Narrative theme: death, grief, loss

Book Synopsis When a young woman faces unimaginable heartache, she vows to make a difference... A moving saga of anguish, hope and never-ceasing fortitude, The Empty Cradle is a spell-binding and unforgettable tale from bestselling author of No One''s Girl, Mothering Sunday and The Little Angel, Rosie Goodwin. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Dilly Court.''Goodwin uses her deft touch, natural warmth and superb storytelling skills in a spellbinding story of love, loss and redemption'' - Lancashire Evening PostTo the outside world, Charlotte is the privileged daughter of the local vicar. Behind closed doors, however, she is the prisoner of her controlling father. As she grows up, Charlotte longs for freedom, but her captivating innocence leads her into trouble. Sent to Ireland to hide a shameful pregnancy, she discovers that once again her father has deceived her. She is forced into a convent''s harsh and humiliaTrade ReviewPraise for Rosie's first novel, THE BAD APPLE: 'Rosie Goodwin is a born storyteller - she'll make you cry, she'll make you laugh, but most of all you'll care for her characters and lose yourself in her story. An author destined for the top * Jeannie Johnson, author of THE REST OF OUR DAYS *Rosie deserves all her success. She is a talented storyteller and will go all the way to the top * Dee Williams *The tearjerker of the season...[a] heart-rending tale * Western Mail *A promising and well-drawn debut * Lancashire Evening Post *A good tearjerker...compelling * Reading Evening Post *A gifted writer... Not only is Goodwin's characterisation and dialogue compelling, but her descriptive writing is a joy * Nottingham Evening Post *A heart-throbber of a story from Goodwin that puts many other so-called emotional blockbusters in the shade * Northern Echo *Goodwin is a fabulous writer...she reels the reader in surprisingly quickly and her style involves lots of twists and turns that are in no way predictable * Worcester Evening News *A touching and powerful new novel from a wonderful writer * Bookseller *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Helen offers her spare room to her old friend Nicola, she has little idea of what lies ahead. Nicola has cancer and, sceptical of the medical establishment, is in the city for a course of alternative treatment. She is determined to deal with her illness in her own way, regardless of the advice that Helen can offer.In the weeks that follow, Nicola's fight against cancer will turn not only her own life upside down but the lives of everyone around her. Told with humour and honesty, this unforgettable novel charts a friendship as it is tested in the face of death.Trade ReviewAt once artful, gripping and fiercely beautiful . . . even at the most painful moments Garner maintains a characteristic lightness of touch, a combination of wit and lyricism that is immensely alluring . . . [an] extraordinary, exhilarating novel [and] a burningly passionate account of the one experience we will all share -- OLIVIA LAING * * Observer * *A perfect novel, imbued with all Garner's usual clear-eyed grace but with some other magnificent dimension that hides between the lines of her simple conversational voice. How is it that she can enter this heartbreaking territory - the dying friend who comes to stay - and make it not only bearable, but glorious, and funny? There is no answer except: Helen Garner is a great writer; The Spare Room is a great book -- PETER CAREYOnly great fiction demands us to reset our moral compass and look at our value coordinates all over again. The Spare Room achieves this . . . And yet in a book this spare, written with such grace, Garner introduces in the interstices a calm, precise poetry * * The Times * *Exceptional . . . an unsettling and skilled work that raises important questions about the process of dying and what caring well for the dying requires . . . So powerful is The Spare Room's communication of the the triumphs and failures involved in dying . . . [that] the reader painfully ricochets between the various positions . . . Somehow as we read we actually become these characters . . . This extraordinary effect results in an uncomfortable read. Yet it is also an oddly exhilarating book - often funny, and grounded in a kind of ordinariness that is deeply restorative * * Financial Times * *A wise and affecting book * * Daily Mail * *In its bleak and highly comic storytelling, in spite, or perhaps, because of its subject matter, The Spare Room could be called a comedy of manners, in that its concern is how people behave towards each other and the repercussions of that behaviour. Its embattled characters are so real that by the last page you feel not just that you have read a magnificent novel but that you have experienced life itself -- PENNY PERRICK * * Sunday Times * *This is no mere cancer memoir. Rather, in Garner's brilliant retelling, it is a complex examination of the limits of friendship and of the problems of remaining a single woman into middle age . . . This is a superbly clever novel * * Guardian * *Swift, beautiful and relentless, The Spare Room is a brutal novel in the best sense -- ALICE SEBOLDCompulsively readable, searing . . . The best book I have read for years. Beautifully written, The Spare Room is terse and pacy. Every taut sentence rings with painful purity and attack -- STEVIE DAVIES * * Independent * *This novel's extraordinary feat is to be at once affecting, involving and sharply funny * * Sunday Times * *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A writer the world should be reading right now.'' IndependentWho would you be, if you hadn''t turned out to be the person you are now?Dawn is a death doula, and spends her life helping people make the final transition peacefully.But when the plane she''s on plummets, she finds herself thinking not of the perfect life she has, but the life she was forced to abandon fifteen years ago - when she left behind a career in Egyptology, and a man she loved.Against the odds, she survives, and the airline offers her a ticket to wherever she needs to get to - but the answer to that question suddenly seems uncertain.As the path of her life forks in two very different directions, Dawn must confront questions she''s never truly asked: What does a well-lived life look like? What do we leave behind when we go? And do we make our choices, or do our choices make us?Two possible futures. One impossible choice.----------------------------------------------------------------''It is hard to exaggerate how well Picoult writes.'' Financial Times''Her intelligent, meticulously researched novels explore ethical dilemmas through heartrending, headline-grabbing scenarios.'' The Sunday Times''A matchless talent for hitting emotional notes.'' Irish TimesMAD HONEY, the stunning and compelling Sunday Times bestseller by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is available now.Trade ReviewA writer the world should be reading right now * Independent *It is hard to exaggerate how well Picoult writes * Financial Times *A wise, cerebral, propulsive adventure . . . It eruditely spans the worlds of Egyptology, university physics and end-of-life care, while never losing sight of its high-stakes human story... a captivatingly immersive, multilayered, painstakingly researched and impressively realised exploration of deeply human geographies -- Patricia Nicol * Sunday Times *Ambitious * The Times *This complex, time-shifting romance combines moral hazard with Wuthering Heights echoes and degree-level Egyptology. And there aren't many books you can say that about. -- Wendy Holden * Daily Mail *The pull of the well-drawn characters and powerful themes of regret and love make this head-spinning story a compelling read * Sunday Mirror *Literary powerhouse Jodi Picoult writes novels that make you think and her latest is no exception * Sunday Express *This brilliant Sliding Doors-style novel will really get you thinking * Sun, Fabulous Magazine *Riveting * Hello *A consummate storyteller * Saga *A thrilling adventure ... one that will lead readers to both learn a lot and also ask themselves key questions about how to create happy lives for themselves * Associated Press *Similar to Alice Hoffman's depiction of complex family ties, Picoult's latest stretches the importance of recognizing our bonds to those we love. Highly recommended for open-minded readers. * Library Journal, starred review *The Book of Two Ways is a return for Picoult to the themes of her earliest books -motherhood, complicated romantic love . . . Picoult, at this point in her career, could skilfully build tension in a broom closet, but the best part of this book is not the suspense; it's the look at the complexity of a woman as she enters middle age . . . [Picoult] always tells both sides of a story not with judgment, but with grace. * Washington Post *Picoult's fans will appreciate this multifaceted, high concept work. * Publishers Weekly *Picoult's fans will be more than ready for this puzzle of a novel . . .[they] will find heady themes to consider. * Booklist *Powerful and compelling * VIP Magazine *You're sure to be moved by the questions it poses about the meaning of life and death. Food for thought in these current crazy times * Heat *If you've ever wondered if you could have lived another life, you'll like this * Sun *Picoult's writing is insightful and richly descriptive * Press Association *A stunning Sliding Doors-style novel about life, death, and missed opportunities * East Anglian Daily Times, Top 10 of 2020 *

Read more less

Book Synopsis It has been over a year since journalist Seema Chaudry accompanied cult survivor Avril Eason back to the village of Harrowvale, the site of her terrifying experiences at the hands of Jasper Hillman’s Thistlebone worshippers, a crazed occult group that believed in an ancient woodland deity. Intended as a cathartic experience, both women were changed forever by what they were confronted with. Now, in the process of researching a book on the Thistlebone legend, Seema believes much of it centres around one man — Malcolm Kinniburgh.Trade Review"A fetid, brackish wormy folk horror that will burrow under your skin and haunt you way after you have read it. You were drawn to this book.. give in." - Ben Wheatley (A Field in England, In the Earth, Kill List, Sightseers)

