A very hard book to get sunk into. I wanted to love it, everything about it was made to attract me: witches, isolated island...Alas, the story, even though well written, was too messy with too many different narrating voices but only one confused reader. This book feels more like a script than a novel and it unfortunately defeated my numerous attempts to conquer it.

I enjoyed this book, but didn't think it really delivered on the synopsis. It was atmospheric and the claustrophobia of an isolated community was well portrayed, but it is very long and the timelines difficult to follow on occassions.
Thank you to netgalley and Bloomsbury for an advance copy of this book

DNF

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I was incredibly excited by the premise of this novel and it seemed right up my street, however after reading the first few chapters I was unable to get into it. Unfortunately I didn’t end up finishing this one, it wasn’t quite what I had expected, but overall it feels more so that the authors style didn’t vibe with me very much than there being something terribly wrong with the novel itself.

So while I wouldn’t personally recommend it, I certainly wouldn’t stop anyone intrigued my the premise from picking it up.

This was a very intriguing plot, but I felt it could have been executed a little better. For me, there wasn't much of an opportunity to connect with or get to know the characters, and I didn't like the religious aspects of it, as the religion itself wasn't truly explained. 

The changes in POVs and also time jumps back and fourth were a little confusing and didn't flow very well. 

One aspect that really didn't sit well with me was that the women and girls on the island, although they make up the majority of the population on Lark, are treated by the men in a very condescending way.  The girls are patted on the head, their cheeks are pinched and they're spoken to as if they're not very bright simply because they're female, and then when the girls reach 16 years old they're suddenly seen as women and finally old enough to be lusted over.

There's one pub on the whole island and women are only allowed in there at the weekend - when the 3 girls on the island who have turned 16, all of the pub patrons suddenly think it's okay to talk about them in a sexual way and how they'd give 'them all one'. This didn't sit well with me because there was no point where the author mentioned that this was not appropriate. No character commented how that was wrong and I just didn't like it, probably more so because it was a modern setting and we know as a society that this behaviour is wrong. 

I really did want to enjoy this one, but I just couldn't get into it. Sadly, I wouldn't recommend this but this has all just been my opinion - if you like the sound of this book then by all means give it a go and let me know what you thought!

Trigger warnings for misogyny, sexualisation of minors, explicit descriptions of sex.

I struggled with the beginning of Impossible Causes, it didn’t immediately draw me in but the synopsis is so interesting that I was determined to keep reading and I’m glad I did!
Once you get further into the story you can forgive the beginning. In Impossible Causes the isolation of Lark Island leaps off the pages, the wording is beautiful and best of all its creepy and dark!
My only issue is some of the characters lacked depth but there’s enough greatness in this book to overlook that!
A strong 3.5/5.

This is a tricky one to review, and it is certainly a book that was difficult to really get into for some time. However, by the end I was gripped and can certainly see the parallels with something like The Crucible.
Our story takes place on the remote island of Lark. We focus on the narration by Leah, a teacher on the island, who is privy to many of the secrets of the island but who seems rather detached from everything. This sense of ‘otherness’ does become important later on, as it explains why Leah acts as she does.
The island of Lark is cut off from the mainland, physically unreachable for months. So it is of great interest when an outsider, Ben Hailey, comes to the island to teach.
He - and, as a result, we - comes to learn of the superstitions regarding what are referred to as the Eldest Girls. There are three girls aged 16 who, now, are given what seems like carte blanche to act as they like. There is talk of witchcraft and odd behaviour, but it is what has always been and people turn a blind eye. The inclusion of new girl Viola seems to act as a catalyst for the behaviour to escalate.
Before too long we get told of a dead body and people start to talk about what is happening. As things become more personal for Leah, the ‘new arrivals’ force the villagers to confront what is happening under their eyes.
Initially this seemed to be going in one direction and it was a little hard to follow. Details were vague, but as we learn the truth of Lark it seems there is a reason for this vagueness. By the end, when the true horror of Lark’s dark secret was revealed, I really wasn’t sure what to make of it. Chilling, and definitely worth a look. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this prior to its scheduled November publication.

Like several other reviewers, I initially found this book difficult to get into. The switch between different time periods, narrators and first and third person felt very jumpy and even when we were in first person the writing style felt more narrative than immersive as if I was watching events unfold not feeling them. However, not only was I intrigued by the premise of Impossible causes, but I very much enjoyed the author's previous work and so I persevered. I'm glad I did.

