Story summary: Eleven-year-old Triss wakes up from a severe illness not remembering who she is or what her life is like. Even as she slowly gains memory, she beings to realize that things are not as they should be. She is getting more and more hungry, and food is satisfying her less and less. She is having strange hallucinations, and waking up in the morning with leaves in her bed. As she slowly discovers who she is and what is happening, she also slowly realizes the price she is going to have to pay.
Thoughts: Frances Hardinge has been one of my favourite living children's authors for some time now. A lot of what makes her so wonderful is her original world building. Gullstruck Island and A Face Like Glass are especially good in this way, but Fly By Night and The Twilight Robbery are pretty wonderful too. This one took place in the real world, and used more standard world-building (bit like her other book Verdigris Deep). But still, it had her characteristic originality still present, with the excellent writing and vivid imagery always present with her books. And she is a master of creepiness. For what is technically a children's book, the imagery is intense...and somewhat disturbing. (Bit like some of Doctor Who, that way.)Hardinge is one of the few authors I will buy on the spot without reading any reviews or doing any research. Which is saying something. And this book did not disappoint.
Grade: 3 1/2 stars
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