Paper Sisters

by Rachel Canwell

Lincolnshire, 1914. As the First World War approaches, three women are living, trapped between the unforgiving marsh, the wide, relentless river, and the isolation of the fen.



Their lives are held fast by profound grief, haunted by the spectres of the past. Trapped by the looming presence and eerie stillness of a hospital that has never admitted a single patient.



Eleanor longs to escape. To make a life with the man she loves, leaving her sister, and all her ghosts behind. Clara's marriage is crumbling and violent and she yearns for peace and security for both herself and her innocent children. Meanwhile, Lily, a formidable force of will, stands resolute against the relentless tide of change. She will stop at nothing, no matter the devastating cost, to ensure that life, and her family, remain frozen in an unyielding embrace of the past.


The author, Rachel Canwell, grew up with the story of this forgotten hospital. Isolated, stocked weekly and cleaned daily but never admitting a single patient. The hospital was real, tended by her family for over sixty years and set against the ethereal beauty and loneliness of the Fens, is the inspiration for her novel.

Genres: Historical Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

Published February 12, 2026

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I am absolutely blown away that this is a debut novel (I say novel specifically as I know Rachel has written some flash fiction too). I think it's a phenomenal piece of work and Rachel's writing is just sublime.

Paper Sisters tells the story of sisters Eleanor and Lily, and sister in law Clara. After a tragedy in the family, Eleanor wishes to pursue a happy life with her fiance, John, but finds herself unable to break away from her sister, Lily, as they are practically all each other has left. Their brother, Frank, left following an argument with their father, and he and his wife, Clara, have rarely visited.

Set in Lincolnshire in 1914, as the First World War begins, this is a beautiful but heartbreaking story of loss, love, fear and anger, and the resentment that can come from a living a life that you haven't chosen.

Rachel's writing is wonderfully descriptive, not just of the landscape, but she is truly able to make you feel the emotion of the characters. I genuinely had to race through the last 50 pages because she built up the tension so well of what might be to come.

A fabulous historical fiction novel that will tug at the heartstrings - I'm convinced it will remain a 2026 favourite (and it's only January!). Bravo Rachel!

[Rue Baldry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper Sisters is a sensitive, emotionally resonant novel, conjuring a lost time and place. It illuminates the lives of working-class women who have been generally ignored by history. All the characters, even the villain (as terrifying as he becomes) are rounded, complex, and psychologically plausible.

Chapters are narrated from the perspectives of three women – Eleanor, Clara, and Lily – who are connected like the paper dolls Lily cuts out, but they are also sisters in a legal, ‘paper’ sense, because one is the sister-in-law of the others. They live in fenland in the early twentieth century, a place where lost hopes have left trauma, grief, and a fully maintained cottage hospital which has never housed a patient.

Their losses have broken Lily, making her selfish in her hopelessness, leaving Eleanor to care for her, their home, and the hospital, to the negation of herself, and filled their brother with such fury that he is a danger to his wife, Clara, and their children. When Eleanor begins to blossom into a life of her own, the Great War is declared and everything changes.

The marshy taint and big skies of the Lincolnshire fens pervade every scene. I now have a strong sense of the landscape, though I’ve never seen it. Canwell does just as good a job of recreating the rural experience of the World War One Home Front. Social structures and wartime pressures are fully conveyed without overt explanations.

The story is compelling, as is the circling of events from the three perspectives. Sympathy adds propulsion to an increasingly eventful plot, as characters develop in realistic, but not predictable, ways. Eleanor and Clara think and behave in ways which create an emotional connection to the reader, without ever being anachronistic. I was genuinely anxious about both of them at several points in the story. My relationship to Lily is, as it has been designed to be, rather more ambivalent.

I loved being drawn into and absorbed by the world Canwell has created. I was sorry to finish reading, though the ending is more perfect than I could have predicted. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys strong female protagonists, beautiful descriptions, accurate historical settings, insight into neglected lives of the past, and compelling, emotion-led, plots.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper sisters is a superb character driven novel; tense, haunting, claustrophobic and emotional, set against a bleak landscape. A harrowing yet compulsive read.

