Frances Hardinge 5 Books Collection Set - Dark Fantasy Novels - Young Adult - Paperback

Titles in This Set:
Gullstruck Island
Verdigris Deep
Cuckoo Song
The Lie Tree
Fly By Night

Format: Paperback

Overview:
Five immersive, award‑winning Frances Hardinge novels come together in this compelling paperback collection. Each title showcases Hardinge’s signature blending of lyrical language, fantastical worlds, and bold young protagonists who confront danger, mystery, and the truth about themselves. Gullstruck Island plunges readers into a volcanic, secret‑rich landscape where a Lost girl and her ally must guard a perilous secret. Verdigris Deep threads folklore and coming‑of‑age tension as a town confronts strange occurrences after a coin heist. Cuckoo Song deepens the насt‑tinged atmosphere with memory, hunger, and a family hiding something unsettling. The Lie Tree offers Victorian gothic mystery and a science‑driven pursuit of truth, while Fly By Night follows a sharp, brave girl and a talkative goose into a political upheaval. This set is ideal for readers who crave inventive fantasy with depth, wit, and generous rereading appeal. The Lie Tree’s Costa Book of the Year recognition in 2015 underscores Hardinge’s standing in children’s and YA fiction.

What This Collection Covers:
This five‑title collection spans magical realism, mystery, and political awakening through five distinct adventures. Gullstruck Island blends peril with wonder as two sisters safeguard a dangerous secret in a world where the natural and the uncanny collide. Verdigris Deep invites readers to examine consequences after a reckless act, revealing a hidden folklore and a wary town. Cuckoo Song crafts a chilling domestic mystery where memory and desire blur, and where a girl’s altered state challenges family trust. The Lie Tree interrogates truth, science, and power in a Victorian setting, while Fly By Night launches a courageous narrator into a revolution‑haunted landscape. Across these novels, readers encounter resilient heroines, inventive plots, and richly imagined environments that reward close attention and re‑reading. This collection is especially suited to fans of YA fantasy seeking original world‑building and thoughtful themes.

Book-by-Book Guide:
Gullstruck Island On Gullstruck Island, volcanic rumblings and eerie beetles set a tense stage for a hidden world. Arilou, a Lost with the power to depart her body and mind, and Hathin, her loyal helper, guard a dangerous truth that could upend their village. When a series of sinister events surfaces, their bond is tested and the full scale of the island’s peril becomes terrifyingly clear. Hardinge crafts a lush, atmospheric adventure where courage, family, and a willingness to question authority drive a rapid, breath‑holding narrative.

Verdigris Deep Ryan and his friends seize coins from a well, thinking it a harmless prank, only to unleash a chain of unsettling events. Knuckles burn with strange marks; bulbs explode with inexplicable force; and the Wells Witch emerges from the depths with a gaze as sharp as a blade. The story blends thriller pacing with folkloric menace, inviting readers to weigh curiosity against consequence while exploring themes of guilt, community, and personal growth.

Cuckoo Song Triss wakes after a mysterious accident with a fierce hunger and a family that grows wary of what she might become. Her sister senses danger; her parents whisper behind closed doors; and pages from her diary disappear. As memories return in fragments, the suspense tightens into a haunting family mystery, where the boundary between the ordinary and the uncanny becomes dangerously thin.

The Lie Tree Faith Sunderly, a bright 14‑year‑old in a rigidly moral Victorian society, discovers a tree that bears fruit only when a lie is whispered. As her father’s death unravels into a far darker puzzle, Faith must navigate danger, science, and the lure of forbidden knowledge. The tree’s whispered truths threaten to upend a community’s beliefs and test Faith’s own ethics, loyalty, and resolve.

Fly By Night In a realm recovering from civil war, Mosca Mye, a resourceful twelve‑year‑old with a cantankerous goose, becomes an unlikely catalyst for revolution. Brazen, witty, and relentlessly stubborn, Mosca threads through treachery and alliance toward Mandelion, threatening the old order and proving that courage can emerge from the most unexpected places.

Who This Set Is Perfect For:
This collection is ideal for middle‑grade to YA readers who crave inventive fantasy with strong, defiant heroines and a hint of Gothic mood. It’s perfect for readers who savor intricate plots, moral questions, and world‑building that rewards careful attention. Teachers and librarians will appreciate the range for reading clubs and classroom discussions about truth, courage, and the consequences of action. Gift buyers will find a curated, complete set that introduces five distinct, award‑winning novels by a celebrated author. Parents seeking accessible yet thought‑provoking stories will find multiple entry points for reluctant readers and for family read‑alouds with rich ideas to explore together.

Key Benefits:

• Five standalone titles in a single, ready‑to‑order paperback set for effortless gifting and shelving.
• Unique Frances Hardinge voice with inventive plots, intelligent heroines, and lush world‑building.
• Strong appeal for YA fantasy readers who enjoy dark wonder, mystery, and coming‑of‑age themes.
• Great for book clubs and classroom use, offering opportunities for discussion about truth, power, and ethics.
• Beautifully produced paperbacks that travel well and hold up to repeated readings.
• Excellent value for collectors seeking to own the complete Frances Hardinge collection in one purchase.

About the Author:
Frances Hardinge is an award‑winning British author renowned for language‑rich, originally imagined fantasy for children and young adults. Her novels—Gullstruck Island, Verdigris Deep, Cuckoo Song, The Lie Tree, and Fly By Night—are celebrated for their distinctive voices, intricate plotting, and willingness to tackle big ideas through vivid, otherworldly settings. The Lie Tree earned the Costa Book of the Year award in 2015, underscoring Hardinge’s standing in contemporary children’s and YA fiction. Her work is lauded for combining imaginative storytelling with sharp insights into science, society, and moral choice.

Note: The Lie Tree won the Costa Book of the Year in 2015.

Why You’ll Love This Set:
This Frances Hardinge collection offers a compact gateway into five distinct, gorgeously written fantasies that reward curiosity and rereading. Owning the full set creates a reading journey—from magical islands and haunted wells to eerie houses and revolutionary adventures—keeping readers engaged with Hardinge’s bold ideas and lyrical prose. It’s a thoughtful gift for readers new to her work and a satisfying consolidation for longtime fans who want to own her most beloved titles in one place.

Please Note: The individual books included in this listing will be dispatched as per the original UK ISBN and UK edition cover image shown in the image.