WINNER OF THE SALTIRE SOCIETY FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR WALES BOOK OF THE YEAR
AN OBSERVER 'NEW FACE OF FICTION 2018'

This is a story of something like survival.

Sal planned it for almost a year before they ran. And now Sal knows a lot of stuff. Like how to build a shelter and start a fire. How to estimate distances, snare rabbits and shoot an airgun. And how to protect her sister, Peppa. Because Peppa is ten, which is how old Sal was when Robert started on her.

Told in Sal's distinctive voice, and filled with the silent, dizzying beauty of rural Scotland, Sal is a disturbing, uplifting story of survival, of the kindness of strangers, and the irrepressible power of sisterly love; a love that can lead us to do extraordinary and unimaginable things.

"Kitson writes clearly and concisely . . . The girls' capability, humanity and humour are inspiring and wonderful. Sal is an ambitious and skilled novel. Literature needs more stories like this" - * Guardian *

"Atmospheric . . . Distinctive . . . A vivid, moving tale about the strength of sisterhood and the struggle to survive" - * Observer *

"Kitson inhabits the girls' voices with credible authenticity . . . This short, impressive debut is an uplifting tale of survival, shot through with humour, compassion and humanity" - * Mail on Sunday *

"Powered by Sal's innate sense of justice and her fierce love for her sweary, show-stealing sister, this original, bittersweet tale effortlessly beguiles" - * Daily Mail *

"Incredibly engaging . . . Mick Kitson's depiction of the siblings' relationship is spot on, as is his description of the beauties of the natural world as seen through Sal's eyes . . . [A] gutsy debut" - * Sunday Express *

"Sal is an inspiring novel that feels honest and fastidious. It introduces the theme of redemption and fresh beginnings without shying from the awful truth" - * Financial Times *

"A striking and stark debut novel . . . Beautifully done" - * Scotland on Sunday *

"Endearing . . . A wake-up call about how society fails women in poverty, with Sal's precocious ability to fend for herself ultimately standing in for her ability to survive the misery at the book's heart" - * Metro *

"Daring and original . . . Manages to feel both contemporary and timeless, both heart-rending and uplifting . . . Sal deserves to be one of this year's hits" - * Observer *