Following the lives of two sisters left behind after the death of one brother and the marriage of another brother, we are drawn into the difficult relationship between the three siblings living on the Lincolnshire fens in 1914 as war breaks out.

Featuring an old hospital which has never been used but which Eleanor must keep clean and ready, and a collapsed port; both of which are actual places which made the story so believable, although the characters are completely fictional.

We are privy to the innermost thoughts of Eleanor, her sister Lily and her sister in law Clara, all trapped in unhappy lives and difficult, broken relationships. Lost love, mental health struggles and a violent husband together with fall out from the war had me absolutely fascinated and glued to the pages, desperate for a happy ending for the women.

A great title and I was so excited to find it in the book. I had no idea what it could refer to but when I encountered those exact words I let out a little shriek of excitement. Very clever and vividly memorable, and just perfectly resonates with the storyline. When you read it, you will know exactly what I mean.

If you want a read to really get your teeth into, this is it.

An outstanding debut which I will be recommending far and wide.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing read by Rachel Canwell.
Dark and intense the sisters are trapped in their lives amongst the marshes of the Fens. Tense and claustrophobic the sisters are held by memories of the past and by the threat of future changes.
Lily is such a complex character. Manipulative and self absorbed, the reasons for her behaviour become clearer as we learn of the siblings’ background and life. She continues to be totally absorbed in her grief and as she becomes more detached from reality, it means Eleanor finds herself tied even more to the house and the hospital.
Grief and loyalty mix together in a maelstrom of feelings, this sibling relationship is so complicated.
The Fen marsh setting is so relevant in this story, providing that added sense of entrapment by the water and to learn that the author has personal ties to the area and the hospital made the story even more fascinating.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lincolnshire, 1914. Three women, living on the edge of brooding marshland, are trapped by the consequences of loss. Eleanor and Lily are tied to an empty hospital on the 'wrong' side of the river that stands as a reminder of tragedy - Eleanor burdened with responsibilities, and Lily caught up in a world of grief. While Clara, married to their violent brother, longs for peace for herself and her children.

As war approaches, change beckons, but can they break free?

Inspired by the story of a forgotten hospital in the mysterious Fens, Rachel Canwell bases this incredible debut on her own family history. From her imagination springs three women bound together by the seemingly unbreakable ties of tragedy, grief, environment , and the strictures of the time in which they live - each of them outsiders in a community scarred by the disaster of 1894 that saw hopes and dreams disappear into The Wash, when the newly built port that offered them prosperity sank into the muddy waters.

I was transfixed by theses women from the first page: Eleanor, left in charge of an empty hospital that stands as a reminder of what was lost, yearns to escape from the weight of her cares into the arms of a man who promises her love and security; Lily, the 'ghost at the window', stuck in a cycle of never-ending grief after the loss of her brother to the unforgiving marsh, doing whatever she can to keep Eleanor to herself; and Clara, their sister-in-law, crushed by the brutal beatings meted out by her husband, determined to withstand her lot for the protection of her children.

There seems no way these three can escape the fate that keeps them locked in their unhappiness, even if they wanted to, despite the fleeting pleasures they experience - for Eleanor and Clara at least, since Lily does not seem to want to recover from the loss that broke her. But when war comes, the story twists in unexpected ways, building into a breath-taking, storm-wrought climax that had my heart firmly lodged in my throat.

Through her characters Canwell delves with insight into so many wonderful facets of the lives of women impacted by the First World War. Eleanor and Clara, in particular, leap from the page in all the many glorious shades of living-breathing people, and Canwell explores so much about expectations placed on women through them. Lily is a more complicated character to warm to - her selfishness was a bitter pill to swallow, and even though her misdeeds come from a place of unfathomable sadness and her part in the story is intrinsic to its resolution, she wreaks such devastation on Eleanor and Clara through her manipulative ways. I adored Eleanor and Clara, especially Clara's formidable strength, and my emotions were well and truly put through the mill.

This is the kind of story that totally captivates you with its characters, thrums with atmospheric vibes of time and place, and leaves its mark upon your heart. Absolutely a must if you are engrossed by sensitive, well-written historical fiction set against the shadow of World War One.

