A heartbreaking tale of two ranch hands, George and Lennie, who have a pipe dream to own their own ranch one day, where they can make their own decisions and live safely on their own.

In a tale woven with fairy tales of people who can grow wings and fly away, Hoffman reveals how each character feels trapped by the hand that fate has dealt them; from a fated marriage, to a forbidden love affair, a long kept secret to drug-fuelled self-destruction.

Animal Farm is an excellent allegory; using farmyard animals who overthrow their humans in search of utopia to show that such a state of equality is impossible to achieve – because of the corruptive influence of the very power required to necessitate it.

In her powerful debut novel, Kyle takes a frank look at families and relationships, secrets and the unspoken as Alice is forced to really see and understand the events that have shaped her family and how one simple act can have devastating effects and change their world forever.