It's very rare that a debut novel of such beauty, power and originality comes right out of the blue ... Berwin weaves together an utterly compelling and lush plot ... Her prose is also a dream. No wonder Julia Roberts is set to star in the movie version which is currently in development.

An unforgettable trip ... a fantastical adventure

Colourful and lush, a perfect-away-from-the-office literary detox

Great for anyone who loves outdoor adventure as much as lying on a sun lounger

A great read

Quirky, compelling tale of plants, people and the powers they hold within

Get your mitts on this book while you can

Simply exquisite ... It has a perfect combination of skilful writing and delicious plot twists from murder and betrayal to crimes driven by both passion and greed ... hilarious and poignant at the same time, full of suspense and intrigue but warm, enviable relationships too. As a side note, I was thrilled with the representation of Mexico ... I found the descriptions realistic and enticing. The author's passion for the country and for its flora and fauna really shone through, and the excitement was contagious.

You'll never look at a flower in the same way again after reading this

A beautiful, descriptive and engaging read

I consumed it in two sittings ... for sheer escapism, Hothouse Flower will fit the bill perfectly

A neat piece of storytelling

A forensic examination of loss and misunderstanding, a paean to the vital force of stories, and an incredibly moving look at a sword of Damocles that hangs over us all.

Harvey shows her remarkable powers of empathy and her no less remarkable literary skill. To write about a disordered mind is to court the danger of creating a work that is itself disordered. But from start to finish her control is absolute....I can think of few more distinguished literary debuts in recent years

Moving, convincing, adroit- it is a remarkably accomplished first novel and a beautiful jacket

Harvey's is certainly the outstanding fictional debut to have come my way this year

Intricately and delicately woven

Impressive first novel [which] plays some original tricks with narrative

An extremely gifted writer

Deeply original and captivating...The lyrical power of these shifting and competing narratives is matched by the absolute emotional realism of Jake's own desperate plight: his shame and anger and impotence are devastatingly recorded. And yet this is not a depressing novel, but rather one so full of urgent life that it rouses even as it terrifies.

Many novels have documented the trials of living with dementia, but this mind-bending debut throws us straight into the skewed recesses of a sufferer's brain... An exhilarating trip, but for the thought that this is a place some of us might visit one day.

Brilliantly melds a factual post-war murder into a dark fictional tale

Land of Marvels offers a fluent plot peopled by sharp, affecting characters and graced with the author's usual erudite wit and understanding humour

[a] cleverly plotted and elegantly written novel...Unsworth has evidently done a great deal of research, but this is woven seamlessly into the fabric of the novel so that the reader is caught up in the excitement of Somerville's discoveries.