[Laura Besley · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What you saw was a woman, bent out of shape. Pushed beyond her breaking point. Turns out we’ve all got them."

Rachel Canwell’s debut novel, Paper Sisters, depicts the lives of three family members: sisters Eleanor and Lily as well as their sister-in-law, Clara. Each of these young women is isolated – by grief, by circumstances, and by the unforgiving marsh and relentless river of the fen. And looming over it all is the unstoppable march towards World War I.

After the prologue, which depicts one of the many great sorrows that hangs over this family, Paper Sisters opens on May Day, 1914. The tension between the two sisters – Eleanor who wants change, who wishes to go out, and Lily who wants everything and everyone to stay the same – is immediately apparent: "Irritation, ancient and unchecked, rises. Eleanor’s gaze drifts back to the window, out to the never-ending sky; vast, buttressing every leaf, reed, and clump of grass. Today its cornflower blue is marked by just a wisp of early summer cloud. As always, the sky dominates, claiming her eye and this place as its very own."

Place plays a large part in the novel. The two houses in which much of the story unfolds – one overshadowed by an abandoned hospital, the other by an unstable husband – feel cramped and claustrophobic; the landscape feels vast and wild and unpredictable. It is against these places, and against this time in history, that each of the three women grapple with the difficulties of their lives.

Their actions are, in turn, admirable and shameful – all three are both hero and villain. On their own paths, yet unable to avoid the intersections, Eleanor, Lily and Clara cannot live with each other, but nor can they live independently. As more and more tragedy is heaped upon them, the story is propelled forward to its unexpected yet inevitable conclusion.

Rachel Canwell is the author of a flash fiction collection, Oh I Do Like to Be (2022), and a novella-in-flash, Magpie Moon (2023). Paper Sisters – compelling and immersive; full of horror, yet full of hope – is her first full-length novel.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating, tense and poignant, this remarkable debut is an unforgettable story of grief, trauma, isolation, love, family and sisterhood. Set in Lincolnshire in 1914, it tells the story of three family members: sisters Eleanor and Lily and their sister-in-law, Clara. Each woman is trapped; by grief, duty or fear. And looming large in the background of it all is the unstoppable advance towards World War I, along with the additional tragedies and trauma that will bring.

The characters in this book are richly drawn and achingly human. Each of the narrators felt so real and it was easy to connect with them from the start. The tension between Eleanor and Lily is immediately apparent, while poor Clara is trapped in a violent marriage. There’s a strong sense of fear, yearning and captivity that fills each of the women: Eleanor longs to leave and start a life with the man she loves, Lily is scared of being alone and will go to any lengths to keep Eleanor with her, and Clara is terrified of her violent husband and longs for a life that is peaceful and safe. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions as they wrestled with life and all its struggles and was rooting for each of them to have a happy ending.

Rachel Canwell has crafted a truly powerful and unforgettable debut novel. The story is based on a real abandoned hospital in the Fens that her family tended for sixty years, though her characters and their stories are fiction. Exquisitely written, she transports her reader back to 1914 and into the lives of these women. There are a number of difficult subjects in the story that Ms. Canwell writes with honesty and sensitivity, putting you firmly in the shoes of those affected by the issues. With evocative descriptions she creates a strong sense of place and there is a constant sense of foreboding that comes in part from the abandoned hospital and unforgiving marsh that loom over everyone and everything. The sense of claustrophobia is palpable, adding to that unnerving feeling and adding a foreboding that keeps you on the edge of your seat, flying through the pages as I approached the finale.

An unforgettable debut that you don’t want to miss.

[Carolyn Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the edge of a Fenland river, a hospital that has stood empty for decades is cleaned daily in readiness for patients who never arrive… This is the setting for Paper Sisters and it might be a perfect metaphor for the empty lives of the women at the heart of this outstanding debut, but astonishingly, the unused hospital is a real part of author Rachel Canwell’s family history.

