First published 2013
Enid loses her mother and finds herself deposited at the grand estate of the Erbins, wealthy relatives who view her as an unwelcome burden. Uncle Horace and Aunty Celia make their disdain clear, but it's their teenage son Geraint who poses the greatest threat to Enid's fragile new existence. The girl must draw on every scrap of cleverness she possesses, plus the wisdom her mother left behind, to navigate this treacherous household where privilege and cruelty intertwine. Each day brings fresh challenges as Enid struggles to find her place among people who consider her beneath them. Her survival depends on reading the dangerous currents of family politics while protecting herself from Geraint's particular brand of menace. In this hostile environment, Enid's mother's guidance becomes her lifeline, helping her decode the unspoken rules of a world that never wanted her.
Genres: literary-fiction, 20th-century, coming-of-age, contemporary, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Estate
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
200 pages · Paperback · Seren
Content warnings: abuse, emotional-abuse