a “T.”

In fact, I think I might be more Moomintroll than Moxie ever was — with all my lamenting of winter; my sun worship; my not wanting to upset anyone; my begrudging admiration of softly fallen snowflakes; and the round, smooth pebbles in the pockets of my bathing robe all year long.

Character assessment aside, Moominland Midwinter was my first foray into Moominvalley. I’m smitten. Immediately charmed. It’s adorable and introspective; sad and lonely; curious and playful; hopeful, and gentle, and sharp. 

It doesn’t shy away from topics like death (of a squirrel, complete with a little squirrel funeral) but the author provides a footnote with guidance about what a reader should do if they find the content too sad. In short, Jansson’s world is comprised of everything I love about Children’s Literature — with fantastic illustrations to boot.

I’ll leave you with Too-ticky’s winter bonfire song: 

“Here come the dumb,

The lonely and the rum,

The wild and the quiet,

Thud goes the drum.”

Thud, thud, thud goes my Moomin-lovin’ heart.