Gosh I’ve loved Paver’s writing ever since discovering ‘The Wolf Brother’ books for my students. Such fabulous lessons and readings we had with Torak and Wolf!
Anyway, this is just my sort of book – gothic writing, superb narrative plotting with a slam dunk ending! The descriptions of the landscape are evocative and beautiful even in their bleakness, such a great read for winter’s day.
Set at Wake’s End in 1906, a large house on the edge of the Fen, I couldn’t help but think of Haworth and the Bronte’s home on the edge of the moors and their gothic writings. At the heart of the story, is the home’s owner Edmund Stearne and it’s his psychology that is the most central and fascinating core to the story. Themes of the female at the time, family relationships, religion, psychology, oppression, supernatural, witchcraft, patriarchy and myths.
Gripping! Loved it! A must read!