- This debut novel from Canadian author Ashley Audrain is a horror story that's absorbing and extremely intense. From the opening pages it's compelling and hard to put down.
- Brings to mind Lionel Shriver's We Need to Talk About Kevin and Leila Slimani's Lullaby.
- What is it like when one parent favours one of their two children and the other parent favours the other? What effect, if any, does that have on the children?
- Motherhood is intricately dissected in all its dimensions - emotionally and psychologically. As is the profound suffering and effect of grief which is so well described.
- Blythe suffered from a neglected childhood. Her mother and grandmother were cold and uncaring, woefully inadequate parents. Did they pass this condition down? As a mother herself now Blythe becomes an obnoxious perfectionist at times, demanding and suspicious. Her husband tolerates her until he realises something might be wrong and dangerous. But is he right?
- Warning: don't read the last page of this book before you've read the whole thing. Just don't.
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