This is a very poetic book in prose form.

The style is flowy, especially throughout the first half of the book; it’s divided into three parts.

One month after we lose our father, King, I am standing at the edge of the swimming pool, in the lavender light that comes up where the border hits the sky. Our pool is the sea made safe, salt water filtered through unseen pipes and sluices, blue and white tiles surrounding it and a marble counter where drinks were once served. Thick rivets of salt are laid down on the tiles immediately bordering the water, guarding against toxins brought in on the wind. King explained to us that the salt drew out badness like damp, his hands quick and busy as he scattered it, tanned a deep, dry brown.

The contents of the book are not as interesting as the style of the book—to myself, at least. Having stated that, the contents are interesting; there’s a constant tension through the book, mainly due to how the daughters of an overpowering matriarch react to the world around them.

This book strangely reminded me lot of Yorgos Lathimos’s film “Dogtooth“.

A powerful read, with phrases still singing in my head. It’s a story of gender, family, power, freedom, the everyday, the insane, the good; what it is to be human. Veer off simplistic TV series like “Sharp Objects” and get into this instead.