Read more less

Book SynopsisA classic story of finding love and creating family.Robin Masterson and her ten-year-old son, Jeff, have finally moved to their dream home. Now that they have their very own backyard, Jeff thinks he needs a dog more than anything in the world - and there just happens to be one right next door! But the friendly black Lab belongs to Cole Camden, the unfriendliest man in the neighborhood.Cole hasn''t always been so solitary, so aloof. The deaths of his wife and son have embittered him, something Robin can understand. Her own much-loved husband died when Jeff was just a baby.Still, Jeff persists . . .and soon his mom and Cole are looking at each other in a whole new way.This is a first-time regular print hardcover edition of a title previously available as a mass market paperback.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIllustrated with high-contrast artwork, a graphic-novel adaptation of Margaret Atwood''s modern classic depicts the terrifying realities of women consigned to childbirth roles in the occupied Republic of Gilead.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen her beloved grandmother is hospitalised, Jennifer returns to the lakeside home where she spent a magical childhood. There she finds a package of letters addressed to her that tell of passion, intrigue and desire. This is the real tale of her grandmother''s life. It''s a shocking family secret, concealed for decades, and the most moving love story Jennifer has ever heard.Then comes the biggest surprise of all. Jennifer lets her guard down for a moment and is overcome by exhilarating new emotions. It might come with an unbearable cost - but her grandmother''s letters make Jennifer think that love may help her find a way.Trade Review'The novel's structure works brilliantly, with Patterson as usual using brief chapters and simple prose to propel the reader onward... [A tale] that few if any will put down as Patterson again shows how it is done' Publishers Weekly, 7/6/04 * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA short, intense and profoundly moving debut novel about race, identity, sex and death from one of the National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35Thandi is a black woman, but often mistaken for Hispanic or Asian.She is American, but doesn't feel as American as some of her friends.She is South African, but doesn't belong in South Africa either.Her mother is dying.Trade Review‘The debut novel of the year … visceral, cerebral, provocative, elegiac. One can’t help but think of Clemmons as in the running to be the next-generation Claudia Rankine’ Vogue ‘Luminescent’ Independent ‘A lovely little headrush of a novel … if you enjoyed Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing then try this’ Sunday Times Style ‘Bracingly clear-eyed … the tension between her steady prose and turbulent emotions is beautifully sustained’ Daily Mail ‘Highly original. Zinzi Clemmons deftly explores grief, sex and identity’ Elle ‘Concise and powerful. This original and challenging debut is a must-read for fans of literary fiction and memoir’ Bookriot ‘Penetratingly good and written in vivid still life, What We Lose reads like a guided tour through a melancholic Van Gogh exhibit – wonderfully chromatic, transfixing and bursting with emotion. Zinzi Clemmons’s debut novel signals the emergence of a voice that refuses to be ignored’ Paul Beatty ‘What We Lose navigates the many registers of grief, love and injustice . . . acutely moving’ Margo Jefferson, author of Negroland 'I loved this beautiful, honest and entrancing meditation on love, loss and the relationships that enrich and complicate our lives’ Bernardine Evaristo

Read more less

Book SynopsisA gripping standalone thriller from the Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author of the Logan McRae series.Beware of the darkWelcome to the Misfit Mob where Police Scotland dumps the officers it can't get rid of, but wants to. Officers like DC Callum MacGregor, lumbered with all the boring go-nowhere cases. So when an ancient mummy is found at the Oldcastle tip, it's his job to track down its owner.But then Callum uncovers links between his mummified corpse and three missing young men, and life starts to get a lot more interesting.No one expects the Misfit Mob to solve anything, but right now they're all that stands between a killer's victims and a slow lingering death. Can they prove everyone wrong before someone else dies?Trade Review‘Wickedly twisty plotting and dazzling displays of black humour’ Library Journal Praise for Stuart MacBride: ‘Dark and gripping. A riveting page-turner’ Independent on Sunday ‘MacBride is a damned fine writer’ Peter James ‘A satisfyingly compelling thriller’ Sunday Mirror ‘Skilful storytelling … strong characterisation … intriguing and engrossing’ Guardian ‘MacBride’s thrillers just keep getting better’ Express ‘Exciting … a guaranteed bestseller’ Literary Review ‘Unmissable … superb storytelling’ Sun ‘Crime fiction of the highest order’ Mark Billingham ‘A terrific writer … Logan McRae is a delight’ The Times

Read more less

Book Synopsis''So impossibly funny, clever, demented, charming and altogether wonderful that I was a convert within three pages. Buy it for everyone you know, regardless of what you think they like. Brilliant stuff'' Lucy Mangan, Stylist Books of the Year''An eye-opener... The more I think about this, the higher I esteem it'' - Nicholas Lezard, Guardian Books of the Year*Winner of the British Book Design and Production Award for Graphic Novels**Winner of the Neumann Prize in the History of Mathematics**Nominated for the 2016 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album and Best Writer/Artist*In The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage Sydney Padua transforms one of the most compelling scientific collaborations into a hilarious set of adventures Meet two of Victorian London''s greatest geniuses... Ada Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron: mathematician, gambler, and proto-programmer, whose writings contained the first evTrade ReviewSo impossibly funny, clever, demented, charming and altogether wonderful that I was a convert within three pages. Buy it for everyone you know, regardless of what you think they like. Brilliant stuff -- Lucy Mangan, Book of the Year * Stylist *An utter joy... Padua has done her research: she has teased out the connections between Babbage, Lovelace and what would seem to be the whole of Victorian culture and society - and done so in a way that appears almost effortless on the page, her light, easy graphic style an excellent vehicle not only for deep and complex thought, but for excellent, and sometimes excellently corny, jokes. This is a book to reread, not just read -- Nicholas Lezard * Guardian *My new favourite book. It has everything. Byron, maths, imaginary computers, emotion -- Matt Haig, author of Reasons to Stay AliveThe book does more than simply celebrate the genius of the first computer programmer, it encourages us to turn our imagination to technology - just as Lovelace did. And that's an inspiration to us all -- Nicola Davis * Observer Tech Monthly *The wittiest, best-researched and most original tribute yet paid to the achievements of Ada Lovelace... An astonishing debut... a book that ought to be ordered in triplicate by every school in the land... Ingenious as a textbook, marvellous fun as inventive biography -- Miranda Seymour * Literary Review *Rich with in-jokes, warmth and charm... It's difficult not to be ignited by Sydney Padua's enthusiasm. There is so much to discover that I'll treasure my copy for years to come -- Hannah Fry * BBC Focus *A stylish, funny graphic novel featuring Ada Lovelace, estranged daughter of Lord Byron, and co-programmer, had it ever been built, of the "mathematical engine". Playful, earnest, and beautifully drawn, the book cuts a swathe through early computing theory, explores Ada's relationship with Charles Babbage, and brings to the fore one of the unsung heroines of science -- Sarah Hall * Independent *There is no way around this, Sydney Padua's Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage is bloody brilliant... and educational too -- Robin InceI love it... everyone is getting a copy -- Martha Lane-FoxWonderful and genuinely informative... Padua's gorgeous art and very funny text are combined with factual footnotes to create an utterly unique and enormously enjoyable book - -- Anna Carey * Irish Times *Sydney Padua's smart and sassy steampunk science graphic novel is a delightful mixture of research and invention, dressed up in Padua's bouncy cartooning. If nothing else, it is one of the best introductions to its real-life heroine, proto-computer programmer Ada Lovelace, you could wish for. If only all science lessons could be this much fun * Herald Scotland *Immensely delightful and illuminating... Padua delivers a thoroughly unsynthesizable range of enchantment and elucidation -- Maria Popova * Brain Pickings *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFROM THE MASTER STORYTELLER WHOSE BOOKS HAVE TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF OVER 40 MILLION READERS''Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary'' Cecilia Ahern__________One last chance. What would you say? When the residents of a small town on Lake Michigan start receiving phone calls from the afterlife, it becomes the subject of widespread attention. Is it the greatest miracle ever or a massive hoax?Sully Harding, a grief-stricken single father, returns to Coldwater from a stint in prison to discover his hometown gripped by ''miracle fever.'' Even his young son carries a toy phone, hoping to hear from his mother in heaven.As the calls increase Sully begins to dig into the phenomenon. Determined to discover who or what is behind the mystery, he gradually begins to piece together the pieces of his broken heart. __________WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE FIRST PHONE CALL FROM HEAVEN''GrippTrade ReviewMitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary -- Cecilia AhernPowerful . . . Albom has touched the lives of a lot of people he never even knew * Time *Compelling and uplifting * Independent *A writer with soul * Los Angeles Times *Albom breaks hearts with his stories * Mirror *Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary * Cecelia Ahern *You will be shaken, stirred and, finally, a little teary. Gorgeous * Star *It's set to be a word-of-mouth hit. Buy it, read it, then pass it on * Woman *This page-turner challenges beliefs about relationships, loss and life after death * The Sun *This story unfurls with grace and drama . . . most enjoyable * Sunday Mirror *His most moving and surprising novel yet * Take A Break Fiction Feast *This will have you reaching for the tissues * No.1 Magazine *Beautiful and smart. Perhaps the most stirring and transcendent heaven story since Field of Dreams * Matthew Quick, author of The Silver Linings Playbook *A beautifully rendered tale of faith and redemption that makes us think, feel and hope - and then doubt and then believe, as only Mitch Albom can make us do * Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the winner of the National Book Award for Fiction, 2012 comes this elegantly crafted novel that explores the strange power that lost children exert on the memories of those they leave behindWhen Faye Travers is sent to appraise a family estate in a small New Hampshire town and comes across a forgotten set of valuable Native American artefacts, she is not surprised by the discovery. However, she is shocked when she finds a rare drum particularly because without even touching the instrument she hears its deep resonant sound.Following the discovery, we trace the drum''s passage both backwards and forwards in time. We hear the voice of Bernard Shaawano, an Ojibwe, who tells of how his grandfather created the drum after years of mourning his younger daughter''s death and how it changes the paths of those who cross it. Through Faye, we experience her anguished relationship with a local sculptor who also mourns the loss of a daughter, and witness the life Faye has made alone with her moTrade Review‘The author knows how to spin a good yarn … Full of poetic writing and a passionate indignation on behalf of the dispossessed, this novel shows the author at her best.’ The Times ‘Erdrich handles the shift in pace beautifully. The world she portrays is harsh, with death from smallpox or starvation giving way to the oppressions of poverty and alcoholism. But such is the unsentimental poetry of Erdrich’s vision that it becomes a place to almost envy, too.’ Observer 'Resonant, poetic and exact … these visions will remain imprinted on the reader's mind.' Los Angeles Times 'Intricate and beautifully written.' Boston Globe 'Spare, perceptive, unsentimental.' New York Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisA gorgeous, collectible hardcover edition of Will Eisner’s pioneering graphic novel to celebrate the author’s 100th birthday.

