When Fan was little, she dreamed of magical countries in the far-away blue hills. As she grew up she dreamed of love, and the boys came after her one by one.

Clementine thought her cousin Fan’s house in the country had a special smell: of sun and dust and kerosene, and the wild honey they ate for breakfast on their toast. But then there were the feelings: the anger that smelled like iron, and the disappointment that smelled like mud.

Still, Fan was strong and beautiful, and Clementine thought she’d always be like that. But Fan was seeking something, and neither she nor Clementine knew exactly what.

With sharp, poetic prose, insight and compassion, Judith Clarke tells a moving and beautiful story as she traces the lives of two young women separated by circumstance, but linked forever by blood and friendship.

‘Brimming with tenderness and intrigue.a moving story about how friendships can shape lives.’ Sunday Age

‘Judith Clarke’s writing shines - every page contains something worth savouring.’ Australian Book Review

‘Moving and beautifully written.a haunting story.’ Sydney Morning Herald