is a stay-at-home mum, originally from Hungary, but now living in Hertfordshire. Reading has always been a passion. She has an interest in all works of fiction but has a soft spot for thrillers and crime novels.
Naomi Cottle, our protagonist dedicates her life to finding missing children. She is renowned for her perseverance, success rate and special ability to make a connection; she is the one known to all as the "Child Finder".
This urge to help the devastated families stems from personal experience of being abducted. The investigations also make her face her inner demons and bring her closer to recovering her repressed memories. We find out about her personal troubles as the story progresses, making her a sympathetic character.
Her latest case takes her back to familiar grounds, close to home. Most have given up on ever finding Madison - especially alive - as she has already been gone for three years, but Naomi will try to go above and beyond the actions of local authorities. I couldn't help but root for the successful outcome of her methodical search.
High in the forests of Oregon is a world unlike anything else most of us are used to. It's a mysterious, freezing, scarcely populated, uninviting yet mystical and unique place. There live the Snow Girl and Mr B in quiet harmony. Sounds like a fairy tale, right? Unfortunately, the truth couldn't be further from that.
To escape her gruesome reality, the Snow Girl creates a magical alternative world for "Madison" and her captor named Mr B. Her stories are really fascinating but at the same time very disturbing too. Although there are no graphic descriptions only implications imbedded in these stories, some might find it difficult to read them. I thought they were imaginative and powerful; I cringed while reading but couldn't wait to get to the next one. The pureness, hopefulness and innocence of this little girl was one of my favourite aspects of the novel.
Once I started the book I couldn't put it down. The switch between the two narratives is flawless; it holds your interest and curiosity throughout the novel. I also felt like this book could easily belong to the Nordic noir genre as well. The dark mood, the setting and the folklore are typical characteristics and made me think of Scandinavian fiction books.
It's always exciting to find authors new to me, especially ones that come highly praised. Rene Denfeld is a perfect example: her writing captivated me from the first page and transported me to the land of snow and ice.
I highly recommend The Child Finder to anyone who enjoys dark atmospheric novels. I think this book would also be a great read for a book club. There is so much for the readers to consider and discuss.
