The Blurb:
A single phone call from halfway across the world is all it takes to bring her home . . . ‘Ellie, something bad has happened.’
Desperate to escape her ‘kid from the scrapyard’ reputation, Ellie Rook has forged a new life for herself abroad, but tragedy strikes when her mother, Imelda, falls from a notorious waterfall. Here, according to local legend, the warrior queen Finella jumped to her death after killing a king. In the wake of her mother’s disappearance, Ellie is forced to confront some disturbing truths about the family she left behind and the woman she has become. Can a long-dead queen hold the key to Ellie’s survival? And how far will she go to right a wrong?
The Unmaking of Ellie Rook was published by Polygon on 5th July 2019 and it you can purchase it from Waterstones, Amazon and other good bookshops.
My Review:
A change from my usual straight crime for this interesting family drama.
Ellie Rook comes from a tinker family. Her father runs a scrapyard, her mother is from fairground folk. Long time family friend Shelby lives in the yard in his gypsy caravan. There's never been much money to go around and Ellie's clothes were often worn out, and a little bit grubby. The family kept themselves to themselves and the other kids took the mick out of the tinker's daughter. But her life was rich with folk tales told to her by her mother, particularly about Finella, the warrior queen she was named after, who disappeared in a local forest.
Keen to escape her upbringing, as soon as she's able she moves abroad and forges a new life for herself, seldom visiting home. Until her mother goes missing from the exact same spot as Finella in the legend, and Ellie has to come back.
It was really interesting to see the family dynamic. Ireland picks up on the most mundane things to explore relationships within the group, sometimes as simple as making a coffee. Ellie's father Lawler is a rigid man, who expects things a certain way, and when his wife isn't there, he expects Ellie to slip into her role, her place in the kitchen, so his routine isn't spoiled.
As the townsfolk rally round the family to help, which isn't always welcome, Ellie reconnects with an old boyfriend, and interspersed with the present day narrative are flashbacks to her childhood and teenage years, where we learn more about her and her family.
As well as Ellie, Shelby was a standout character for me. Clearly immensely fond of Ellie, he has been parked up in the yard for so long, he's part of the family. A man of few words, when he speaks it's worth listening. Also Piotr, a decent, kind young man in a difficult situation. But Offshore Dave is horrible (but well written)!
This tale is very character driven, and the whole cast is beautifully drawn, even the most minor players. As the story progresses, and the search for Imelda continues, we learn more and more about the family members, as does Ellie herself. The atmosphere gets darker and more oppressive , as secrets are revealed, right up until the perfect denouement. I let a out a little cheer then.
I was completely engrossed in this book and read it in a couple of days. It's intelligent, engaging with a palpable sense of dread. It's fascinating study of a dysfunctional family, of secrets, heartbreak, control, fear and love. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Sandra's work.
The Author:
Sandra Ireland was born in Yorkshire, lived for many years in Limerick, and is now based in Carnoustie. She began her writing career as a correspondent on a local newspaper but quickly realised that fiction is much more intriguing than fact. In 2013 Sandra was awarded a Carnegie- Cameron scholarship to study for an MLitt in Writing Practice and Study at the University of Dundee, graduating with a distinction in 2014. Her work has appeared in various publications and women’s magazines. She is the author of Beneath the Skin (2016) and Bone Deep (2018), and her third novel, The Unmaking of Ellie Rook is published this month.
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