Lynda E

Ms. MacKinnon's narrator and main character, Clara, is most comfortable with the corpses that she lovingly prepares for burial. She has no friends, other than the undertaker with whom she works - and her flowers, which seem to blossom miraculously for Clara.

Being immersed in Clara's thoughts is learning how an extremely depressed and lonely young woman thinks. Yet, a glimmer of hope lies beneath the Gothic setting and compelled this reader to devour this mystery.

The characters are real and complete. The settings are vivid, though mostly seen through shadows and mist. The reader wants to help Clara solve this dark mystery and bloom as a fulfilled woman, like her garden.