Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me an ARC of the debut novel by Kim Neville - 4.5 stars for such a unique book!
Evelyn has always known she was a special girl. Like her dad, she had the ability to feel emotions from objects. This gift has caused Evelyn to hide herself away from things and people because she can feel all the stains, as she calls them, left on objects. She scrounges for items that are less harmful and sells that at a night marketplace. The ones she feels are dangerous, she locks away. Noemi, her sister, comes in and out of Ev's life - both trying to make sense of what happened to them as children. When Evelyn meets Harriet, another person who sees the brightness in objects, she is astounded that Harriet is able to surround herself with so many objects; however, her collection is making her neighbors sick. Harriet convinces Ev to help her curate her collection into a museum of objects that would make people feel only positive emotions. However, darkness still lurks in the background and threatens all three of these women.
I loved the idea that objects absorb feelings and can cause people to have varied reactions to those objects. Harriet and her mom were hoarders because each of the objects was so valuable to them - a feeling most of us can relate to. As I get older, I see the very many objects that are accumulated as a result of a life. Those things are difficult to get rid of and they don't incite the same feelings in others. This book was wonderfully written - there are past mysteries to solve as well as the magical feeling that envelops every page. It was easy to lose yourself in this world and I really felt for these characters and what they were experiencing.
Great debut - can't wait to read more from this author!
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