“Unusual things are happening on the remote archipelago of St Hauda’s Land. Strange winged creatures flit around icy bogland; albino animals hide themselves in the snow-glazed wood; jellyfish glow in the ocean’s depths. And Ida MacLaird is slowly turning into glass…”

The Girl With Glass Feet is at first a journey into another world. It is a world that it is completely real – cold, open and surrounded by the sea. Yet at the same time it is magical and not like our world at all. And it has such beauty – the kind of beauty that comes from truth and nature.

And then there are the people who inhabit that world. Two in particular.

Midas is a native of St Hadua’s Land. He has lost his father, he is estranged from his mother and his life has lost any momentum. His emotions are buried deep and he drifts through his days, occupying time photographing the world and people around him.

Ida is a visitor who has come back to St Hauda’s Land. Drawn back because she believes that it is where she will find a cure to a strange affliction. Her feet are turning to ice.

Of course Midas and Ida meet, and each is drawn to the other. Yes, it is love, but will they ever realise that?

Both are so real that you can’t help wanting to step into the pages of their story to help them on their way.

The story of their relationship is wrapped around the story of the quest for a something that will stop the spread of glass through Ida’s body.

It would be unfair to say more than that.

Ali Shaw writes such lovely prose that paints strange and vivid pictures. And imparts great wisdom about the importance of living and loving.

I really couldn’t help being drawn into the extraordinary world, the wonderful mixture of beauty, magic and emotion that he has created.

Yes, this is a quite lovely debut novel.