As a writer, Fran Cairns has always had a wonderful capacity to evoke a sense of place for her readers. In her latest book, she does the same, taking us from one side of the globe to the other. The landscape, the environment, is as much a part of the story as the characters that interact with it. In this book, however, she takes us deeper to a place we did not even know that we needed to go. Somewhere deep, ancient and primal, not alien, rather an echo of something we think we might have forgotten, and were perhaps a little afraid to remember. I finished this book with a deep sigh, and I realised I had been holding myself much too tight for far too long. Now I felt myself able to breathe life back in full and generous measure. Kayla and her journey will stay with me for a long time, and I am grateful to have walked a while with her… Jennifer Powell
Francesca Cairns 