I've never quite read a book like this one before.. It reminded me of tension of The Beguiled meets the bleakness, the "oh geez please let everyone turn out okay at the end" of [b:The Book of the Unnamed Midwife|29806086|The Book of the Unnamed Midwife (The Road to Nowhere #1)|Meg Elison|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465976614s/29806086.jpg|41858562] with the super duper weird family vibes of Dogtooth.

I started this book and I couldn't put it down. I read 80 pages in the first night I borrowed it and sat on the couch, brow furrowed, or staring off into the distance until my partner asked me, "so.. how's that book?" and I was snapped back into the reality of, "well, I don't really know how to answer that.. it's good but, man it makes me feel awful." I switched off between the audiobook and the narrators were cast perfectly for their chapters.

Mackintosh's writing style is incredible- her poetic language when talking about nature reminds me of Mary Oliver's reverence and Sara Eliza Johnson's harshness, all blended into vivid descriptions that echo the overall themes of tension, disaster, violence, and dread.

BIG BIG BIG CW/TW: sexual assault, rape, child death, violence