Having enjoyed Hyland's previous 2 novels 'How the light gets in' (2003) and 'Carry me down' (2006) I couldn't wait to get my hands on her latest. I read it in about 2 days and thought it was so good I didn't want it to end. It's a character driven story about a young man trying to start a new life after his engagement breaks down, however it soon becomes apparent that Patrick Oxtoby has emotional problems that won't easily allow him to move on. It is difficult to review this book book without spoiling the plot, so all I will will say is that it is a really absorbing and quite confronting read that left me thinking for days after I finished it. One of the best books I've read this year!