An incredibly powerful and emotional read which mainly deals with several aspects of mental health.  Set on the rugged coast of Cornwall which is gradually eroding due to the sea but also depicts the erosion of traditional Cornish life due to the influx of visitors (emmets).  Especially visitors who buy up houses invading Cornwall (and other beautiful parts of the country) pricing most locals out of the market despite only using these houses as underused second homes or holiday lets during the year whilst not contributing much to the local economy, especially out of season.. Having relatives who are born and bred in Cornwall plus living myself in another part of the country which is disrupted by holiday houses this book hit home as it's all too true and maybe make visitors respect ordinary life that happens in these areas.   Quite a disturbing read on many levels, touching upon the dangerous assumptions that people draw reading tabloids and social media plus isolation and hopelessness.

Totally gripping with a main character that one just wants to help plus an ending that is unexpected is bound to make this book stay with the reader for sometime.

Melody Janie lives alone in a caravan hidden in woodland on the Cornish coast. Waiting for her mother to return, she spends her time roaming over her land and cleaning the family business- a ‘cafy’ for tourists, ready to reopen. Her only friend, Esther visits her at the cafy twice a week but is unaware of the realities of Melody Janie’s life and how she chooses to live.

This is an interesting book which covers mental illness and depression sensitively. Melody Janie is an odd narrator- her words do not encourage us to stay with her. The time shifts are sometimes awkward and it’s takes a moment to work out where you’ve moved to. I did enjoy the reveal at the end.

I enjoyed this book but found it vaguely unsettling. I guess that’s the point! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

Nineteen year old Melody Janie lives alone in a caravan behind The Cafy, her family cafe on a deserted headland in Cornwall which is slowly being chipped away by the sea. In the absence of her family she’s doing her best to keep everything together so that the cafe, the fulfilment of her Mum’s dream, will be there to serve the tourists that her father taught her to despise, who flock to Cornwall every summer. She’s all alone and clearly unable to cope as she’s reveals her story and the events that led her to this this point in a breathtaking narration that switches between past and present. This was a book I really didn’t want to put down that deftly covers issues such as mental illness and the problems for regions such as Cornwall where the industry has all but disappeared leaving the locals priced out of housing by the tourists they’re paid minimum wages to serve. For the first time in ages the twist at the end took me completely by surprise, just as I was beginning to feel that I could see where it was all leading. Fabulous book.

This is about Melody Janie, now in her late teens.  She is living in a caravan near a beautiful, and somewhat wild, spot on the Cornish coast.  She stays away from people as much as she can.  She loves the part of the coast that she considers hers deeply.  It is obvious early on that she has suffered some tragedies in her young life so far.  She has one friend who visits her, Esther, but she has never met Melody in the caravan and doesn't know it exists.  It is also clear that Melody does probably have some mental health issues.  This is not the chocolate box version of Cornwall the holiday destination.

The story follows Melody Janie through a fairly short part of her life.  It may be short but it is filled with events.  Some of the narrative is in the present time however parts are reflections on her earlier life and that of her family.

Initially I found this intriguing however it was a little awkward to read.  There are time shifts that have no signposting and I wasn't clear whether there was more than one narrator.  You do need to know what "emmets" are too - being from the Westcountry that was fine with me! At times this is almost "stream of consciousness" writing but it felt appropriate.  The more I read the more I wanted to read of Melody Janie's story.

Overall I found myself completely engaged with Melody Janie as a character.  This was born out by the fact that towards the end my eyes started to water...!  Tissues may be needed.  There was a time when I thought I knew where this was going - it turned out I didn't and I was happy with that.  This book manages to have beauty and poignancy as well as a simplicity too.  It also made me laugh a time or two - frankly Dad's "mad spider dance" still makes me smile.  The writing really is very good.  I don't usually comment on the cover of books however I really did like this one.  

Talking to Melody Janie her friend Esther says "how are you?" at one point and the answer is "unusual" which sums it up quite well.  This will stay with me for quite a while.  It's a powerful story of family, belonging, loss and other things too.  4.5/5 definitely.

A book that will stay with me for a while I think.
About loneliness,and secrets,mental health struggles.
All set against a stunning backdrop that's falling apart.
Being isolated and afraid to ask for help.
Its unbelievably sad in parts,and really pulled on my heart strings.
Yet,theres also hope,people who will keep reaching out,and will be there.
Beautifully done.