Impossible Causes is set on the small, remote island of Lark, an island far out in the North Atlantic, surrounded by fog and impossible to access eight months of the year. The island is owned by a reclusive Earl and lived on by a community of religious, traditional, patriarchal people. The birth rate is low and so the population watches the coming-of-age of three sixteen year old girls with an almost obsessive interest. The elder girls as they are known are watched, gossiped about and have a power they are not sure how to wield. Is it the power of youth, or witchcraft as some whisper? They certainly spend a lot of time at the standing stones at the top of the island...

Into this small community come three newcomers. A male teacher, young, handsome and eyed with suspicion as a result, a grieving woman who opts out of the community she came to join and her daughter, Viola, a lonely grieving teen, the same age as the elder girls. Does their presence provoke what happens next, or are they but there to bear witness as the island finally looks at the evil within?

Tragedy and horror hang over the book, something is wrong but we, like the community, have to wait until the layers are peeled back to discover just what's going on. This is a clever, atmospheric and original read that defies genre, part young adult, part feminist dystopia, part thriller. Definitely worth persevering with, Impossible Causes will stay with you long after you finish reading.

I am sorry to say I really struggled with this book, I did persevere as I had looked forward to reading it after I had read the overview however it just wasn’t for me at this time. I did finish the book but I have to admit I skip read the last half to find out the conclusion but it all seemed a bit confusing and so I am afraid I can only award this 3 stars and this is because the quality of the writing was worth that.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, Raven Books for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was really looking forward to reading this but I must admit I struggled awfully with it. Yes, it WAS very laden with atmosphere but I just found my mind wandering a lot whilst reading it. It was extremely good at raising my goose-bumps occasionally but oh my - those characters and the timeline just totally confused the heck out of me. I kept losing the plot (literally) and didn't find the author's writing-style engaging. But my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. On this occasion I'm sorry to say this book was a no-no for me.

I'm afraid I didn't finish this book.
The writing style wasn't my cup of Tea at this time.
Each time I picked it up,I was having to go back a few pages to remind myself what happened.

Not all books suit all people.

Loved the setting and the concept but the writing just didn't connect for me. I really enjoy gothic atmospheric books and witches are in right now, but somethung here failed to hit home for me. I was left a bit disatisfied. Other readers will doubtless enjoy it - especially those who like Sawkill Girls for example. (Side note - not that it matters especially but the cover here on UK site really does not reflect the book.)

I am sorry but I could not get into this book at all. I had requested this book based on the synopsis. I realised though that it is not my type of book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This was a story that took me a while to get in to, purely because the two main storytellers are often telling the story from different conflicting moments in time.

We stayed with these characters throughout their time on Lark island and dealt with lots of obstacles and general life situations with them.

A lot of the storyline was made up of things that were hinted towards, but not fully confirmed. This made me eager to read more and everything was finally explained within the last few chapters.

It is a book that was eventful, well written and captivating and I would recommend it to my friends that enjoy less straightforward stories. However as that is not my personal preference I have given the the 3* rating. It was a very good story but I didn't quite gel with the format as much as I wished I would.

I loved the premise of this book and the characters were well written and intriguing as was the clearly pagan past of the island now mixing uncomfortable with the more modern religious views of the occupants.
The isolation of the island, cut off from the world for month of the year and subject to provision rationing as a result was also very well described.
I suppose having never lived in that type of isolation or community I found some aspects very hard to imagine, such as the complete lack of understanding of life outside he island, the reluctance of the inhabitants to have a phone mast or any other means for the population as a whole to communicate with the outside world and the bizarre quasi-worship of the "eldest girls". However this was all gradually explained as the central plot was revealed and the truth was told and heard.
I found the book tricky to get into and some of the characters hard to follow but the story did keep me reading and the less obvious plot lines were nicely tied up at the end.

I found it very difficult to get into this book. I found myself getting confused with the different points of view and the timelines. It was hard to keep track of what was going on.

The island of Lark was intriguing and I enjoyed learning about a different way of life. I did love the atomsphere that the author built - a chilling, isolated community with little outside contact.

