For families exploring their roots and the changing world, this story beautifully portrays the deep connection between generations and the land they call home.
A parent might reach for this book when helping a mature young reader understand the human cost of conflict and the deep roots of family identity. The final book in the acclaimed Mantlemass series, Harrow and Harvest is set during the English Civil War. It follows the descendants of the Medley and Mallory families, who find themselves on opposing sides of a war that threatens to destroy their community and their ancestral home. This beautifully written novel explores themes of loyalty, resilience, and the enduring connection between people and the land. Best for ages 11 to 14, it offers a poignant, historically rich look at how large events shape individual lives, making it a powerful choice for families exploring history, legacy, and what it means to belong.
Depictions of historical battles and conflict. The focus is on the emotional toll, not gore.
Sad ThemesModerate
The book has a somber tone, dealing with themes of loss, destruction, and the tragedy of civil war.
Sensitive Topics
The book deals directly with war, violence, and character death. The approach is historical and secular, focusing on the human tragedy and cost of conflict. Deaths are emotionally impactful but not graphically described. The resolution is realistic and bittersweet, acknowledging profound loss while offering a fragile hope for the future and the endurance of the family's connection to their land. It does not offer easy answers or a perfectly happy ending.
Ideal Reader
A mature, thoughtful reader aged 11 to 14 who enjoys immersive historical fiction. It is perfect for a child who has read other books in the Mantlemass series, or for one who is grappling with concepts of loyalty, social division, and the relationship between history and personal identity.
Parent Prep
Providing historical context about the English Civil War (Royalists vs. Parliamentarians) is highly recommended. While it can be read as a standalone, the emotional impact is significantly greater for readers familiar with the series. Parents may wish to preview chapters describing battles and the deaths of key characters to prepare for conversations about loss. A child is learning about a major historical conflict (like the Civil War) in school and is asking difficult questions about why neighbors would fight each other. The child may also be showing a budding interest in genealogy or the concept of an ancestral home.
Age Experience
A younger reader (10-11) will likely focus on the adventure, the forbidden romance, and the immediate dangers the characters face. An older reader (12-14) will better appreciate the political complexities, the novel's melancholy tone, and the profound themes of legacy, loss, and the land as a constant through human turmoil.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many historical adventures focused on a single hero, this book has a wider, more communal scope. Its unique strength is its deep, almost reverent portrayal of a specific place, Ashdown Forest, making the land itself a central character whose fate is intertwined with the families who live on it. The focus is less on the glory of war and more on its devastating impact on a community.
Read plot summary
The conclusion of the Mantlemass saga, this story is set during the English Civil War. The conflict arrives in Ashdown Forest, pitting the Parliamentarian Medley family against their Royalist Mallory neighbors. The younger generation, particularly Edmund Medley and Cecilia Mallory, must navigate their loyalties to family, country, and each other as the war threatens their lives, their heritage, and their shared ancestral home, Mantlemass.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
The Medleys and Mallorys find themselves on opposite sides of the war. How do characters like Edmund and Cecilia balance loyalty to their family with their personal feelings for each other and their shared home?
2
The Ashdown Forest is a very important part of the story. How does the war change the forest and the characters' relationship with it? Why is preserving the land so important to them?
3
The ending is bittersweet, not a simple 'happily ever after.' Why do you think the author chose to end the series this way? What does it say about the real costs of war and what it takes to rebuild?
4
Characters are forced to make very difficult choices that sometimes put their loved ones in danger. Think about Richard Medley's decisions. Do you think he did the right thing? Why or why not?
