Wild Spinning Girls - A treasure of a book

Wild Spinning Girls - Book Review - 5 stars

Every now and again, you come across an unexpected treasure of a book. This was certainly the case when, by chance, I saw a recommendation for Wild Spinning Girls on Twitter.

The book tells us the story of Ida, who has recently lost her parents and as a result, finds herself moving to an isolated house in Wales left to her by her father. She's definitely a fish out of water in this remote place, in a home where nothing works as it should. Add to the equation, Heather, who turns up out of the blue and lets herself into the property as her mother was the last tenant there. Heather is full of tales that her mother has not yet left the house, and mysterious things happen that unsettle and scare Ida.

The descriptions of the house, the hauntings and Ida's sense of loss and isolation are written beautifully in this book. During Ida's time in Wales, she finds out what's been kept secret from both the girls and it is this that eventually draws them closer together.

This story also portrays the feelings of grief and loss at losing a mother, as both Ida and Heather try to come to terms with this in their own ways. This was written in a moving and empathetic manner and covered well without feeling over dramatised. One sentence, in particular, caught me off guard and seemed to sum up my own feelings over the loss of my mother many years ago.

I'd describe this is a quirky book with interesting characters and a great sense of atmosphere. I've already purchased three other copies for friends that I think will enjoy it as well as downloading another book by Carol Lovekin as I definitely want to read more by her.

Thank you to Carol Lovekin, Honno Press and NetGalley for releasing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.