THE RIDDLES OF EPSILON By Christine Morton-Shaw

I must say that this has been a most intriguing book, I know its another ghost story but hey I think it's a phase I'm going through. Despite it being another ghost story though, it couldn't have been more different to the one I read previously (The screaming staircase by Jonathon Stroud). Where as that focused on Humans vs Ghost and supernatural beings this is more about the supernatural battling itself and helping the humans to survive the fight. I say it's a ghost story but maybe ghost isn't quite the right word, the bright and dark beings aren't ghosts as such, they're more... well.... beings, supernatural beings!

One this I must say about this novel is that it is very complicated, probably the reason it has taken me so long to finish it, but maybe that's a good thing. It's good sometime to get into a book that tales a while, makes you think and the leaves you for hours... days even, afterwards going... 'So that's why!' or in my case 'I get it now!'

A couple of times I found myself a little confused by what was going on but I never lost interest in the book or the story in fact I only got more and more interested because I had complete faith in the author that she would deliver the answers sooner or later and she did.

I though the ending to the book was really interesting. Morton-Shaw could quite happily have ended to the novel a few chapter early had she not included one single statement from a character that leads into a whole new section of the story. It just goes to show how important small things can be. One sentence, which has the potential to change the entire story, or at least a decent chunk of it.

I really like the choice of words that the author uses for the more fantastical elements of the story such as Coscobora and Ouroboros. Although these do have real meanings linking in with the plot of the story, they are quite specialist words that the reader is unlikely to know at first glance. I thought this was brilliant because it left me in just about the same level of bewilderment and confusion as Jess was at the same point. I loved it!

Over all I think that this is a very clever book and very well put together. Although I felt that the black swans were maybe a little unoriginal in their colouring, the idea of swans in themselves representing the evil, I thought was very interesting indeed. Manifesting evil as something pure and beautiful isn't something you see every day and I am pleased that the writer made that choice. As I mentioned before, I am left with some questions that are unanswered however the more I sit and think, the more it fits together and falls into place. Its good to have found a modern book that makes you think and work so much. A brilliant read and one I would definitely recommend.