When teenager Holly Sykes runs away from home, she instigates a succession of events which have wide-ranging implications. Her younger brother goes missing at the same time and she holds herself responsible for his disappearance. But more puzzling are the strange characters Holly meets, and the even stranger experiences. What is real, what is imagined, and what does it all mean?

As we continue to meet Holly at different points during her life, it becomes more and more evident that mysterious and sinister forces are at play in her life, through her and around her.

She endeavours to lead an ordinary life with a husband and child, and a career as a bestselling author and spiritual guru, but it seems her past and the decisions she made all those years ago continue to haunt her and impact everything she does.

This is an astonishing book which appeals on many levels. The story of Holly, a woman facing everyday challenges of relationships and fulfilment, is as compelling as the overarching mysterious, fantastical thriller (though Holly's story is a little more accessible and easier to understand!).

The book spans 600 pages and I confess that my concentration and application to the intricacies of the plot diminished as I neared the end. It is a book I would like to revisit in order to establish my own truth, my own comprehension of the story, but it's too long, there's too little time and there are too many other books in the world. It's a great read for anyone with a bit more staying power and imagination than me, or for anyone happy to come away having enjoyed a book while admitting that they didn't fully understand it.