A beautifully written coming of age story
Red - Books of 2016
A beautifully conjured debut
Sainsbury's Magazine
An intriguing, well told story, beautifully descriptive of the China of that period
Choice
[A] beautifully imagined novel, at times whimsical and at others harrowing
Sunday Express S Magazine
Its pleasures come in discovering ... Read moreEtta's character, seeing her grow, and the atmosphere of melancholy and loss that infuses the book
Emerald Street
This coming of age tale with a loveable protagonist, set in a fascinating time and a beautiful location is a breath-taking debut and one that will definitely capture many hearts, as it did my own
The Tattoed Book
Henrietta S. Robertson is a beguiling, wilful and wonderfully realised creation, whose humour, imagination and yearning will captivate readers... this is a wonderful debut
Jackie Copleton, author of A DICTIONARY OF MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING A beautifully poignant book... a story full of adolescent verve, young girls coming of age as the world around them falls apart, that remains somehow delightful, both playful and tender, as it breaks your heart. I loved it.
Lindsay Hawdon, author of JAKOB'S COLOURS Really enjoyed IN A LAND OF PAPER GODS - a dreamlike tale, like a cross between Picnic at Hanging Rock and Empire of the Sun... lovely prose and a great setting
Stav Sherez Rebecca Mackenzie's vigorous prose is original and highly evocative. The untameable beauty of China's Lushan mountain and the dangers that lie beyond are echoed in the dramatic landscapes that Etta must navigate within herself. Her fate will linger in your thoughts long after the story ends
Claire King, author of THE NIGHT RAINBOW A soaring work of the imagination... a beautifully written book, powerfully moving but surprisingly funny, too
Herald
An imaginative and touching debut
Good Housekeeping
If you like your novels lyrical but pacy, look out for this beautiful debut
Elle
Mackenzie is a self-assured, poetic storyteller... This is a wonderful, special book. I inhaled it
Red
A richly imagined novel that cleverly intertwines two cultures
Daily Mail
An evocative and involving novel with a wonderful setting
Woman & Home
Such a wonderful voice, very funny and hugely moving
Anna James @ The Bookseller Infused with a delicate, melancholy note of nostalgia, Mackenzie's depiction of a bygone world is vividly realised
Independent
Set in a missionary school in China... carries echoes of Empire of the Sun and The Poisonwood Bible
Observer (2016 Highlights)
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