Get ready for The Unmaking of Ellie Rook by Sandra Ireland, a short but hard-hitting novel.

The plot:

Ellie Rook can’t wait to leave home. She’s had enough of being the Kid from the Scrapyard – always dirty, running wild and getting into fights. Leaving behind her mother, brother and bullying father, she catches the first plane to Europe.

But fast-forward several years and a grim call from home brings her back.

Her mother has been reported missing, presumed drowned, and the witnesses all have different stories. Ellie has to come to terms with the unspoken secrets of her past while unravelling clues in the present.

It’s a good story which I know I’ll think back to

From the get-go of The Unmaking of Ellie Rook, I was entranced by the writing. It is pure but witty, with underlying messages and distressing themes. The folklore runs throughout the book, which makes a nice touch. You’ll be googling it after, and that in itself makes for an interesting read.

It’s a tough book to read and covers family, secrets, abuse and revenge, and with its short length, means you’ll read it in one-sitting.

Despite the content being very difficult to read at times, it provides hope (although is often quick to take this away) and offers a thriller feel near the end. It’s much more than a woman goes missing and has unexpected twists providing you with a whole bunch of emotions.

The Unmaking of Ellie Rook is definitely that type of book which you’ll close and have goosebumps on the last page, because of the repetition and meanings throughout and how they’re reflected at the end.

Although it did feel like a short book whilst you’re reading, it didn’t once you put it down because of everything that was covered. There aren’t any questions which haven’t been answered, and despite the content being horrific to read, it makes a short but sweet book.

It’s hard to go into the meaning behind the hard-hitting content without giving spoilers, but there are parts to make you wince, although being, unfortunately, believable.

It didn’t blow me away, and I think that’s because it could’ve been longer for you to get attached to the characters more, but it’s a good story which I know I’ll think back to.

The Unmaking of Ellie Rook, Sandra Ireland, RRP £8.99 (paperback); Book Depository 

Pages: 197

Publisher: Polygon Books

Genre: Fiction