As I write, I am still processing this story; it is lingering in my mind a few days after finishing it, which is an indication of just how rich and striking this book is.

The story starts in London in 1976, when Peggy is eight years old, and takes us through to 1985.

In 1976 life is pretty normal for Peggy; living in London with her mum and dad. But, her dad is a “retreater”, who believes in going back to nature and living off the land. Not in a farmer-sort-of-way, but in the more extreme “let’s go and live in the forest and eat squirrels” way.

Our Endless Numbered Days takes us on a journey of survival with Peggy as she is taken away into the forest as a little girl with her father, and ends as she grows into a teenager.

It sounds a bit like a fairytale, but believe me this is no magical children’s story. It is dark and harrowing but compelling and beautiful in it’s own way.

Like I said at the start of this post, the story is still lingering in my mind days after I finished reading it.

Highly recommended.