It’s a cold winter during the Great Frost of 1683. Thomasina and Anne are the best of friends, one running her father’s sweet shop and the other the apprentice at the family apothecary – together they sell their goods on the frozen River Thames. When a family tragedy turns Thomasina’s world upside down, she is drawn to a mysterious conjuror and the enchanted frost fair.

One of my favourite aspects of the book was the writing, which treads the balance of readability especially for a younger audience, but also indulging in some truly fantastic descriptive prose. Hastings has absolutely got her finger on the pulse of winter, and all the different elements that we associate with that time of year, and the atmosphere she manages to conjure as a result feels like stepping out a cold winter’s day and into the warmth and light of a Christmas shop, with all the colours and smells, and nostalgia that comes with it. The author also uses all the senses throughout this book, particularly when exploring the sweetmaking aspect, and it got to the point where I could practically taste the creations that Anne and Thomasina were coming up (and I certainly want to try them). This skill with the description was also evident with all the fantastical elements, and it made it so easy to imagine the Other Frost Fair and the tendrils that were twining around the real one and Thomasina’s life; and the imagery for the Frost Folk and Father Winter was spectacular. In this story of hope and endurance, we follow a scientist and her team during their search for the elusive 'Giant Arctic Jellyfish'. But soon the world of Father Winter threatens to claim everything she holds dear. Will they be able to solve the magical mysteries that surround them . . . ? Thomasina and her best friend Anne sell sweets on the frozen Thames, amid rumours of the magical Frost Fair that awakens there at night. They say if you can find the fair, Father Winter himself will grant you any wish.The synopsis says: "It’s a cold winter during the Great Frost of 1683. Thomasina and Anne are the best of friends: one runs her father’s sweet shop, while the other is an apprentice at the family apothecary, and together they sell their goods on the frozen River Thames. When a family tragedy turns Thomasina’s world upside down, she is drawn to a mysterious conjuror and an enchanted frost fair, but soon the world of Father Winter threatens to claim everything she holds dear. Will they be able to solve the magical mysteries that surround them . . . ?"

I loved how this story took place in London during the winter of 1683. It was fascinating to learn how people lived turning that time – wildly different and yet familiar in many ways. I also loved how clever Anne and Thomasina were to create medicinal sweets to sell on the river! What I loved about The Miraculous Sweetmaker is how although it is set in 1683 how relatable to today this story is. This is a tale of a young girl who has gone through such sadness in her life and is willing to do anything to make things better again. She is lonely and feels like she doesn’t have anyone until she meets Anne, the apothecary apprentice who has just moved in with her uncle.The book's winter cold setting contrasts the warm, heartfelt message of this story. It's like a warm hug on a cold day. A winter-ful debut novel.