This book tells the story of Niamh, a young nurse who goes to care for a dying man in a house where everyone is keeping a secret - the wife's 14-year old niece died there nine years ago. Niamh slowly pieces together clues about the girl's death while also learning about herself, etc., etc. And it was all just kind of... inconsequential. The book was filled with characterizations and passages of description and little vignettes that had no apparent point and didn't connect to what little plot there was (and they weren't particularly well-written, so that doesn't justify their existence either). And don't ask me to tell you how the title (or the fairy tale "Mary's Child" which is its source) relate to the story; they don't. I read this one quickly, but by the end the only reaction I could summon was "Whatever." and I can can already feel the book draining out of my head. ( )