The synopsis grabbed me but I just couldn’t connect to the story. It just wasn’t for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Bloomsbury Publishing Plc - Raven Books, for the ARC.
This book has loads of atmosphere - a 300-strong isolated community on the island of Lark - a 3-day North Atlantic crossing to get there - one landline computer and no phone mast. If you want to leave something behind, that's the place to go to.

However, I really struggled to make sense of most of the narrative and the eternal musings of main characters sending thoughts and story-parts off on strange and surrealistic tangents.

Lark has a pagan past and a circle of stones, one school where 3 girls have turned 16 and are referred to as The Eldest Girls, an island Council ruled with an iron fist by the Headteacher, and a reclusive Earl. All new arrivals are vetted for suitability as tenants.
Viola Kendrick (16) and mum Deborah arrive, leaving tragedy behind them. Later a young male teacher for the school arrives.
The Eldest Girls, knowing little of mainland life, have their eyes opened by Viola and a cascade of secrets are revealed.

That, I'm afraid, is the best summary I can make. I did consider giving up several times because I just couldn't get into the writing style, let alone really follow a story - although, thankfully, it became clear by the end.

I was intrigued by the description, but really it was not for me.

The elements of this book reminded me of lots of others: the quasi-mystical, quasi-feminist witchiness; the closed off and insular island community hiding secrets; the unstable danger of adolescent girls; the plot revolving around sex and death - and the tarot cards that mark the stages of the story. It's atmospheric, for sure, but also feels a bit like a mash-up of, say, Ann Cleeves' Shetland series with The Wicker Man and other book that make use of the uneasy relationship between Christian and pagan religions. If you've read similar books, the central mystery will be transparent.

I really wanted to LOVE this book. The subject matter, the elements of witchcraft, the location on a secluded and rough island -- those all make for the perfect book, in my eyes. I found the plot a little difficult to follow, due to the number of time jumps, the different points of views presented and the narrative style. There is a potential that there was a typesetting issue in my copy, so I won't comment on that, as it has to bearing on the book itself.

The characters were richly developed, especially the four girls and the teacher, and I found the island location excellent. I'm always fascinated by far-away places, especially when they're cold and wind battered. I always find that it makes for such atmospheric reading. This all held true in Julie Mayhew's novel as well. Unfortunately, the story didn't grip me as much as I had expected it to. I will definitely give this another read when it publishes officially in October. Might be the very best pre-Halloween read.

Major props also to Raven Books for an absolutely stunning cover design. The plait, the typography -- definitely hooked me right from the start!

The description appealed but I'm afraid that that was as far as it went for me. Yes an isolated island (although mot likely to be that wooded given it was supposed to be off the coast of north western Britain) with a fundamental religion - think Outer Hebrides and the "Wee Frees". I did feel for some of the youngster yearning for what they saw as the bright lights of mainland/towns/cities before they appreciated what they had on the island especially when incomers arrived. It seemed like a sort of coming of age story. What I really disliked was the sentence - -1, gap -0 and another sentence +1. I think, but reiterate the 'think', that it might have been the author's way to weigh the pros and cons of whatever the character was thinking about at the time, but maybe not. It could be some publishing gremlin for all I know. I found it totally distracting anyway and I gave up just under half way through. Not my normal behaviour at all. Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I found this book something of a mixed experience, though ultimately I did end up enjoying it and to the point where I would recommend it to others. I suspect it will be one of those marmite books where some people love it and others don't get on with it at all.

Personally, I found it took me a long time to get the multiple intertwined storylines straight in my head. There are several perspectives told concurrently, but they aren't concurrent in time. I kept forgetting 'when' I was at any given point in the book.

I could also see the twist coming a mile off. The big secret wasn't a secret at all; it was obvious to anyone who knows anything about human nature, or has read pretty much any other book about an isolated community – and if not, the clues were there to see. But that didn't spoil the book for me, really. I don't think it's so much about the secret as it is about what on earth motivates people to keep it.

As for what I loved? I loved the atmosphere conjured by the author, the vivid picture of a place where traditions old and new coexist – sometimes uneasily. And I LOVED the priority given to women's voice and women's experiences. In a very male-dominated society, the women were the heart of the book, and it was their strength and weakness that drove the story forward.

Sometimes a difficult read, but one that will definitely stay with me.