Truly horrifying, stupefying gruesome and unforgettable. Peppered with facts about the Foley craft, accidental deaths and the unbearable torment of grief, this book is a whirlwind of emotion. While describing one brutal storyline, he drops in another nugget - nonchalantly - and maintains a narrative that leaps across timelines and is rewound and rewritten repeatedly. Somehow, he keeps us desperate to follow the fates of these tragic, awful people.
I really enjoyed this tragic tale of love, come what may... The 'sacrifice' in leaving her lover to save his family's good name and the protagonist's sister does not translate well into the 21st Century, but it's very well placed in its era. The use of letters as a narrative device from beyond the grave enhanced the tragedy. Their love feels believable and intense, and the societal pressures and beautiful setting shines through. Recommended.