The Short Knife

This is a rich and vibrant story, set in that liminal and mysterious time, the so-called Dark Ages. Mai, trying to find safety and stability in a dangerously shifting world, where she can rely on nobody to be her fiend, is an unusual but sympathetic heroine - the story turns and twists in many unexpected ways. Caldecott's prose is resonant and musical; and we are immersed in the sights, sounds, and -more unusually, the scents and smells of her 5th century Britain. A powerful and memorable read.

I don't usually write reviews but i felt I needed to for this- I was utterly blown away by this fast paced and beautifully descriptive book.