I think this is more a 2.5 for me than a two and I feel a little mean saying that because some of Ginger Bread is very good (and very me). I loved the idea of fairytale and folklore intertwining with a history of sorts, though the whole history of Belarus was oddly in parts absent bar the fairytale retellings of its history - will make sense if you’ve read it, sorry. I also loved the idea of trees and a tiny bit of sorcery being part of a boys granddads hidden side. I also loved the first 100 pages. But then the book starts to get lost in itself. Is it a fairytale or a horror story? Is it a fairytale or historical retelling through a metaphor? It also sadly becomes over written, a little long and the denouement over the top. So a mixed bag, I still want to try Dinsdales next book though as some of this really had me.