Read more less

Book SynopsisContains stories about the lengths to which some women go to find a man, to keep a man, or just to keep up appearances. This book presents an introduction to the private lives of some interesting ordinary women. It also demonstrates how much women the ...Trade ReviewThis is a book to provoke and entertain -- Peter Millar * The Times *Satrapi's drawings are sparing and highly stylised; she is able to render nuances of expression with simple, bold strokes... The stories are wittily told and show a side of life in Iran that is unknown to outsiders -- Lydia Adetunji * Financial Times *A daring and brilliantly calculated illumination of a secret space... Though Embroideries is not a continuation of the Persepolis story, it sits at the heart of the same world - a brutally policed society where an extraordinarily rich and inventive culture still prevails, if only behind closed doors, where women are wildly subversive, funny, free-thinking and sexy -- Maureen Freely * Guardian *This is Sex and the City, Middle-Eastern style - outrageous, explicit and funny -- Kelly Knox * Time Out *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the three-time Igantz award-winning artist and author of Big Questions comes a fascinating graphic novel retelling of the Greek myth of Prometheus"An extraordinary reinvention of some of our oldest stories. Nilsenbrings these old gods to an electrifying new life, and gives us a new sense of humanity as well."?Alexander Chee, author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel ?Mind-bendingly good. It?s up there with Maus,Fun Home, Persepolis,Jimmy Corrigan.? ?Mark Haddon, author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimeSet in a version of modern Central Asia, Tongues is a retelling of the Greek myth of Prometheus. It follows the captive god?s friendship with the eagle who carries out his daily sentence of torture and chronicles his pursuit of revenge on the god that has imprisoned him.Prometheus?s story is entwined with that of an East African orphan on an errand of murder, and a young man with a teddy bear strapped to his back, wandering aimlessly into catastrophe (a character readers may recognize from Nilsen?s Dogs and Water). The story is set against the backdrop of tensions between rival groups in an oil-rich wilderness.Tongues is both an adventure story and a meditation on human nature in our present fraught, historical moment.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlison Bechdel is the author of three internationally acclaimed graphic memoirs, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama and The Secret to Superhuman Strength. Fun Home was a New York Times bestseller, won an Eisner Award and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. It was named a Best Book of the 21st Century by the Guardian, was adapted to a broadway musical which won five Tony Awards and is currently being adapted for cinema. For twenty-five years, she wrote and drew the comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, a visual chronicle of modern life - queer and otherwise - considered 'one of the preeminent oeuvres in the comics genre'. Alison Bechdel is guest editor of Best American Comics, 2011, and has drawn comics for Slate, McSweeney's, Entertainment Weekly, Granta, and The New York Times Book Review. In 2014 she was named as one of the recipients of the MacArthur 'Genius' Award.http://dykestowatchoutfor.com/

Read more less

Book SynopsisEva was once a legendary fashion designer until, mysteriously, she retired. Now widowed, she lives with her family in Salix House, the home she's owned and loved for forty years. When the family announces it's time to sell, Eva is deeply reluctant. The house contains memories and secrets that are part of her, although she never shares them. Megan is a fashion journalist working in London who interviewed Eva for a magazine. Torn apart by the brutal end of a love affair, Megan is drawn back to Salix House and Eva. Decades apart in age, the two women share a bond. Both are hiding something, but perhaps together they can confront their fears, their past pain and their uncertain futures - and discover the truth of Salix House's secrets.Trade Review'An unforgettable story highlighting how one deed committed when too young to realise the connotations can taint a life. A beautifully unfolding gem from someone who knows how to use the power of words' Bookbag. * Bookbag *'Geras makes a superb comeback with this tale of female friendship set in the fashion world ... An intriguing tale' The Lady. * Lady *'A well-crafted novel this manages to combine elements of a spooky Victorian ghost story ... for an effective and eminently readable result ... a very engaging and enjoyable story' We Love this Book. * We Love this Book *

Read more less

Book SynopsisErin’s daddy sees the colour in everything. Even on the greyest days, they put on their wellies and go splashing in puddles because, Daddy says, ‘We can’t see rainbows without rain!’ But what happens when the greyest day of all comes, and Daddy isn’t there any more? Can Erin learn to find colour in the world again? This deeply sensitive picture book about the loss of a parent is the ideal starting point for conversations about love, loss and learning to live again.Trade ReviewOne of the best best books for this age-range I have read on the topic of loss and grief. I won’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is needing to discuss this matter with their young one * NetGalley Reviewer *The perfect book to read to any child coping with loss ... [It] shows there is a path through the sadness of losing a loved one and how all the colours of the rainbow can once again shine in our hearts, minds and memories * INIS Magazine (Children's Books Ireland) *Ideal for those who may be suffering the loss of a loved one but equally valuable to all children. A perfect way to help build empathy * NetGalley Reviewer *A poignant story, beautifully told with care, love and a delicate touch * NetGalley Reviewer *A beautiful, heartbreaking book about losing a loved one, and how we can find the colour in the world after loss * Pen & inc. *A really beautiful, sensitive book about the pain of losing a parent and learning to live again * The Bookseller *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''The perfect book for a cold winter's night...an immersive gothic tale, dark and mysterious. Truly haunting!'' ANITA FRANK ''An atmospheric, eerie read' PRIMAA chilling and atmospheric taleyou are drawn into a haunting mystery that will keep you guessing' Yours Where ghosts tread, black feathers fall . . . When Annie marries widower Edward Stonehouse and arrives at Guardbridge, his estate on the Yorkshire moors, she thinks she has finally put darkness behind her. She is mistaken . . . Edward''s sister, Iris, still lives in the family home. A taxidermist and medium, she urges Annie to watch out for black feathers - claiming that they mark the spot where a spirt has visited. At first, Annie dismisses her warnings. But, before long, an eerie almost haunting feeling takes over her. What exactly happened to Edward''s first wife? Why is Iris so disturbed? And shoulTrade ReviewIf Halloween whets your appetite for Victorian Gothic, the author of The Whistling delivers once again. * Saga *A chilling gothic thriller * Woman's Own *An atmospheric, eerie read, perfect for autumn * PRIMA *A chilling and atmospheric tale…you are drawn into a haunting mystery that will keep you guessing * Yours *The Black Feathers has everything you could want in a Gothic novel, underpinned by a thrilling sense of menace. Reminiscent of Jane Eyre and The Silent Companions, the wild setting of the windswept Northern moors was a perfect backdrop for the rising tensions within Guardbridge, a grand old house in the finest tradition of English Gothic, keeping all sorts of secrets. Spooky, twisty, with a surprisingly emotional pay off, The Black Feathers is a wonderful way to spend a dark autumn evening -- KATE COLLINSChilling, haunting and incredibly moving -- BARBARA COPPERTHWAITEThe perfect book for a cold winter’s night...an immersive gothic tale, dark and mysterious, in which it seems one must fear the living as much as the dead. Truly haunting! -- ANITA FRANKLooking for an atmospheric read to while away the autumn nights? Set in a big house on the Yorkshire Moors, this Gothic ghost story delivers intrigue and suspense in spades * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *Atcmospheric, ghostly and gripping. A gothic tale of magic and wickedness * Yorkshire Life *The Black Feathers is such a glorious autumnal read. With echoes of Wuthering Heights and Rebecca, it is both a spine-tingling ghost story and a powerful meditation on grief. A beautifully written tale that gripped me from the very first page. -- IRIS COSTELLO

