Michael Robotham

It's a debut novel.

It is... I hesitate about recommending it because it's a very confrontational book.

It's about a 14-year-old girl growing up on the edge of the wilderness...

by a survivalist, raised by a survivalist father who is teaching her to survive in a world that he believes is going to crumble around them.

But he is a monster.

He's probably one of the most monstrous figures I've ever seen written on the page.

And she has to survive him.

And, and so some of the subject matter is incredibly confronting.

In terms of abuse, but this book is so beautifully written and the descriptions of the wilderness and the bravery of this young 14-year-old girl is astonishing and I loved it, absolutely loved it.

I know I agree with you.

I mean, there are people that I would, you know, I just straightaway would say, don't read this book.

I know that they would be appalled by some of the violence.

And it does.

It is so vividly described.

I mean, it's not torture or some sort of torture porn, but at times it touches upon that, you feel at times.

But it's also so beautifully written.

I mean, it reminded me of...

I mean, Harper Lee, basically, and going back to some of the great, you know, Southern Gothic novels, you know, in the most beautiful descriptions and sense of place.

But it is confronting.

I did.