Engaging and magical tale set in a charming corner of Wales.
10 year old Hannah, the endearing young girl at the heart of this story, has Downs Syndrome. She also has to deal with parental rejection (by her mother), a move to Wales, and some strange goings-on in the lane next to her cottage (a blue-eyed talking wolf and a strange tree-creature in the wood). I think the author did a fantastic job of conveying Hannah’s hopes, dreams, and fears, and wonderful that Hannah was not only the protagonist but a strong, brave and engaging one. It was heart-breaking to read of her slow realisation of her mother’s rejection, and that parental rejection and the difficulties that Hannah’s father had with her mother were (sadly) convincingly realistic. I loved the warmth of the welcome Hannah and Bleddyn received in Wales, especially from Deryth and her parents, the idyllic writers cottage they lived in, and I was on the edge of my seat for the more tense moments, terrified for Hannah’s safety. Bleddyn was a good father but a couple of times I yelled at him to leave his writing aside and look after his daughter!
Well-paced and well-written, I highly recommend this unusual and lovely story.