A novel about a relationship founded on cannibalism, and the growing abuses towards their young daughter, on paper does not feel particularly appealing, yet the beauty of Rose’s writing in this novel transports readers quite quickly, and emotionally, into the world. 

The novel is seen through the eyes of the daughter, Margot, whose rural cottage allows her and her Mama to live off the grid, and we quickly discover, off scraps of human meat they harvest from unsuspecting passersby. It is a gorgeously written horror that bypasses the typical tropes of cannibal stories. Here, we do not witness violent murders but rather an increasingly tense situation built, especially as the supply of food begins to run out and Margot’s doubts grow. 

It also spins quickly in another direction upon the arrival of Eden, a stranger who quickly immerses herself into their pair’s lives, becoming Mama’s lover in the process. Rose’s writing detours here a little, with our exploration into Mama focusing a little more on society’s casting aside of certain types of women, though her cruelties to her daughter, and their complex relationship soon come back into focus. 

As the novel reaches its horrifying yet movingly written conclusion, Margot is left to reconcile with her Mama’s choices, and we see the violent and complicated consequences of desire, impulse and anger all collide in a fatal climax. Yet while it seems that this should be a basic horror story, the layered characterisation of Margot and Mama in particular breathe life into a book where death is so pungent, with imagery as rich and as vibrant as the blood stains Margot tries desperately to hide. 

While not perfect, and with an ending that is sure to divide, the novel works hard to shock and shake readers in equal measure.