I picked this up because it was on the Carnegie 2016 Short-list, and I was not surprised when it won the Costa Award.
Though it owes much to fantasy, this is a meticulously researched novel that offers a fascinating insight into the historical setting of the novel.
Faith wants to support her father in his research as a natural historian, but being female she is regarded as less than those around her. Her frustrations with the expectations of those around her made me so angry, but I felt the novel raised so many important questions.
Her father is forced to leave his home, accused of lying, and Faith is determined to prove his doubters wrong. Sadly, Faith comes to learn that things are not as simple as they seem. A dark yet delicious novel, that I think will appeal to many female readers with an interest in the world around them.