In the novel, the fictional Scott family is employed by the Port Authority to tend a hospital that survives long after the port it was built to serve has crumbled into the River Nene. Their task survives through the generations, and on the eve of the first world war the building is in the care of conscientious Eleanor and her damaged, manipulative sister, Lily. Both sisters have been traumatised by the drowning of their brother Alfred in the surrounding marsh. Meanwhile, the emotional scars of their surviving brother, Frank, have turned into violence against those closest to him. As Eleanor hopes for a new life away from the hospital, Lily’s schemes and deceptions become increasingly destructive. But when the war robs Eleanor of her only chance of happiness, she also becomes dangerously unstable. The novel is a psychological study of the way that trauma and grief are manifested in the contrasting personalities of the Scott siblings.

Yet the book is also a gripping drama that plays out to a devastating conclusion against the brooding backdrop of the fens. This is a landscape which is dull on the surface but full of unseen dangers; from heatstroke on parched, treeless fields, to drownings in raging mud-filled rivers. Paper Sisters thrusts us into a strange yet completely believable world where whole lives are spent tending an unused building and where war can bring both catastrophe and a chance of liberation for women. In similar literary territory to Waterland by Graham Swift and The Good Liars by Anita Frank, Rachel Canwell has drawn on her own relatives’ history to produce a compulsive and haunting novel of family trauma and redemption.

[Holly Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was honoured to receive this early proof and it was absolutely brilliant read!

Firstly, what enticed me was the language- it was beautifully written with tons of evocative imagery and metaphors. The language drew me in, even when a sister was being unlikeable. It probably was a character in its own right!

For the characters I found them intriguing as they were varied in personality and traits. Lily the youngest was probably the one I disliked the most- even more so than Frank! She was juvenile, manipulative and selfish. She seemed to cause more problems than solve them. But as we get through the story, I realised that she’s burdened with grief and depression. The main running theme through the whole book was grief. Lily had been living with it for years and it had warped her person. The way her storyline went was unexpected but in some ways satisfying and emotional.

Clara was my irk. She didn’t help herself nor did she let others help. Whilst I understand living in fear of your husband, it seemed stretched too far. Perhaps this is realistic in that domestic violence encompasses you whole, but it made Clara disjointed from the story- if you’d taken her out, she would have possibly made no contributions.

Eleanor was my favourite throughout- her love for John and her loyalty for her sister Lily. Her grief after John goes to war was written in the most beautiful manner that even it tugged at my own heartstrings. Eleanor was complex and messy. She was relatable and imperfect. I’ve never seen a character as so well written as her.


Again, the language was the shining star of the book. The plot itself is slow and not much happens. But this doesn’t matter in view of what we see with these three women. It is written so well that you are completely taken in by the language. I would highly recommend this as a historical fiction!

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paper Sisters is the debut novel from author Rachel Canwell. It is inspired by the true story of a hospital which was kept in readiness for over sixty years and looked after by her family, but was never used. Such a fascinating story, I can see why it inspired the book. The author is keen to point out that although elements of her real family history are reflected in the narrative, her characters are not fictionalised versions of her ancestors.

This is a very character driven novel and the pacing gives the reader the opportunity to really get to know the characters. I didn’t find any of them particularly likeable but they were compelling to read about. They were all rather flawed although I feel their behaviours were heavily influenced by grief. Eleanor was the most engaging character. She is faithful to her sister Lily despite Lily’s devious and manipulative behaviour but longs to escape from her stifling life. Nonetheless, she does act in anger on occasion. Sister-in-law Clara is a character I felt more sympathy for. She is married to the sisters’ brother Frank who is very abusive. I worried for her and her children. She was clearly a strong person in many ways but in those days, it would have been very difficult to escape such a marriage I expect.

The author created an excellent sense of time and place throughout the book. She wrote movingly about the shadow of war and how it touched everyone in the family and the community, whether physically or psychologically.

Just like the cut out paper figures referenced in the title, the book reflects the fragility of life and the bonds that link us all which can either be strong or easily broken. Paper Sisters is a beautifully written, evocative debut novel.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had the privilege of reading an early copy of Paper Sisters and wow what a story!
Paper Sisters is a hauntingly brilliant atmospheric 5 star read that is unputdownable.

