This novel feel like a fable or fairy tale: young couple Despo and Loukas are expecting their first child. Both are young adult orphans, trying to navigate marriage and life with no close family. His godparents are the closest they have, and very kind. They are in rural Cyprus, 1925, with WW1, the British, the Turks, and archaelogical exploration lurking in the near past.

Many Cypriot beliefs, traditions, and foods are part of the story, set during the 12 days if Christmas. There are Muslim and Christian residents, and an English couple that does not speak the language--no one is quite sure what they are there for. As Despo worries about the upcoming birth and accidentally exposing the baby to the creatures, Loukas is struggling with his own secret.

The author was born and raised in Cyprus and moved to the UK at about age 16. ( )