Read more less

Book SynopsisC. S. Lewis was their mentor and friend. When tragedy struck, he became their guide and a comforter of piercing insight and compassion. His letters are carefully preserved and reproduced in this moving account of the extraordinary love between Sheldon Vanauken and Jean Davis. This beautiful tale bears witness not only to the relationship between Van and Davy, but to the understanding which grew between two men who both had to suffer the severe pain of loss.Trade ReviewOne of the most remarkable books I've ever read. It belongs in the genre of St Augustine's Confessions. * Dom Julian OSB *Very, very good ... I don't think I could ever forget it. * The Rev. Walter Hooper *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the 2017 Edgar Award for Best NovelSelected by The Sunday Times as one of the top page-turners of summer 2017FROM THE CREATOR OF THE AWARD WINNING FARGO AND LEGION TV SERIES''Hawley''s sublime prose glows on every page in this literary thriller of the highest quality'' Daily MailTHE RICH ARE DIFFERENT. BUT FATE IS BLIND.A private jet plunges into the sea.The only survivors are down-on his luck artist Scott Burroughs and JJ Bateman, the four year old son of a super-rich TV executive.For saving the boy, Scott is suddenly a hero.And then, as the official investigation is rapidly overtaken by a media frenzy, it seems he may also be a villain. Why was he on the plane in the first place, and why did it crash?Trade ReviewHigh-class entertainment. -- John Williams * Mail on Sunday *As a pacey whodunit...this is the perfect summer read. * The Times *This is one of the year's best suspense novels, a mesmerizing, surprise-jammed mystery that works purely on its own, character-driven terms...Mr. Hawley has made it very, very easy to race through his book in a state of breathless suspense. * New York Times *I started and finished Before the Fall in one day. That begins to tell you what kind of smart, compellingly dramatic read it is. So read it. -- James PattersonThere are some books...that stay with you long after you've read them. The characters are so real and because of this their fates matter. Before The Fall by Noah Hawley is one of these books. * Irish Independent *Before the Fall is an astonishing, character-driven tour-de-force. The story is a multi-layered, immersive examination of truth, relationships, and our unquenchable thirst for the media's immediate explanation of unfathomable tragedy. -- Karin SlaughterAn addictive thriller whose thematic richness is reminiscent of Franzen. * The Sunday Times *A searingly told, multi-layered portrait of celebrity in the modern world with a tantalising mystery at its heart...Hawley's sublime prose glows on every page in this literary thriller of the highest quality, which never loses its grip. * Daily Mail *Hawley combines a thriller's tight structure and addictive narrative with characterisation and thematic richness reminiscent of Jonathan Franzen * The Sunday Times, Pick of the Paperbacks *[A] Literary thriller of genius. -- India Knight

Read more less

Book SynopsisTelling the story of the week following a fateful train journey, One Moment, One Morning by Sarah Rayner is a stunning novel about love and loss, about family and - above all - friendship. A stark reminder that, sometimes, one moment is all it takes . . .The Brighton to London line. The 07:44 train. Carriages packed with commuters. Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man has a heart attack, and can't be resuscitated; the train is stopped, an ambulance called. For at least three passengers on the 07:44 on that particular morning, life will never be the same again. Lou witnesses the man's final moments. Lou and Anna share a cab when they realize the train is going nowhere fast. Anna is Karen's best friend. And Karen? Karen's husband is the man who dies . . .

Read more less

Book SynopsisTo avoid disappointment please note this novel was previously titled THE GALLOWS BIRD. Scandinavian crime sensation and No. 1 international bestseller, Camilla Lackberg's fourth psychological thriller - for fans of Stieg Larsson and Jo NesboA local woman is killed in a tragic car crash. It's a strange accident the victim's blood contains high alcohol levels, but she rarely drank a drop. The case marks the end of a quiet winter for Detective Patrik Hedstrom.Meanwhile, a reality TV show begins shooting in the town, and as cameras shadow the stars' every move, tempers start to flare. When a drunken party ends with an unpopular contestant's murder, all eyes turn to the cast and crew could there be a murderer among them?The ratings spike as the country tunes in to a real life murder mystery. Under the unforgiving media spotlight, Patrik tackles his toughest investigation yetTrade ReviewPraise for Camilla Lackberg: ‘The hottest female writer in Sweden’ Independent ‘Heart-stopping and heart-warming … a masterclass in Scandinavian crime writing’ Val McDermid ‘Pacy … with flashing insight into the dark places of the psyche’ Sunday Times ‘Lackberg is an expert at mixing scenes of domestic cosiness with blood-curdling horror’ Guardian ‘Both chilling and thrilling’ Sun

