Raised on a flat marshland and bound to an abusive master, in the form of eel-fisherman Dith, Nant lived a life starved of love and beauty. Despite these deprivations, she had a curious nature that no amount of abuse could destroy. She wondered about many of the things around her, always asking questions. Most of all, she wondered where the silver eels that appeared in the autumn came from, and where they went to, after their brief stay. When a terrible and tragic set of events rob her of the one thing she has come to love - a little otter cub she had rescued and raised - Nant is guided by the eels to discover the answer to that question...

The sixth entry in author Nicola Davies' Shadows and Light series, intended to explore "the deeper, darker side of our connection with the natural world," The Eel Question has some very dark elements indeed, from the routine physical abuse that Nant suffers, to her almost immolation as an accused witch. Most heartbreaking of all however, is the killing of the adorable otter she had adopted. This is a brief tale - a short story in illustrated form - so there isn't much time for the author to get the reader involved in Nant's story. Despite that, Davies manages the feat, creating a poignant and emotionally involving tale. The only criticism I would make of this one, is that I wished for something a little less open-ended, at the conclusion of the story. I'm not sure I'd recommend this one to very young or very sensitive readers, but with that caveat, The Eel Question is one that fans of the Shadows and Light series might enjoy. ( )