From the very first few sentences, you get a strong sense of intrigue. The descriptive language used is dramatic and poetic. All the senses are engaged with details of the surroundings, the sights, sounds and smells. I particularly was enthralled by the beautiful imagery of the land written so eloquently ie wrapped in the embrace of slumbering vegetation. You get a strong sense of relationships between all the characters, brothers, friends, father, son and daughters and how complex and sometimes toxic these bonds are. Then you have the tension building of the scene in the cabin, the intrigue of the juha revelation about Vidar and the conspiracy that ultimately makes you feel the inevitable darkness creeping in. Overall, fascinating and very engaging