It’s hard to put into words just how this book feels. It truly is an experience to read – the narrative voices seem to whisper in your ear, telling their story from the mists of the past, compelling you to listen.

The richness wetness of the marshes, the barren sands of the desert, the sensation of heartbreak, the closeness of death… all are described so simply and yet so powerfully that you, as reader, are drawn in.

It’s not an easy read, however. This books demands attention, presenting the experiences and various controversial ideas in such a way that you question your own beliefs, what you ‘know’ to be true. ‘It’s just a story’ doesn’t cut it here. You’re taking part, questioning what decisions you would take as the characters do. Life is reflected in the tale, beliefs and feelings, far more than just the usual ‘he did this’ or ‘she said that’.

As you invest, though, so you are rewarded. The story may be an old one, but it becomes so new, is made so real, that it’s not even vaguely a ‘fantasy’. Instead it holds a light up to a dark time, highlighting common lived human experience throughout history (and story), and creating a truly memorable book.

This has stayed with me, and I’ve already started reading it again.