THE UNSEEN by KATHERINE WEBB

THE UNSEEN

BY KATHERINE WEBB

THE BLURB:-

When a free-spirited young woman arrives in a sleepy Berkshire village to work in the household of the Reverend and Mrs. Canning, she sets in motion a chain of events which changes all their lives. For Cat has a past- a past her new mistress is willing to overlook but will never understand...

This is not all Hester Canning has to cope with. When her husband invites a young man into their home, he brings with him a dangerous obsession.

During the long, oppressive summer, the rectory becomes charged with ambition, love and jealousy- with the most devastating consequences.

THE REALITY:-

This is another writer who uses a person coming out of a broken relationship, and who is free to love again, as a basis for romance (on the modern side of the story).

I like the way the historical sections of storytelling are written in the present tense, as it adds originality and helps with the flow of things.

The letters bind all aspects of the story together, and it's a novel that makes you stop and think, as we always know more about the past situations than the present day characters.

This is an unusual and interesting tale, using faked fairy sightings in a wholly different way.  The bucolic setting adds a sense of calm, and Hester's innocence regarding the marital bed, with references to rutting stallions, (as relayed through her letters to her sister) made me scream with laughter!

But it is the feisty character of Cat, with her of lack of respect and disregard for her “betters” and her desperate need for change, that is truly empowering. She is the true heroine of the story.  I totally loved this young woman, and was rooting for her all the way!  Also, the historical suffragette referencing really brings her prison experience to ghastly real life.

With its twists and turns (and murder!) mixed with modern day musings such as euthanasia and having sex with step-siblings, this novel is a magnificent pleasure to read, and truly original.