I'm a bit of a fan of Sarah Perry's writing. The subjects and characters can prove puzzling at times but I love the detail and the atmosphere of her gothic tales, which always seem to mix Victoriana with a relevance of the here and now. This book's release seemed very timely with the recent total eclipse and the author related on social media how she had travelled to Canada to experience it at first hand.

Thomas Hart and Grace Macauley both worship at the Bethesda Baptist chapel in the small Essex town of Aldleigh. They seem kindred spirits, even though there's a vast age difference between them. But they have their own troubles and dilemmas to deal with.

Thomas falls in love with James Bower, who runs the local museum and who shares an obsession with the ghost of the nineteenth-century female astronomer Maria Veduva. Thomas spends more and more time exploring the night skies, hoping astronomy will provide him with the answers and solace he desires.

Grace also finds a love which threatens to take her far from Thomas and her life in Aldleigh, and an experience of the wider world.

This is another stunning book from Sarah Perry which offers all sorts of layers and avenues to explore - the nature of love, life, faith, astronomy, and more!