No spoilers from me

Paper Sisters is so descriptive I felt I was there and felt every raw emotion the characters were experiencing.
The story is centralised around three main characters Eleanor and Lilly who are sisters and their sister in law Clara. The story is very cleverly written from their point of view which adds depth and a real understanding. I was very quickly invested.
As a reader I was completely captivated and pulled in to their individual challenges and emotional turmoil as they all navigated their way through dealing with the impact of family grief and the turmoil of war. A harrowing, emotional story that had me hooked wanting to know how it all ends.

I highly recommend Paper Sisters to all historical fiction fans and if you have never read historical fiction give it a go. This is an outstanding debut that will pull you in and keep you turning the pages.

Read the authors notes too. The close links to the locations in the story are amazing. Some of the locations are real, the characters are fictional
A brilliant story and I really hope this is the first of many

[Helen H · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I am blown away by this outstanding work of historical fiction.

Paper Sisters is a haunting and harrowing story of a family tormented by loss and grief, before and during the First World War. There is so much psychological depth to the characters; their pain is tangible and there is no doubt that this a family fractured by trauma. I was gripped by their story which at times felt so raw and shocking that my heart was in my throat.

The empty Port hospital in the Lincolnshire fens, ready and waiting for the sailors that never arrived, is a unique, evocative and very real setting; seemingly little known and lost to time. But now this piece of the author’s own family history will live on through Paper Sisters.

I know that Paper Sisters will be a favourite book for me this year (in fact, I think it will be a favourite book forever!)…..it has definitely left me in a ‘book coma.’ Eleanor, Clara, Lily and their hospital got under my skin and are going to stay with me for a long time.

[AM Guzmzn · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me this was an amazing story that is so much more than the description initially implies.
Yes it’s a story of a hospital that was built to serve a port that was washed away in a storm and the family that looked after it for years cleaning it and keeping it stocked - ready for those patients that never came. And the tragedy that affected this family and its long term consequences on all of them in the end leaving two sisters and their brother and his family. As the First World War starts everything starts to change for all of them. The story is told in beautiful evocative language but it moves at a pace. The three main characters of the story are real and their emotions and experiences resonate without being overwhelming. An engrossing, entertaining and fully satisfying read.

Totally recommend.

[travelsalongmybookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an utterly stunning debut, I feel like I held my breath the whole time I was reading. You can feel the isolation on the fens, the mist, the mud and the fear. The realisation of the characters is just amazing, I felt so much for them all (even Frank) and an overwhelming sadness too of the realities of war, the unbearable losses and the pain. There is such a completeness to these people’s lives told with clarity. Human stories that make up such a powerful and heartbreaking novel and I’d highly recommend reading it.

‘Faceless girls, each with long skirts and pigtails. Side by side. Hand in hand. Line after line of Lilys and Eleanors; endless and together. Paper sisters. Standing together, with no one in between.’

[Kristen Loesch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remain under the spell of Rachel Canwell’s extraordinary debut novel: Paper Sisters is a gut-wrenching story of family ties, sacrifice, betrayal, and obsession, following the entangled lives of two sisters and their sister-in-law as WWI looms. The beautiful, ominous setting of the Lincolnshire Fens is felt at every turn, as is the eerie presence of a nearby hospital that has never admitted a patient (!). This is the kind of stunning, viscerally powerful historical fiction that reminds me why I love this genre, and only makes me wish Canwell already had a backlist I could devour next. An absolutely phenomenal read!!

[Carolyn O’Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath the vast sky of the Lincolnshire Fens, a hospital lies empty, forgotten before it was ever put to use, yet still tended by one of a family’s two remaining daughters, both deeply wounded by the past.

As the Great War brings fresh heartbreak for the sisters, together with the long-suffering wife of their damaged, violent brother, this beautifully written story builds with tragic inevitability to a powerful denouement.

Rich in atmosphere and deftly plotted, Paper Sisters is a compelling tale of loss and yearning, told with remarkable lyricism.

