Ada and her father live outside of town and tend the Ground. People from the town come to be cured by the very strange pair who don't age and have...other strange quirks.
If you went to Ada and her father, they'd cure you by pushing their hands inside you and rummaging around. Hopefully, you're asleep when they do. Then they would probably remove a few organs and bury you in the Ground for a few days, before digging you up and sending you home. Your sickness has to go somewhere, so it might end up under the couch. Watch out for it when you wake up. (If you're squeamish, here’s a warning about the amount of descriptive body horror.)
Trouble starts when Ada meets Samson, who perhaps enjoys her strangeness too much. You may think you know what happens next. You don’t. Really.
I did enjoy this for the most part. My only gripe is that I feel like I have to go re-read some parts to see what I missed, to verify and make sense of the ending.
Definitely put this on your list if you enjoy atmospheric, beautifully written, really strange books of magical realism and quiet horror.
(A review copy of this book was provided by publisher)
Rating: 75/100 or ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Buy it in the U.S. on Jan. 21, 2020. Available in the U.K. now.