by Bella Pollen

If you are OK with a bit of fairytale thrown amongst the everyday, then this is a lovely weekend read. The main plot – a family recently bereft of their father/husband trying to come to terms with both their altered circumstances and with the dubious circumstances of his death – is beautifully set on a Hebridean island, with throwback moments to the family’s previous and, very different, lifestyle. The omnipresence of a bear (mystical or real?) adds a thread of intrigue, but the main thrust is how a mother, two teenage daughters and an autistic younger son deal with loss. Thought-provoking, absorbing and enjoyable: this one’s for curling up by the fire with.

©Julia Welstead 2011