[Sidra Ansari · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous story!! Paper Sisters is a historical novel based in Lincolnshire around the First World War. In it, the author has painted the most vivid portrait of a troubled family who struggle to face their grief in the aftermath an unfortunate event. The tension slowly builds until it’s palpable and the characters truly jump off the page. The prose is so beautifully written, I found myself consciously slowing down to savour her words. And it was still so compelling; the storyline and characters stayed with me between reads. Beautifully done!

[Sian Sandwith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper sisters tells the story of Eleanor & Lily and their sister in law Clara. Set in Lincolnshire 1914 after the death of their brother Alfred & mum & dad. Rachel tells the story of the girls & their brother/husband Frank. The family have been paid to look after a hospital that has never been used and Eleanor took this over when her dad died. Lily has never got over the death of their brother & so acts out all the time. Will Eleanor find love & can she make it work? This is a story of love, loss, anger & resentment for a life that has been chosen for them

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story intertwines the lives of three women, who are worn into the grooves of their lives with seemingly no escape. Yet, there is a strength of will to all of them - not always with the best of intentions, but strength nonetheless. Each of them is flawed, but you feel their pain and will them to make the right choices. The book gripped me at the description of Clara in the railway carriage - the tense, watchful children - understanding the subtle looks and non-verbal cues from their mother, who is dealing with with an abusive, emotionally damaged husband. A brilliant first novel.

[Kristina Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written novel which captures the isolation of the setting. Unsettling and claustrophobic. I was rooting for Clara and Eleanor—the sister-in-laws’ friendship the one beacon of hope in the bleakness. The realities of war are fully explored. I found the domestic violence scenes and the brutal nature of that particular relationship, at times, tough to read. While others were intriguing and puzzling. A tale steeped in sadness with little glimmers of hope along the way.

[Del Geo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read

Clara’s present is a daily battle, while Eleanor dreams of a future away from everything she knows, and Lily refuses to let go of the past and its ghosts.

Paper Sisters is a magnificent tale of resilience, hope, and loss, inviting the reader to trudge through the Marsh along with three women struggling to survive in a hauntingly beautiful setting.

Rachel Canwell’s writing is absolutely superb. The vivid imagery, sensory details and characters’ depth are breathtaking.

[Lesley Bungay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about this stunning debut novel? Rachel Canwell’s lyrical prose draws you in to the beauty and isolation of the Lincolnshire Fens and the troubled lives of three women, Eleanor, Lily and Clara. Each is trapped within physical and social constraints, longing for a future free from the ghosts of the past and present day demons. This story is hauntingly beautiful, one that will stay with me for some time.

[Amanda Huggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this immersive novel in one sitting. Haunting, well-paced, and beautifully written, Paper Sisters follows the story of three women at the start of WWI whose lives are anchored by ghosts and mired in the isolation of the Lincolnshire Fens. A brave, dark, unflinching tale of love and war, grief and hope.

[Amber Raynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-wrenching story of family hardship, in the midst of the difficulty of World War 1. This book is a beautifully written piece of historical fiction, with inspiration loosely taken from the true events of the author's family history. I thought it was gripping and took me on a wild ride of emotions. I can't recommend this book enough and thank you for my advance reader copy!

[Lucy Waverley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, vivid descriptions and eerie fenland setting - the hospital that never sees a patient is so intriguing. Great for those who are interested in exploring the psychology of constraints on women's lives, family tragedies, and the impact of WW1 on rural life.

Big thanks to the author for an advanced copy.

[Elena Bez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is beautifully written, evocative and painfully taut. The characters are so vividly depicted amid their grief and the isolation of this strange landscape. I loved the complexity of Lily and her issues.

The way the landscape is painted is beautifully rendered - vivid and intoxicating.

Rachel Canwell masters this eerie place with skill and care.

The ending is superb.

Excellent read.

[Jane Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A lyrically woven and hauntingly evocative story. Set against the backdrop of World War One this novel lays bare the visceral suffering of one Fenland family suffocated by their demons on the home front. Intense, intimate, and unforgettable.”

[Nicola Ashbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to read an early copy of this gripping historical novel. Ominous, dark, compelling, affecting and beautifully written. And such an intriguing backdrop too!