A fabulous fable of love, loss and family; timeless, placeless, compelling and beautifully written.  A world where angry words become stinging insects, men can turn into beasts and infidelity is hidden by time-sensitive mists.  It fits into the literary realm of ‘magical realism’, not how the world is, but how it could be if we let it.  One of those books it is useless to talk about, you have to read it to appreciate it and I urge you to do so.

Comparison: Gina Barkhordar Nahai, Salley Vickers, Patricia Schonstein.

Synopsis

Up in the house that sits on the hill, a strange spell is brewing...To Meridia, growing up with her father Gabriel, who vanishes daily in clouds of mist, and her bewitching mother Ravenna, the outside world is a refuge. So when as a young woman her true love Daniel offers her marriage, it seems an escape to a more straightforward existence. Yet behind the welcoming facade of her new home lies a life of drudgery and a story even stranger than that she left behind. Aged retainers lurk in the background; swarms of bees appear at will, and of course, there's her indomitable mother-in-law, Eva, hiding secrets that it will take Meridia years to unravel. Surrounded by seemingly unfathomable mysteries, can Meridia unlock the intrigues of the past, and thus protect her own family's future? An epic tale of two families told by an unforgettable voice. A modern fable, a gothic page-turner, but most of all, a passionate story about the power of love to conquer all that comes its way.

Reviews

'It's rare to read a work of fiction that is so uniquely intoxicating, it becomes necessary to put life on hold while you let it work its magic. What makes Setiawan's achievement even more wonderful is that this is his debut novel...This is a bewitching, achingly romantic fairy tale and a truly epic undertaking - one that addresses some of lifes most universal themes of love, loyalty and betrayal'
SHE Magazine

'This debut demands you enter a place full of spirits, ghosts, demons and clairvoyants, where spells and witchcraft prevail.'
Glamour Magazine

'A wildly imaginative beauty also marks Setiawan out as one to watch.'
Metro

'A beautiful and sweeping modern fable of two families enmeshed in jealousy, desire and bitterness, the depth of passon and the pain of loss. Delightfully written and compelling, it's terrific - one to be hand sold.'
The Bookseller

About the Author

Erick Setiawan was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, to Chinese parents and moved to the United States in 1991. He is a graduate of Stanford University and currently lives in San Francisco.   Author photo © Maren Caruso More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation