This is my old time favorite book. I borrowed it from British Council, and i borrowed it again and again since. It's rather sinister and dark, telling us about the bleak moments of post WWII childhood in Covent - English. Effie is caught up between childhood and adolescence, her so-called lowly friends and her aristocrat-wanna-be parents. There's also the confusion of finding out about sexuality. So perhaps a bit of witchcraft is a fun - albeit dangerous- way to distract herself from the particularly uncomfortable years of her life. An innocent adventure fuelled by curiosity that turns into a tragic end.