The element of haunting in this story is poignant but it is not something I am very familiar with.
I am not a fan of fantasy or the paranormal so I was surprised how much this book appealed to me.
Annette returns after a very long spell to an empty house overshadowed by huge sycamore trees. The trees are symbolic of the dark shadowy house and all the stories and secrets that it hides.
Annette's childhood has not been straight forward or clear and she herself is trying to come to grips with what she wants to do for the future. The house is also a focal point in the story, having a character of its own.
Told in the voice of two ghosts it is not as surreal as it may sound and one feels sympathetic to the two spirits, (strange as it may sound) as they are so uneasy and unhappy over the state of their only daughter. They just want her to be happy and settled and this is something Annette definitely is not.
The story was slow but it did not detract from the essential goodness of the story telling. This is not a quick read nor one you can put down and pick up again easily. It was a very good story though.
Sent to me by Netgalley for an unbiased review, courtesy of Hodder & Stoughton.
I don't like ghost stories or the paranormal and seem to struggle with slow stories these days so this might not be for me.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Mystica. Wishing you special times today and always with your family and friends.
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