If you were to break A Cold Season by Alison Littlewood down into a series of bullet points you would perhaps consider it to be a collection of well worn tropes and themes; small village cut off by unnatural elements? Check! Deeply religious, estranged father? Check! Sinister, unfriendly locals? Check! Scary, feral children? Check! However whilst elements of the story are familiar the execution of the narrative and the quality of the prose help this debut novel to rise above these familiar components and provide the reader with a gripping and superbly paced book.
