This book broke me in the best way.

Ansel is hours away from his execution. While we do get to hear a bit from him, the story is mostly from the perspectives of Saffron (who he spent some time in an orphanage with and who grew up to be a detective), his mother Lavender and his wife's twin Hazel.

This story is heartbreaking from so many angles - a character study of not just Ansel but of several women, including their lost hopes and dreams, the grit that some people just have despite being born into awful situations, and rebuilding after loss.

There's so much to think about in terms of nature vs. nature. In addition, this novel also brings up diversity (both race and gender) issues as well as how society glorifies the killer instead of the victims.

Will this be a hit for everyone? No. There are a lot of triggers (wild animal abuse, brutality/homicide), and it's not a happy and light book. It's also a quiet book. There's not a lot of dialogue, instead looking into what people are thinking. Just be aware. If you liked Liz Nugent's Unraveling Oliver, you will definitely like this one.