I made a few attempts at reading this book, but found Lynch’s writing style impenetrable. I was determined to read it, so turned to the audio edition, where text style becomes irrelevant - it may be a problem for the narrator, but not for the listener!

Prophet Song is harrowing. As we watch the insidious rise of totalitarianism, I kept screaming at Eilish to leave; leave before it’s too late. But the creeping inevitability that she will stay is apparent as she attempts to overlook what is happening; trying to convince her children (and herself) that the situation will be short-lived and all blow over.

There are echos here of A Handmaid’s Tale and, of course, 1984. But it’s the direct parallel to what is happening now around the world that make it feel immediate. How many mothers are, at this very moment in time, facing the awful decisions that Eilish faces? If nothing else, this book can’t help but move the reader to feel a growing empathy for the rising number of refugees fleeing their war-torn countries.

Not for the faint-hearted. This novel is brutal and unforgettable.