Published in hardback by Granta, priced £16.99 (ebook £9.78).

SET against the backdrop of the bleak but captivating city of Aberdeen, Field Notes From A Hidden City is a beautiful and absorbing account of the natural world, as observed by Esther Woolfson, and revealed in diary form.

Not only is the flora and fauna of the locality examined, but the role of the weather and geographical features, in shaping our relationship with the environment, are given due prominence.

Yet more interestingly, she brings into question what is meant by wildlife and nature, particularly within an urban context. Why are seagulls less valued than songbirds?

The tightness of the prose is both compelling and measured, and in obliging the reader to slow down and take note of each word on the page, Woolfson succeeds in encouraging reflections on the natural world.

7/10