the very start, this beautifully written, lyrical almost poetic story hooks you and keeps you in its thrall. It is so atmospheric, at times it’s eerie and spooky, a bit Gothic, at others it’s chilling, puzzling, enigmatic and always fascinating. You sense the growing fear, suspicion and powerlessness in the community and the sense of impending disaster. As you progress through there’s a weird tension that hangs over the characters and you know that what is happening shapes and changes Natasha’s and Elizabeth’s lives forever. The characters are extremely well crafted and you feel their varying emotions. Some of the descriptions are incredibly vivid that you see them materialise before your eyes like a painting. The narrative is alive too and you see what Natasha sees in your mind's eye, some of it is a bit spiritual, some is macabre or just inexplicable. All you know is that Natasha alters as a person, becomes evasive, relationships are fractured and changed irrevocably. This is a compelling, thought-provoking, original and very different novel by a very talented author whose work I will always want to read. This book not only made an impact on me but it will also mark its place in the world.