In The Lamb, we follow Margot as she navigates her increasingly fraught and grievous relationship with her Mama. Mother and daughter live together in a cottage in the woods, luring in ‘Strays’ to feed Mama’s insatiable hunger. When things begin spiraling beyond their already unconventional life, 11-year-old Margot has no choice but to take matters into her own hands, whenever and however she can.

Part coming-of-age narrative, part unsettling folktale, The Lamb does not shy away from its commentary on complex mother-daughter relationships, particularly within an individualistic, family-unit-oriented society.

Please note that this is a strong “mummy issues” narrative told from the perspective of a child, with frequent on-page verbal and physical abuse. There are a whole host of other trigger warnings worth checking before diving in.

I am astounded by Lucy Rose’s ability to craft a narrative that is simultaneously heartfelt and skin-crawling, with twists I truly did not see coming. From the very first sentence to the final reflection, this book is one that can easily be devoured in a single sitting. I personally went into this story knowing very little and enjoyed the experience all the more for it.

I had an incredibly memorable time reading The Lamb and cannot wait to read more from Lucy Rose.

I’ll end by saying this: we must protect Steve. At. All. Costs.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.