Simply put this is a tale of a man's life set in Victorian times. The man, William, has an almost preternatural knack and foresight for business and thrives and leads a good life. Like all lives, there is some sadness and regret, particularly over an incident in his childhood when he killed a rook. Halfway through though (his life and our story) tragedy strikes. This changes everything the nature of his life and the nature his new business. The second half of the story may be about madness, a haunting or something else…

Setterfield tells William’s story in a normal third person narrative but interspersed among the number chapters are small sections simply marked &(ampersand) where we are instructed in the nature and legends of Rooks. Notably, as the ampersand connects Bellman & Black but is not part of them, the ampersands will connect the story without becoming directly part of it.

Overall I really enjoyed this somewhat dark yet beautiful tale. I was already a fan of Setterfield's prose from The Thirteenth Tale and fell quite easily into the reading of this. Her research into Death Practices and Rituals of the Victorian are not only well done but I suspect one of the inspirations for this book. However, it is her insights into life, not death that is lovely as seen in the quote below.

“He had rediscovered the spaces in between words and tasks and thoughts, and they were surprisingly fruitful.”

Overall, this would be recommended for lovers of the slightly darker Victorian fiction. But be warned this is not a melodramatic gothic tale similar to Setterfield's previous novel The Thirteenth tale. It is far more eyrie, simple yet quietly beautiful tale.