Read more less

Book SynopsisA New York Times Book Review choice as one of the10 Best Illustrated Children''s Books of 2008.Skim is Kimberly Keiko Cameron, a not-slim, would-be Wiccan goth stuck in a private girls'' school in Toronto. When a classmate''s boyfriend kills himself because he was rumoured to be gay, the school goes into mourning overdrive, each clique trying to find something to hold on to and something to believe in. It''s a weird time to fall in love, but that''s high school, and that''s what happens to Skim when she starts to meet in secret with her neo-hippie English teacher, Ms. Archer. But when Ms. Archer abruptly leaves, Skim struggles to cope with her confusion and isolation, armed with her trusty journal and a desire to shed old friendships while cautiously approaching new ones.Depression, love, sexual identity, crushes, manipulative peers --teen life in all its dramatic complexities is explored in this touching, pitch-perfect, literary graphic masterpiece. Cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki collaborate brilliantly in this poignant glimpse into the heartache of being sixteen.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3Describe how a particular story''s or drama''s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.6Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.Trade Review...the expressionistic fluidity of the black and white illustrations serves the purpose of pages of prose, so that the laconic conversation of these girls and Skim's almost equally economical and intermittent diary entries ring true. * Canadian Literature *Being able to tap into that visceral experience, warts and all, is what makes Skim such an amazing read...A powerful and poignant story that is as perfect a synergy of words and art as you're likely to find in comics, Skim is a true gem. * Metro *...avoids all the cliches of a coming-of-age story...Original in every which way. -- Valerie D'Orazio * Friends of Lulu *...intelligent choice...a sensitive and caring portrayal of youth...universal...a complete success...[Jillian's] storytelling is solid...[and] her art is very atmospheric... * Gay Comics List *...traverse[s] the turbulent landscape of high school with tenderness and a keen eye for the yearning of adolescent girls...From the particularities of slang to the bigger concepts like fear and isolation, Mariko and Jillian Tamaki capture the subtle details that comprise this understated part of life...a world [in] which anyone who has ever been a teenager would be able to relate to at some level...Jillian Tamaki's use of line and shadow is effective in rendering the psychology of characters and the moody spaces they find themselves in...Formally, Skim is interesting for its varied approach to panel-use. Some pages flaunt over 10 similarly sized and shaped panels while others reveal only one (often silent) borderless image. The overall effect reveals impressive artwork and many powerful scenes...Skim is a unique piece, one not to be missed. Highly Recommended. [Skim uses] high school as a fertile setting for pungent commentary on racial, cultural, and sexual issues...The narrative, mainly in diary form, feels accurate and realistic, drenched in a sense of confusion and nihilism, and the art, influenced by Craig Thompson's Blankets (2003), reflects the spare, gloomy emotional landscape in which Skim exists. This story will appeal to many female comics fans... * CM Magazine *...[Skim is a] stunningly emotional graphic novel...an artful jumble that is as true-to-life as it is diffuse...unfussy and immediate...The delicately lined art alternately expands and contradicts the prose to achieve layers of meaning, tone and irony...With honesty and compassion, this innovative narrative communicates a life just beginning, open and full of possibility. * Horn Book, STARRED REVIEW *...[Skim] manages to avoid the usual cliches...The b/w cirt is fluid and curvy and looks like it came straight out of a sketchbook. The little details are wonderful...Highly recommended for high school graphic novel colelctions, especially those catering to girls. * Kliatt *...rendered delicately...Mariko's writing is assured...Skim's self-searching entries are wrenched off or lit up by the next image...Skim comes into its own, building a teenage girl mood that's struggling observant and shyly heartfelt by turns. * Vue Weekly *[Skim] is a convincing chronicle of a teenage outsider who has enough sense to want to stay outside...All in all, Skim offers a startlingly clear and painful view into adolescence for those of us who possess it only as a distant memory. It's a story that deepens with successive rereadings. But what will teenagers think? Maybe that they've found a bracingly honest story by a writer who seems to remember exactly what it was like to be 16 and in love for the first time. * New York Times *Skim comes out on top...connects in every way...This graphic novel is a winner...a unique creation...Scenes are often hilarious and black-humoured as well as serious...Mariko Tamaki's prose captures an authentic adolescent voice that's dramatic, self-obsessed, funny, earnest, and sometimes glib...Skim is an unforgettable character in the tradition of Holden Caulfield-a clear social commentator on adult and adolescent behaviour whose ironic observations on social hypocrisy ring sharp and true...Illustrator Jillian Tamaki's fine draughtsmanship gives Skim a classic elegance that's missing in many other graphic novels...a powerful sense of mystical eeriness that deepens and enhances the story. Skim is a funny, poignant, memorable drama of navigating adolescence. * Quill & Quire, STARRED REVIEW *The Tamaki cousins in their first graphic novel take a huge fistful of typical high school story trappings and distill a beautiful and funny time capsule of real feeling...striking black-and-white artwork flows in clear but soft, shaded line work...The visual storytelling is firm and often quite lovely...Skim is a refreshing reminder of the inevitability of change and the importance of looking beneath the surface. * VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) *This beautifully rendered graphic novel portrays the confusion of adolescence and how it can lead to depression and experimentation. * Book Links *...an auspicious graphic novel debut by cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki...It's Jillian's artwork that sets it apart from the coming-of-age pack. Jillian has a swooping, gorgeous pen line-expressive, vibrant and precise all at once...evocative and wondrous...It complements Mariko's fine ear for dialogue and the incidentals and events of adolescent life. Skim is an unusually strong graphic novel-rich in visuals and observations, and rewarding of repeated readings. * Publishers Weekly *[Skim uses] high school as a fertile setting for pungent commentary on racial, cultural, and sexual issues...The narrative, mainly in diary form, feels accurate and realistic, drenched in a sense of confusion and nihilism, and the art, influenced by Craig Thompson's Blankets (2003), reflects the spare, gloomy emotional landscape in which Skim exists. This story will appeal to many female comics fans... * Booklist *[Skim] is bringing kudos to Canadian children's book publisher Groundwood Books for its poignant and funny portrayal of a teenage girl...[Jillian Tamaki's] monochromatic ink drawings with their fluid lines add powerful cinematic storytelling to [Mariko Tamaki's] minimalist text...Jillian's ability to catch the gestures and body language of the private school girls in their plaid skirts and knee socks equals Mariko's well-attuned ear for dialogue. The combination of words and images makes Skim a fully rounded and memorable character struggling with a welter of confused feelings...we feel for her...[Jillian Tamaki] has won several awards. It seems a sure bet that Skim will garner her a few more. * Calgary Herald *A gorgeous, poetic pen line and sharp dialogue bring this angsty story of a disaffected teenage girl to life. * Publishers Weekly *Jillian Tamaki's illustrations perfectly match the rough edges and continuous movement of Skim's teenage characters and reveal humour in the agonizing minutiae of high school life...Mariko Tamaki's text blends teen-speak with eloquence and wry one-liners...blending colloquialisms and sharp observations into something profound... * Toronto Star *No medium can capture the sense of being plunged into another person's mind like comics can, and Skim is the perfect example, its words and pictures and storytelling so unified in conjuring Kim's world that it comes as a surprise to see it has two creators rather than one...The careful layering of perception, desire, and reality is handled so deftly that the effect is almost subliminal...The Tamakis have done the hardest and most rewarding thing an artist can do: they have captured the texture of real life and made it into something beautiful. * Irish Times *The Tamaki cousins in their first graphic novel take a huge fistful of high school story trappings and distill a beautiful and funny time capsule of real feeling... Skim is a refreshing reminder of the inevitability of change and the importance of looking beneath the surface. * VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) *The tricky part with graphic novels is getting the story to be as good as the drawings, and [the Tamakis] have figured out a winning combination for sure. The story is riveting and will bring you right back to 11th grade angst within the first few pages. Jillian Tamaki has an especially expressive, loose style that lends itself beautifully to this slightly morose tale. * Bust *This stunning coming-of-age novel will draw in not only GN buffs, who will appreciate the creative design and dramatic use of both illustration and narration, but also realistic-fiction fans who may not normally gravitate to the format but will find this a sympathetic standout. * Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books *Writer Mariko Tamaki and artist Jillian Tamaki stunningly entwine their acute dialogues and visual riches in brush, soft pencil and grey tones, illuminating this adolescent romance in all its conflicted depths. [Skim is the] most sophisticated and sensitive North American graphic novel debut of the year. * Paul Gravett *A quietly moving graphic novel...sharply witty and incisive...Long, languid lines portray Skim's turmoil and angst with pitch-perfect resonance...Recommend this to fans of Daniel Clowes's Ghost World, who have been waiting for another graphic novel of teen angst and suburban ennui. * Kirkus Reviews *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe legendary Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill present a blazing narrative that rampages through the twentieth century, portraying four women and the long shadows cast over their lives by totalitarian rule.

