Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I spent most of the book confused and I wasn’t sure what was going on. The structure of the book was not for me, and although the atmosphere was built really well at the start, it didn’t last for the rest of the book. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a change to read and review this book.

If you’re looking for a conventional, cookie-cutter page-turning thriller, then this probably isn’t for you. It’s claustrophobic, challenging, disorientating and experimental…. and what a refreshing change that makes!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This was a creative and absorbing tale! Definitely recommend this one!

Totally confused by this book. If you were to ask me to summarise the plot/story I would have to pass.

This book is advertised as “a missing person mystery like no other.” No. No, it’s not. Stop lying. READBAIT!!!
Following their mother’s death from cancer, the narrator is faced with their father’s sudden departure to a mountain cottage. Feeling guilty for the row they had with their father before his trip, the narrator follows the father into the cottage.

What they find is an empty cottage, with the exception of thousands of scattered, cryptic notes left by the father. One of them says: “I am not gone. Mum is not gone. We are here. We are hidden.”

For the first ca. 20% of the book I was LOVING it. The writing was beautiful with its desolate mood and gorgeous nature descriptions. It followed the narrator slowly starting to go through the notes and wandering among the slopes around the cottage. For 2 evenings I was coming back from work to what I thought was going to be a gorgeous, mystical horror mystery, along the likes of The Loney or The Hollows.

Nope. Very much nope. The rest of the book is exactly the same as the first 20%. The narrator wandering around the slopes and slowly (VERY. SLOWLY.) going through the notes that don’t bring anything new to the situation.

There are flashbacks to the narrator’s past, that also don’t seem to serve any purpose.

There are zero dialogues.

The devil is mentioned. Huh?

I’m not sure what this book wanted to be. A character analysis of the narrator? If so, it leads to zero conclusions and is simply boring. A written equivalent of a David Lynch movie? If so, one bizarre scene at the end does not a David Lynch movie make.

In case u can’t tell, I was disappointed.

I appreciate the language used and the style of writing takes a lot of skill. Sadly it left me confused and having to thi k so much about the story took the enjoyment out of it for me.

This author knows how to use language to great effect to create a feeling, to create an atmosphere to create a real intensity, The short sharp sentences, next to the long rambling ones create a stream of consciousness so you feel like you’re in the narrators head. Having lost my mum and dad at a relatively young age, I can certainly relate to the feelings in this book, and the feelings grief brings. The Scottish highlands play their part perfectly and help create an equally intense but beautiful backdrop that brings despair and hope in equal measure.

An incredibly well written meander. I love some subversion as much as the next guy but this just didn’t do it for me.

While I appreciate the skill and creativity which went into this story, and it really was a fascinating read in terms of style, it wasn’t for me.

A man is looking for his wife, he believes that she is hidden somewhere and will stop at nothing to find her.
His daughter is looking for him and finds an abandoned cottage in the woods with lots of notes telling of his search.
A strange novel that was hard to know what was going on.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperNorth for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t get my head around the style. This definitely wasn’t for me. I was very confused throughout reading it and even tried to make notes as I went along. Sorry.

All the while I read this, I was left wondering "what, why, who?"
So many questions that needed to be answered.
Yet, it didn't feel frustrating, more it was a spur to read more, now, and quicker.
It's a strange one, but strange I a good way.
A little unsettling not being able to get to grips with the characters easily......
I enjoyed it.

This was a strange one for me. No dialogue or really any characters either made the story very non-traditional however it was a haunting account of a family tragedy and well worth reading if you enjoy books which are a bit different.