This is a novel I received as an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for writing an honest review. The one thing I love about these opportunities to read pre-release novels is that when I get the eBook version, I completely forget what the novel is about and have no way of checking to see what the synopsis is unless I go and sign into my account on the website… which I never do because it is tedious and I am extremely lazy! I say this is a good thing because when I start reading the novel, I have no expectations about it or preconceived notions on where the story will go. And it truly feels like I am embarking on this wonderful literary journey that could literally take me anywhere! So let me describe what this journey was all about:
Anna Francis is a young Greek refugee who lives in England with her father and her doll, Penelope. Although she is quite young, she can still remember remnants of her life in Greece, with her mother and brother and all of the fantastic tales of Homer. But now, she must leave it all behind and can talk to no one about her past, especially her father. All day she spends inside her house, with its dusty rooms and attic full of old memories. When she goes exploring one day, she sees a terrible crime being committed – and is spotted by one of the people involved, a young boy named Luca with yellow eyes. It comes as a surprise when she sees him again more often and forms a sort of hesitant friendship with him. Anna could never have predicted that this friendship would be the beginning of the end of life as she knew it.
When this novel first began, I was confused as to what was going on. A fair bit of the beginning consisted of Anna just describing her world and how sad she was. In fact, I was beginning to wonder if that was all the story was going to be about. But suddenly, the story took flight and went into the realm of fantasy and mythology, which I never expected. I grew to like the character of Anna and found myself engrossed in her adventures. The one thing I found both intriguing and maddening was how this novel seemed to just barely graze the surface of what was really happening and I really hope this means the author is considering writing a sequel. This was a truly lovely novel that stretches the imagination with its fantasy elements and makes you feel a sense of camaraderie with the main characters. It is set to be released on May 10th, which is just a few days away, so keep an eye out for it!
Happy reading