Read more less

Book Synopsis*ORIGINAL SERIES NOW STREAMING ON NETFLIX*At 16, I pretended to fall in love with AlyssaMeet James and Alyssa, two typical-seeming teenagers facing the fears of coming adulthood. As their story unfolds, the chapters alternating between each character's perspective, this somewhat familiar teenage experience takes a more nihilistic turn. With James becoming rapidly more sociopathic, and Alyssa willfully ignoring his violent fantasies, they are forced to take a road trip that owes as much to Badlands as The Catcher in the Rye -- and threatens both their futures forever.One of the most talked about graphic novels of recent years, The End of The Fucking World marks Charles Forsman's UK debut.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"If you love Black Panther, or you like the new Star Wars films with John Boyega, there are other folks writing novelizations and graphic novels you might like… there’s a graphic novel of Kindred, that is just as emotionally compelling as the original. It was done by Damian Duffy and John Jennings, who’s a premier Afrofuturist graphic artist.” Dr. Ayana A.H. Jamieson, Time online “The thing I’m excited to read next is the graphic novel “Kindred,” which is based on Octavia Butler’s novel. That’s my new travel companion.” Joy Bryant, New York Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisLook anyone who invents something really great has a moment where they think it''s going to destroy the world.For the first time in her life, Fin is off the network. A few months ago, she was the inventor of a programme so powerful, so unusual that she was untouchable.Until she wasn''t.Meanwhile, people have started disappearing from the streets of the city and the technology she created might be implicated. Square Eyes is a graphic novel about a future where the boundaries between memory, dreams and the digital world start to blur. It's a kaleidoscopic mystery story which asks: in a city built on digital illusion, who really holds the power? What is weakness? And when is it most dangerous?Trade ReviewThe book I keep going back to for its peerless haunting art… is Anna Mill’s and Luke Jones’s Square Eyes… it’s utterly confident and audacious in its space, aesthetics, innovation and design, and I could page through it from now until next Christmas with the same sense of wonder. A thing of beauty, indeed. -- Tim Martin * Spectator *This exquisite book… may scare you half to death… [but] what truly sets this book apart is its extraordinary illustrations… on every beautiful, teeming, phantasmagorical page… it fairly takes the breath away. -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *[An] instantly gripping work with an important point to make. -- James Smart * Guardian, **Books of the Year** *A spiky tale set in a dystopian near-future… [Square Eyes] certainly is a wild ride. -- Siobhan Murphy * The Times *A remarkable, prophetic graphic novel debut. Through 286 deliriously colourful pages, [Anna Mill and Luke Jones] plunge us into an all-too-plausible future, where the real and the digital are blurring and dangerous powers want to control them both. * Bookseller *Whatever you put on your head to stop your mind from exploding, make sure it’s fitted properly before immersion in Square Eyes. Just the volume and quality of work alone defies belief, and that’s before you get onto the disconcerting psychedelia of the graphics and the story. * Strong Words *A big, bleak yet gorgeous dystopia... Square Eyes comes at you in a disorienting rush… This immersive, inventive graphic novel offers its own brand of escapism. -- James Smart * Guardian *The digital dystopia presented by Square Eyes is scarily busy and psychedelic, contrasted by the grey near-ruins of the modern age. The world building in this book is extraordinary. Take your time to absorb the crowd details and bits of characterisation layered into Anna Mill's art. * Shortlist *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Anappara creates an endearing and highly engaging narrator to navigate us through the dark underbelly of modern India' Observer 'I love this book...I just fell into it' Tayari Jones We children are not just stories. We live. Come and see. Nine-year-old Jai watches too many reality cop shows, thinks he's smarter than his friend Pari (even though she always gets top marks) and considers himself to be a better boss than Faiz (even though Faiz is the one with a job). When a boy at school goes missing, Jai decides to use the crime-solving skills he has picked up from episodes of Police Patrol to find him. With Pari and Faiz by his side, Jai ventures into some of the most dangerous parts of the sprawling Indian city; the bazaar at night, and even the railway station at the end of the Purple Line. But kids continue to vanish, and the trio must confront terrified parents, an indifferent police force and soul-snatching djinns in order to uncover the truth 'A heartrending tale' The Times 'Djinn Patrol is storytelling at its best' Anne EnrightTrade ReviewIt’s not hard to see why Djinn Patrol is one of the most eagerly awaited debut novels this spring. It feels like a reckoning with modern India and its many complex problems… Anappara cleverly filters a uniquely Indian horror story through a chirpy, Famous Five-esque narrative and the voice of a witty, young, have-a-go hero -- Johanna Thomas-Corr * The Times *Djinn Patrol is storytelling at its best. The prose is not just sympathetic, vivid, and beautifully detailed, but also completely assured and deft. We care about these characters from the first page and our concern for them is richly repaid -- Anne Enright, Man Booker Prize-winning author of The GatheringIn Jai, Anappara has created a boy vivid in his humanity, one whose voice somersaults on the page. Rich with easy joy, Anappara’s writing announces the arrival of a literary supernova... (Warning: If you begin reading the book in the morning, don’t expect to get anything done for the rest of the day.) -- Lorraine Adams * New York Times Book Review *Anappara's characters brim with swagger and spirit and she creates a world of wit, warmth and heart -- Nina Stibbe * i *A captivating literary style... A dazzling, wonderful book -- Elif Shafak * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Bestseller'A beautiful book' Giovanna Fletcher'Will stay with you long after you have put it down' Jools Oliver'Bold, compelling... will blow you away' Marina Fogle'Heartbreaking... such an important read' Sarah Turner (The Unmumsy Mum)***********************************************What do you do when the unthinkable happens?Elle Wright had an admittedly easy pregnancy, and in May 2016 she and her husband welcomed their son, Teddy, into the world. Just a few hours later, they woke to find him cold and unresponsive, and the happiest day of Elle's life had turned into every parent's worst nightmare. Three days after delivering him into the world, she sat with Teddy as he took his last breaths, and tucked him in for the final time.Ask Me His Name is a moving account of Elle's pregnancy, Teddy's life, and what happens when a mother leaves hospital with empty arms. In the UK, 1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss, but conversations about the heartbreakingly frequent experience are few and far between. In this honest and hopeful exploration of mothering, Elle shows us how she navigated a parenthood no one had prepared her for.* A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Tommy's charity. Reg. (1060508) *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJeffrey Lockhart has been summoned to The Convergence: a remote and secret compound where death is exquisitely, cryogenically controlled.He is there to say goodbye to his stepmother, Artis, who has chosen to surrender her dying body; preserving it until a future time when biomedical advances and new technologies can return her to a life of transcendent promise. And his healthy father, Ross, might join her.Hypnotic and seductive, Don DeLillo's Zero K is a visionary novel about the legacies we leave, the nobility of death, and the ultimate worth of 'the mingled astonishments of our time, here, on earth.'Trade ReviewBoth beautiful and profound, certainly DeLillo's best since Underworld, it forces us to confront the spectre of our own mortality, to ask deep questions of our motives in wishing to prolong our span on Earth. We finish the novel with a sudden recognition of the kindness of death, the balm of a bounded life * Observer *DeLillo is one of urban life's most perceptive chroniclers * Independent *DeLillo's 16th novel takes a sanguine and, as usual, perceptive look at life as it is now, beset by wars, terrorism and the catastrophic results of climate change, and balances them against the beauty and joy that can be involved in being human * Daily Mail *Humanly moving . . . sentence by sentence brilliance of phrasing and cadence * Literary Review *A kind of greatest-hits compilation of earlier motifs and gestures * London Review of Books *Haunting. . . Simultaneously terrifying yet beautifully told with a real tenderness for the everyday details of life in New York. . . certainly not to be missed * GQ *Very moving . . . his optimism is a welcome gift in this intense and deeply considered book * Prospect *A visionary novel of ideas that remembers even visionary novels are read by living, breathing humans * Independent *As he approaches 80, Don DeLillo is still producing work that channels America's tensions. . . supple and sad and oddly compassionate too; his most fully realised work in more than a decade * Guardian *DeLillo's spare eloquence and the cosmic depression underlying it makes this emptiest of novels a rich reading experience * The Times *Time has done nothing to diminish this writer's casually epigraphic style, his daring narrative choreography nor his sensitivity to the swelling fears of our age . . . truly provocative' * The Washington Post *[DeLillo's] most persuasive [novel] since his astonishing 1997 masterpiece, Underworld . . . Zero K reminds us of Mr. DeLillo's almost Day-Glo powers as a writer and his understanding of the strange, contorted shapes that eternal human concerns (with mortality and time) can take in the new millennium' -- Michiko Kakutani * New York Times *Brilliant in its imaginative scope * The Atlantic *Among DeLillo's finest work . . . DeLillo sneaks a heartbreaking story of a son attempting to reconnect with his father into his thought-provoking novel * Publishers Weekly *Sentence by sentence, DeLillo magically slips the knot of criticism and gives his readers what Nabokov maintained was all that mattered in life and art: individual genius. Sentence by sentence, DeLillo seduces . . . DeLillo has written a handful of the past half-century's finest novels. Now, as he approaches 80, he gives us one more, written distinctly for the 21st -- Joshua Ferris * New York Times *A return to full realization for DeLillo. . .Deserves to win old and new readers alike. A marvellous blend of DeLillo's enormous gifts; his bleak humour and edged insight, the alertness and vitality of his prose, the vast, poetic extrapolations are all evident. So is the visceral quickness and wit in the sentences -- Sam LipsyteAs ever, DeLillo explores the depths of an edgy, timely topic, completely resisting cliché, and emerges with something both fresh and universal * The Huffington Post *The reigning poet of unease, DeLillo has always understood the greatest disquiet — our mortality — and how our sense of it coats the surfaces of day-to-day life with a film, something DeLillo peels back at last in this bravura new novel about cryogenic life extension, family, and the losses we can’t overcome * Boston Globe *An eerie descent into a secret collective that seeks to elude death through cryonic freezing. It blends DeLillo's typical mix of introspection and creeping dread with something else — a menacing sense of the absurd, borrowed from Kafka. Combine this with a wry sense of humor and you've got a dive into the murky boundary between life and death that's as amusing as it is alarming * NPR *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''What a writer he was; he could flip over a sentence so gently, and showthe underbelly in a heartbeat. His work is always quietly compassionate'' Elizabeth StroutIn this final collection of ten exquisite, perceptive and profound stories, William Trevor probes into the depths of the human spirit. Here we encounter a tutor and his pupil, whose lives are thrown into turmoil when they meet again years later; a young girl who discovers the mother she believed dead is alive and well; and a piano-teacher who accepts her pupil''s theft in exchange for his beautiful music. These gorgeous stories - the last that Trevor wrote before his death - affirm his place as one of the world''s greatest storytellers.''Trevor is a master of both language and storytelling'' Hilary Mantel''He is one of the great short-story writers, at his best the equal of Chekhov'' John Banville''The greatest living writer of short stories in the English language'' New YorkerTrade ReviewNone but those with a complete mastery of fiction can walk this line. William Trevor was not "an Irish Chekhov" or even "the Irish Chekhov". He was and will remain the Irish William Trevor * Guardian *10 stories bring a literary career that lasted more than half a century to a consummate conclusion * Sunday Times *William Trevor's prose runs as clear as water yet tastes like gin * Economist *Extraordinary stories from ordinary lives * The Times *One of the great contemporary chroniclers of the human condition, in all its pathos, comedy and strangeness. As a writer he looked at the world with an always surprised but never scandalised eye, and his writer's heart was with those awkward and obscurely damaged souls who cannot quite manage the business of everyday life - all of us, that is * New Statesman *There are those rare, exceptional writers who are fortunate enough (like their readers) to burn bright and steady over many decades, expressing the same creative clarity at the end of their careers as they did at the beginning. William Trevor was one of those writers * LA Times *We honor him as the supreme master of his honest art * Cynthia Ozick *In the first few paragraphs of a story he could set an entire scene without seeming to, working on details, small moments, odd thoughts. As in the work of Alice Munro, there often seemed to be very little happening in his fiction, but then he was capable of offering the reader a sense of an immense dramaHis stories are formally beautiful and, at the same time, interested in the smallness of human lives. He was, as a writer, watchful, unsentimental, alert to frailty and malice. A master craftsmanTrevor is a master of both language and storytellingWe honor him as the supreme master of his honest art * Cynthia Ozick *Trevor is a master of both language and storytelling -- Hilary MantelHe is one of the great short-story writers, at his best the equal of Chekhov -- John BanvilleIn the first few paragraphs of a story he could set an entire scene without seeming to, working on details, small moments, odd thoughts. As in the work of Alice Munro, there often seemed to be very little happening in his fiction, but then he was capable of offering the reader a sense of an immense drama -- Colm TóibínThe strength of all his writing was an unshowy perfection of style, through which he expressed his unerring instinct for fairness. His total lack of self-importance allowed him to express what was important in the world around him. He was one of the greatest writers about justice and suffering, disguised as an ordinary person -- Bernard O’DonoghueA beautiful writer... I would not have become a writer at all had I not discovered his work. -- Yiyun LiThe man - the work - was brilliant, elegant, surprising, reliable, precise, stark, often sad, sometimes funny, shocking and even frightening -- Roddy DoyleHis stories are formally beautiful and, at the same time, interested in the smallness of human lives. He was, as a writer, watchful, unsentimental, alert to frailty and malice. A master craftsman -- Anne EnrightThere is no better short story writer in the English-speaking world * Wall Street Journal *Writers often get asked which authors they return to again and again, their comfort books if you will, the ones that make them remember why fiction matters. William Trevor, I have answered on countless occasions. His stories. Any of them -- John BoyneHe is, I think, sui generis, and in his 12 collections (and 13 novels, and two novellas: an exhibition of near-Updikean energy), he has created a version of the short story that almost ignores the form's hundred or so years of intricate evolution. These stories stay in the mind long after they're finished because they're so solid, so deliberately shaped and directed so surely toward their solemn, harsh conclusions -- William Boyd, reviewing Cheating at Canasta in the 'New York Times'A posthumous collection of stories by the Irish writer reflects his formidable craft * Observer *There are those rare, exceptional writers who are fortunate enough (like their readers) to burn bright and steady over many decades, expressing the same creative clarity at the end of their careers as they did at the beginning. William Trevor was one of those writers * LA Times *What you might call Trevor's parting shots are as robustly vivid and potent, as wistful and emotionally rigorous, as his more youthful oeuvre * Herald *William Trevor, master of the short story, was at the top of his game in his final decade * Telegraph *William Trevor's short fiction was the stuff of legend * Event Magazine *Trevor's prose style is effortless, elegant and economical, but manages to contain the most hugely difficult feelings: jealousy, guilt and yearning regret * Daily Mail *An Irish writer, an international writer, a great writer. Put bluntly, he is revered by writers -- Jhumpa LahiriExtraordinary stories from ordinary lives * The Times *One of the great contemporary chroniclers of the human condition, in all its pathos, comedy and strangeness. As a writer he looked at the world with an always surprised but never scandalised eye, and his writer's heart was with those awkward and obscurely damaged souls who cannot quite manage the business of everyday life - all of us, that is -- John Banville * New Statesman *10 stories bring a literary career that lasted more than half a century to a consummate conclusion -- Peter Kemp * Sunday Times *William Trevor's prose runs as clear as water yet tastes like gin * Economist *None but those with a complete mastery of fiction can walk this line. William Trevor was not "an Irish Chekhov" or even "the Irish Chekhov". He was and will remain the Irish William Trevor -- Julian Barnes * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER A once-in-a-generation series, Ali Smith''s Seasonal Quartet is a tour-de-force about love, time, art, politics, and how we live now. ''Her best yet, a dazzling hymn to hope, uniting the past and present with a chorus of voices'' Observer What unites Katherine Mansfield, Charlie Chaplin, Shakespeare, Rilke, Beethoven, Brexit, the present, the past, the north, the south, the east, the west, a man mourning lost times, a woman trapped in modern times? Spring. The great connective. With an eye to the migrancy of story over time, and riffing on Pericles, one of Shakespeare''s most resistant and rollicking works, Ali Smith tells the impossible tale of an impossible time. In a time of walls and lockdown Smith opens the door. The time we''re living in is changing nature. Will it change the nature of story? Hope springs eternal.Discover all four instalments: Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. Ali Smith''s new novel, Companion piece, is available now.*****''An astonishing accomplishment and a book for all seasons'' Independent''Smith is a masterful storyteller . . . Savour it'' Evening Standard''Infectious in its energy and warmth'' Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewLuminous, generous, hope-filled... The third book in Ali Smith's seasonal quartet is her best yet, a dazzling hymn to hope, uniting the past and present with a chorus of voices... [Ali Smith] is lighting us a path out of the nightmarish now * Observer *Is there a writer so critically acclaimed and universally beloved? ...Autumn, Winter and Spring are stories of the unlikely connections human beings can make and the cost exacted when those connections are broken. They are state of the nation novels which understand that the nation is you, is me, is all of us: the nation is our choices, our fears, our losses... [Ali Smith] is the national novelist we need in 2019 * New Statesman *An astonishing accomplishment and a book for all seasons * Independent *Smith is a masterful storyteller... Spring is political but Smith is more concerned with the human fallout of current affairs then the machinations of elites... Through her account of unlikely friendships, Smith brings human values to the fore. Savour it, because there is just one instalment left * Evening Standard *Spring weaves a story around the most pressing issues of our time... [A] bubbling, babbling brook of a book...Smith tells stories in a voice you can't help but listen to * The Times *A powerful vision of lost souls in a divided Britain... As Smith's Seasonal Quartet moves towards completion her own role in British fiction looks ever more vital. The final page proclaims spring 'the great connective'. It's not a bad description of Smith herself * Guardian *Beguiling... The eagerly awaited third instalment * Financial Times *Infectious in its energy and warmth * Daily Telegraph *Just when things were starting to look really bad, along comes the third instalment in Ali Smith's seasonal quartet to lift us out of the gloom... An extraordinary embodiment of the ways in which storytelling connects us... The work of Katherine Mansfield and Rilke, Greek myths and the propulsive lyricism of spring itself, thread together in narratives of loss and rejuvenation * Daily Mail *The third of her exceptional Seasonal quartet, which riffs back and forth with Autumn and Winter to expound on the importance of hope to move us beyond the darkest of times * I paper *The most compelling and coherent of the three books... Smith, as always is interested in how a story gets told, and who gets to tell it * Sunday Times *Ali Smith is one of our greatest living novelists, the Virginia Woolf of our times. * The Observer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresented as a collection of confessional letters written by the eponymous protagonist, The Sorrows of Young Werther charts the emotional journey of a young man who, during a stay in a picturesque German village, falls in love with Lotte, a local woman engaged to another man. As he realizes that his passion is doomed to failure and constant pain, Werther contemplates taking the most drastic measures. Partly autobiographical, and the prototype for many later Romantic works in its depiction of the sensitive, tortured hero, Goethe's seminal classic is a timeless masterpiece of world literature.Trade ReviewI categorically say: read The Sorrows of Young Werther! -- Franz Kafka

