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Cover of The Land in Winter by Andrew MillerThe Land in Winter
New · Fiction

The Land in Winter

by Andrew Miller
2024 · 384 pages · Fiction
Critics' pick
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

December 1962, England's West Country, as the coldest winter in living memory begins. Two couples in a village, a local doctor mulling secrets and his pregnant wife, and a farmer and his wife, face their marriages and their pasts as the snow closes in. Andrew Miller's novel is quiet, graceful and absorbing.

Why it's worth reading

It was a Booker Prize finalist. Critics called it wondrous and startlingly beautiful.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's slow and atmospheric.

By the numbers

61.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers21 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller6 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz72 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Booker Prize finalist (2025)

How we rank

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Quick answers

Is The Land in Winter worth reading?

Yes. It was a Booker Prize finalist. It ranks #2,216 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Land in Winter about?

December 1962, England's West Country, as the coldest winter in living memory begins. Two couples in a village, a local doctor mulling secrets and his pregnant wife, and a farmer and his wife, face their marriages and their pasts as the snow closes in. Andrew Miller's novel is quiet, graceful and absorbing.

How long does it take to read The Land in Winter?

About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Land in Winter?

If you liked it, try The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Stoner by John Williams or A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler.