A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR * A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR * A METRO BOOK OF THE YEARThe years must read novel The Times. One of the most important books youll pick up this decade Harpers Bazaar. An outstanding book that could be this years A Little Life Guardian. At 14, Turtle Alveston knows the use of every gun on her wall. She knows how to snare a rabbit, sharpen a blade and splint a bone. She knows that her daddy loves her more than anything else in this world and hell do whatever it takes to keep her with him. But she doesnt know why she feels so different from the other girls at school; why the line between love and pain can be so hard to see. Or why making a friend may be the bravest and most terrifying thing she has ever done. Sometimes the people youre supposed to trust are the ones who do most harm. And what youve been taught to fear is the very thing that will save you . This book has challenged me like no other. Its a masterpiece. A work of art on a page. I guarantee this book will take your breath away Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep. Brutal yet beautiful, My Absolute Darling has floored me. Dear Turtle, a heroine amidst the horror. Exceptional, unflinching storytelling Ali Land , author of Good Me Bad Me. An incandescent novel with an extraordinary, unforgettable heroine, both deeply contemplative and utterly thrilling Observer - Thriller of the month. There are echoes of Mas bravery in Emma Donoghues Room, or the resilience of Cormac Mc. Carthys protagonists as they struggle to stay alive. Tallents world is shocking in the truest sense of the word Irish Times. An utterly fantastic read. Every page is brimming with energy. And Turtle Alveston is as enthralling a character as Ive encountered in a good long while Kevin Powers, author of The Yellow Birds