Read more less

Book SynopsisGory, brutal, devastating, utterly addictive and yet so finely written. This deserves to be huge and I think it will be. His best yet' Louise BeechThey were the perfect family. It was the perfect crime.The new gripping DCI Matilda Darke crime thriller about the dark secrets that lie within a perfect family. For fans of Patricia Gibney and Angela Marsons.It's the most disturbing crime scene DCI Matilda Darke has ever seenThe morning after a wedding reception at a beautiful suburban home in Sheffield, the bride's entire family are stabbed to death in a frenzied attack more violent than anything DCI Matilda Darke could have imagined.Forensics point to a burglar on the run across the country. But cracks are starting to appear in Matilda's team, someone is playing games with the evidence and the killer might be closer to home than they thoughtPraise for The Murder House:Matilda Darke is Sheffield's answer to Northumberland's Vera and Wood's stories are up there with the best. Fast-paced,Trade ReviewPraise for The Murder House: ‘Wood has created a fantastic lead character for his gritty South Yorkshire police procedurals. Matilda Darke is Sheffield’s answer to Northumberland’s Vera and Wood’s stories are up there with the best. Fast-paced, crisp writing and a thoroughly enjoyable read’ David Young Praise for Michael Wood: ‘A tense, nail-biting story with a truly twisted ending’ Katerina Diamond ‘Watch out for those twists – you won't see them coming!’ Stephen Booth ‘A gritty and atmospheric thriller with more twists and turns than a hangman's knot. I loved it’ Matt Hilton ‘Solid storytelling and great unravelling of plot. Michael Wood ups the pace as the noose tightens’ Rachel Sargeant ‘Taut, twisting and sharp as a blade, The Hangman’s Hold wrong-footed me at every, devious turn’ Chris Whitaker 'Wood hit the ground running with For Reasons Unknown, first in the DCI Matilda Darke series. In the fourth instalment, The Hangman's Hold, he picks up the pace again with a twisting plot that races to a nail-biting finish’ Chris Simms ‘Bites into you like the rough twine of a hangman’s noose and refuses to let go. Tautly plotted, brilliantly realised, this is further proof that Michael Wood is only going to get better and better. The Hangman’s Hold is going to be big…’ Neil Broadfoot ‘You can count on Michael Wood to deliver a deliciously twisted and intriguing plot, leading to a surprise ending by a likeable and very real protagonist, Matilda Darke’ Yrsa Sigurdardottir ‘She is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths ‘A pitch-black concept, tightly delivered and played at exhilarating pace’ Paul Finch ‘Crackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending. Recommended if you liked Happy Valley’ Mark Edwards ‘DCI Matilda Darke is going places’ James Oswald ‘A compelling, addictive read, it’s hard to put down. I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke. She's strong character with real depth’ Robert Bryndza

