Description

‘A gorgeous love story … with more than a touch of magical realism’Independent

‘It’s fabulous, we should all have copies’ Simon Mayo, Scala Radio

‘A glorious love story, a spellbinding fable’ Adele Parks

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Women imprisoned by superstition, chained by guilt.

Perched on a mountain in a land of ancient forests is a village, rife with secrets. Cut off from the outside world it is run by the elders, men to whom tradition is all.

Edith lives alone with her alcoholic father who is forcing her to marry the village butcher. But she is in love with a shepherd who promised to return to her.

As the village becomes isolated in a sea of snow, Edith loses her power of speech. And it is this enchantment that will have far-reaching consequences, not only for Edith but for the whole village.

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‘A darkly scattered fable told with beauty, magic, love but also heart-wrenching realism … Fans of The Familiars and The Binding will love this’ MY WEEKLY

‘An enchanting and timeless feminist fable’ Mail on Sunday

Publisher Review

'A richly spun folk tale of fellowship and insurgence ... an enchanting and timeless feminist fable' Mail on Sunday 'A glorious love story, a spellbinding fable' Adele Parks, Platinum 'A riveting fairy tale for adults, weaving magic among harsh inequality and prejudice, but at the same time a powerfully descriptive tale of resilience and hope - tissues at the ready...' Candis 'A darkly scattered fable told with beauty, magic, love but also heart-wrenching realism ... Fans of The Familiars and The Binding will love this' My Weekly 'A gorgeous love story ... with more than a touch of magical realism' Independent 'A beautiful, haunting book ... an atmospheric tale that will stay with you long after the pages are closed' SFX 'A truly enchanting fairy tale that pulled me into another world and kept me there long after reading the last word. An utterly bewitching story about the strength and power of women and their voices' Jessica Ryn 'I loved this thought-provoking fable. A story of love, courage and rebellion, perfect for book groups' Anita Frank Praise for Sally Gardner: 'An imaginative novel with a vivid backstage world of intrigue and romance ... Original and rich' Sunday Times Book of the Week. 'With shades of Sarah Waters ... irresistable' Guardian 'Arresting and original and written in a singular voice' Telegraph 'This heartbreaking, brilliantly written novel is the most original publication for years' The Times 'The prize-winning Gardner is [a] dab hand at literary world-creation' Observer 'Beautiful, twisted and dark. A masterpiece' Big Issue 'With elements of magical realism, plenty of sexy scenes, and a good dollop of drama, this is one hell of a read' Sun 'This is an inspirational piece of writing' New Statesman 'A truly original voice ... a thrilling read' Spectator