Strange things have been happening to Layah and her younger sister, Izzie, ever since their mother dragged them to a rain-soaked cottage miles from anywhere in the Lake District: there is a peculiar whistling at night, a handful of unusual feathers appear on their doorstep and there are murmurings of a shadowed woman in the forest. And their mother is behaving very oddly. Layah is mourning the loss of her dear grandmother in Poland - and can almost hear her Babcia's voice telling her the old myths and fairy tales from that magical place.
And as the holiday takes on a dark twist, Layah begins to wonder if the myths might just be real.
My Thoughts
A fantastically dark page turner bursting with folklore and history but rooted in the real world. It was a joy to watch the relationship between the two sisters - Laya and Izzie - develop through the novel and I adored the twist of the unlikely 'hero' at the end.
The setting is evocative and the writing cinematic. An incredible debut and one I urge you to read.