Instruct: Classify Amazon reviews into positive or negative sentiment
Query: No absence of sadness in this book!

Absence of Nectar by Kathy Hepinstall is a coming of age novel set in the early 70's in Texas. This was a strange and distrubing novel which tells of the life of a young 12 year old and her brother who is 14.When their mother remarries these two children are afraid for thier lives as their step-father becomes more and more abusive. Parallel to this story is the tale of a young woman who has escaped from a prison and eventaully fits into the story of the two young protagonists.This was the third book I read by this author and while I found it a worthwhile read, I found the two previous books I read, The House of Gentlemen and Prince of Lost Places more intriguing. Still, Hepinstall is a writer worth reading since she leaves you with a lot to think about. I look forward to reading more books by her in the future.