Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I went into this book not knowing precisely what to expect. So much historical fiction takes place in time periods that we - the western world - already know quite a bit about (WWII, Victorian England, etc.) and while I do enjoy stories set in those periods, there is something absolutely refreshing about a story set in a time and place that almost NO other fiction story is, as is the case here.

This is a story about a young woman, Nahia, who lives in Spain around 6,000 B.C. It's clear the author did a tremendous amount of research to prepare, and it shows in the incredibly detailed world-building. When Nahia discovers something that her mother - the head of her tribe - does not want known, she is treated as an outcast, banished from her tribe, and forced to rely on the good graces of a young shaman/spiritual leader named Eneko. The majority of the story covers her journey to accept herself in a shamanic role and her efforts to help her family and friends in the tribe that she still cares about.

This story earns major credit for being set in such a unique time and place and clearly supported by deep periodic research, but truthfully, it was hard to keep reading at certain points. It's possible that this story was just not as much for me, but I found myself skimming large sections of the second half, and could not remain as interested. The prose is clean but also, in a way, somewhat dry, and full of extraneous details. The pacing was consistent, but it felt as though not much of any consequence happened, outside of a few key scenes. The romance was incredibly tepid, and I didn't even know it existed (or was meant to exist) until it was more or less over.

Those who enjoy historical fiction set in unique time periods should absolutely give this one a try, and I will likely check out other works by this author, but this one simply wasn't for me, though I do appreciate the opportunity to read and review.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.