by Sarah Hall
First published 2025
The protagonists find themselves at crossroads where spiritual doubt meets the pull of the natural world. They wrestle with questions that have no easy answers while their relationships with family and community grow more complex. The landscape itself becomes a character, shaping how they understand their place in the world. Some turn to traditional faith for guidance. Others seek answers in their bonds with each other or in the rhythms of the earth beneath their feet. Hall creates tension between the human need for certainty and the messy reality of belief. The characters must decide whether meaning comes from something beyond themselves or from the connections they forge with the people and places around them. Their struggles reveal how we all navigate the space between doubt and faith, between isolation and belonging.
Genres: nature, literary-fiction, contemporary, spirituality, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotionally-complex, introspective, lyrical, meditative, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven-narrative, found-family, internal-conflict
Period: 21st-century
368 pages · Hardcover · Mariner Books