“Dates only make us aware of how numbered our days are, how much closer to death we are for each one we cross off. From now on, Punzel, we’re going to live by the sun and the seasons.’ He picked me up and spun me around, laughing.’Our days will be endless.”

This was Claire Fuller’s debut and deserves all the stars. The premise: In the late 70s, 8 year old Peggy and her father retreat into the forest to a remote hut with no outside contact. While there, her father tells her the rest of the world has been destroyed and they are the last living humans. They stay there for 9 years until mysterious circumstances bring Peggy back to her home in London with her mother (don’t worry – this isn’t a spoiler. It’s something we learn pretty early in the book).

Like all of her work, Fuller peels back the layers slowly to give you the full picture. We switch back and forth between the perspectives of 17 year old Peggy in London with her mother and Peggy’s life in the forest with her father. It’s deliciously told: there were times that I rushed forward in the story and then I’d force myself to tap back a few screens and start again. I didn’t want to miss a single thought of Peggy’s – I was so interested in her.

This is an excellent pick for a progressive book club that’s not squeamish about sensitive topics. It begs for discussion, perspective, and debate!