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On a weather-beaten island off the coast of Scotland, Effie and her mother, Nora, take refuge in the large, mouldering house of their ancestors and tell each other stories. Nora, at first, recounts nothing that Effie really wants to hear--like who her real father was. Effie tells various versions of her life at college, where in fact she lives in a lethargic relationship with Bob, a student who never goes to lectures, seldom gets out of bed, and to whom Klingons are as real as Spaniards and Germans.

But as mother and daughter spin their tales, strange things are happening around them. Is Effie being followed? Is someone killing the old people? And where is the mysterious yellow dog?

Not quite in the same style as some of her other novels (e.g. the Jackson Brodie ones), this book really does reflect the title - it's weird!!

There are plots and sub plots, and stories within stories. The main story is about Effie and her time at Uni, but interspersed with segments of the novel that she's writing and parts of Nora's story, told reluctantly but possibly the most interesting element.

There are so many characters that at times it's hard to keep on top of who's who and who's doing what, but Atkinson keeps control and brings everything together cleverly at the end

The book is possibly one of her harder ones, but nevertheless enjoyable. If you like surreal!

The plot is surreal but the characters are engaging and the pages kept turning - just trying to figure out what was going on wna

Left in the kitchen on Level 4