This is a book you will be thinking about for weeks after you read it. The interwoven stories are fascinating, but the author leaves it to the reader to do a lot of the work of putting them together. The stories are metaphors for a larger theme, and I re-read many parts of the book at the end to figure out the overall meaning. I think that the author should probably have made her metaphors more apparent, but then again I have really enjoyed puzzling out my interpretation. The author is an incredible storyteller who can hold your interest even when you aren't sure where she is taking you.

This was a truly fun book to read. Set in a staid English village, it's about discarding preconceptions and becoming open to what really matters in life. Read and enjoy!