Grace McCleen’s third novel, a tale of religion, memory and mental illness, unfolds through the narrative of the protagonist, Madeline Adamson, who lives in an infirmary called Lethem Park. In the first chapter, the reader is thrown straight into the middle of the story, as an incident occurs between Madeline and her psychiatrist, Dr Lucas. The nature of this incident is somewhat mysterious, and this mystery continues throughout the book as an integral plotting device. Madeline’s treatment is centred on trying to unearth the memory of what happened to her when she was thirteen years old, an event which led to her incarceration in a mental home. 

Through Dr Lucas’ hypnosis treatment and by reading her old diaries, she gradually builds up a picture of the childhood that she has tried to repress. The reader learns that, as a child, Madeline moved with her parents and her beloved dog, Elijah, to an isolated farm, where her father believed God had led them. In order to prevent her coming into contact with non-believers, Madeline did not go to school and spent her days roaming the countryside with Elijah. Bored and lonely, she attempted to forge her own relationship with a God whom she believed was punishing her as her parents fell on times of extreme hardship and poverty. 

The story seamlessly moves between flashbacks to Madeline’s past and her therapy sessions with Dr Lucas, creating an almost unbearable level of tension as it moves closer to revealing the parallel stories of what happened on her 13th birthday, and what happens between her and Dr Lucas. McCleen’s prose expertly evoke the tangled confusion inside Madeline’s mind, lyrically portraying the natural world that Madeline loses herself in as a child. Religion and authority are central themes of the book, as the child Madeline goes to greater and greater lengths to appease her all-powerful God, whilst as an adult she seeks to challenge Dr Lucas, whom she regards with great mistrust. This is a book in which nothing feels certain, and which complicates the notion of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ characters; if you think you’re used to the ‘unreliable narrator’ device, have a read of The Offering and see if you can work out what the truth actually is. 

Usually, I don’t particularly like books whose plots hang on a ‘big reveal’ because I’m always worried that it’ll be an anti-climax, but McCleen’s novel is certainly climactic. Her depiction of mental illness is different to anything I’ve read before, managing to be both sensitive and shocking at the same time. The religious aspects of the book are loosely based on the author’s experiences as a child, making the story even more powerful as you are drawn deeper into Madeline’s growing obsession with retribution and punishment. Ultimately, this is an incredibly powerful book that really seeks to confront its readers. 

The Offering was published on 15 January 2015 and can now be purchased for £14.39.