It took me a little while to warm up to it, but once in I was completely engrossed and in the end I think there's a lot to love here. The three main perspectives are tied loosely together by place, and more firmly by the various forms of male violence visited upon the female protagonists; the methods may change over time, but the sense of entitlement to women's time, energy, and even their lives stands as firm as the Bass Rock in the background. It's a relentless, infuriating tale, enticingly gothic in tone, and so seamlessly linked. I'm astonished this missed the Women's Prize list last year.