Read more less

Book SynopsisHenry Hoke is the author of the memoir Sticker, The Book of Endless Sleepovers, the story collection Genevieves, and the novel The Groundhog Forever. His work has appeared in Electric Literature, Triangle House, The Offing, and the Catapult anthology Tiny Crimes. He holds an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts, where he taught for five years, and presently teaches at the University of Virginia Young Writers Workshop.Trade ReviewOpen Throat is a blinding spotlight beam of a book that I was completely unable and unwilling to put down. I am not convinced Henry Hoke isn’t a mountain lion. -- Catherine Lacey, author of PewAn instant classic . . . The writing is so sinuous, so wry and muscular, yet with a padding, pawing playfulness, that you’re ready to go anywhere Hoke wants to take you . . . It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking and nail-bitingly propulsive, with an exquisite Hitchcockian climax. -- Rahul Raina * The Guardian *The lion king of Los Angeles . . . Hoke’s choice of narrator results in some fang-sharp incisiveness andflashes of brilliant humour * The Observer *A beguiling and memorable work * The Irish Times *Witty, emotional and gripping, Open Throat is a short but savage thrill ride * The Independent *[A] slim jewel of a novel . . . Though many readers will label Open Throat unconventional, this act of ravishing and outlandish imagination should be the norm, not the exception. At its best, fiction can make the familiar strange in order to bring readers and our world into scintillating focus. Open Throat is what fiction should be. * The New York Times Book Review *A propulsive, one-sitting read, if also a somber one . . . Without spoiling the story, it’s perhaps enough to say that the climax of Open Throat is a very L.A. one, with spotlights and drama. But it’s also a universal one. * Los Angeles Times *My definition of an unputdownable book is one that is funny, full of longing, and a bit fantastical. If a novel is all three, I'm sold. Open Throat by Henry Hoke is, for me, a Rosetta Stone of unputdownability: an allegorical tale of a queer mountain lion fighting for survival (and love) in the hills of Los Angeles. -- Melissa Broder * The Guardian *Your off-beat beach read? Open Throat is Bret Easton Ellis meets mountain lion in the Hollywood Hills . . . it already has people talking * The Sunday Times Style *I defy you to hear the premise of this sophomore novel from the always-interesting Henry Hoke and not immediately smash that preorder button . . . a playful, poignant, tragicomic delight * Lit Hub *A mountain cougar’s glimpses of LA (‘ellay’). Loved this tale of loneliness, longing and gore in the Hills. -- James Cahill, author of Tiepolo BlueI didn't know I would feel such attachment to a mountain lion when I started reading, but in Henry Hoke's talented hands, they become an instantly memorable and endearing protagonist. * Buzzfeed *This is one of the most unique books of the summer . . . a miniature masterpiece * iNews *Open Throat is a strange and beguiling prose/poem/novella about a curious, queer and raveous mountain lion stalking the Hollywood hills . . . Uniquely and bizarrely seductive * Attitude *This lyrical story of loneliness and kinship in Los Angeles is, by turns, delightful and melancholy—and inventive throughout. * Vanity Fair *Henry Hoke’s narrator is the most credible animal witness to human behavior since Robert Bresson’s Balthazar. Original, fun and completely awakening, Open Throat is a devastating portrait of LA today. -- Chris Kraus, author of I Love DickIt's not often you come across a book with such an incredibly unique premise that you can't help but read it, if only for pure curiosity. And it's even less common for these books to be wholly and entirely gratifying, entertaining, and enjoyable beyond expectation. Reader, Open Throat by Henry Hoke is all of these things. * NB Magazine *Open Throat strikes the perfect balance of humor and trauma, creating an encapsulating read that interrogates the complexities of gender identity and a world marked by climate change. -- Michael Welch, Chicago Review of BooksOpen Throat feels like a comic book and a really good one; it feels the inside of animals, specifically one animal, a mountain lion, and with them we desire blood and I can’t tell you how it ends but I love knowing a mountain lion so much. The beauty and tragedy of all of nature is in this character. Open Throat is a fierce writing act. Henry Hoke makes it true. -- Eileen Myles, author of For NowDaring and moving . . . Give this sinewy prose poem a chance and you'll fall under the spell of a forlorn voice trapped in the hellscape of modern America -- Ron Charles * The Washington Post *Strange, unique, and mesmerizing. -- Gabino Iglesias, Boston GlobeIn this fantastical, deeply moving, and original adventure--also an unforgettable reckoning with contemporary Los Angeles--Henry Hoke introduces an animal whose life is more than just survival: they are full of longing, regret, memory, sadness, and astute observation. -- Brontez Purnell, author of 100 BoyfriendsOpen Throat is an instant cult classic and a bloody masterpiece. Rhythmically brilliant, heart-wounding, and scathingly funny, I’m in love with a mountain lion and in awe of this book. -- Melissa Broder, author of The PiscesThe premise alone makes Henry Hoke's startling achievement worth the purchase . . . Philosophical and heartfelt, Open Throat is the ultimate immersion into the mind of an unlikely protagonist. -- Lauren Puckett-Pope * ELLE *If like many people you are sick of human protagonists that are often nihilistic, self-destructive, fundamentally lonely people, then perhaps you would prefer Open Throat, which is narrated by a similarly lonely mountain lion who lives in the Hollywood Hills. -- i-D, 'fiction to be excited for in 2023' My favorite book of this century so far! I keep putting off writing this blurb because every time I pick up Open Throat I re-read it and fall back in love with this gay-ass big cat and then I have to spend the whole rest of the day thinking about mountain lions and humans and sex and bodies and death and climate change and bad dads and NY v LA and what is even possible in this world. Henry Hoke is a magician. -- Andrea Lawlor, author of Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal GirlWholly original, inventive, and surprising on every level. It affirms the capaciousness of the novel as a form. I wish more books took the kinds of chances Open Throat does. -- Diane Cook, author of the Booker Prize finalist novel The New WildernessBrave; moving; excitingly bold. -- Charlotte Mendelson, author of The ExhibitionistOpen Throat is a fable for our times that cements Henry Hoke as an essential voice in experimental and deliciously queer fiction. * Electric Literature *A tight, funny book with an alarmingly unique tone * The Brooklyn Rail *Distinctive. Endearing. Poetic. Funny. In Open Throat, Henry Hoke has given voice to something both familiar and strange, that speaks to the conscious and unconscious mind at the same time, deftly revealing the world. -- Octavia Bright, author of This Ragged GraceCompulsively readable -- Megan Milks, 4ColumnsRead something crazy this summer. * The Philadelphia Inquirer *I defy you to hear the premise of this sophomore novel from the always-interesting Henry Hoke and not immediately smash that preorder button . . . a playful, poignant, tragicomic delight. * Lit Hub *Inspired by a real lion who famously lived in Hollywood, this hilarious and touching tale is blazingly original and really rather brilliant. * The Bookseller, Editor's Choice *Unique and bizarrely seductive * Attitude *. . . replete with wisdom and an unnervingly astute understanding * NB *Playful [and] provocative . . . By turns funny and melancholy, this is a thrilling portrait of alienation. * Publisher's Weekly *Compassionate, fierce, and bittersweet, this is an unforgettable love letter to the wild. * Kirkus *Highly imaginative . . . a fascinating take on the human world and his place in it. Open Throat is a treat for both animal lovers and anyone who appreciates innovative fiction. * Booklist *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Affecting and engaging' COLM TÓIBÍN'A wistful, witty meditation on a gay man's twilight years and the twilight of America' GuardianOut in the drought-struck backwaters of rural Florida, The Kingdom of Sand's nameless narrator lives a life of semi-solitude, enjoying the odd, fleeting sexual encounter and the friendship of a few.His world is ageing, and the memories of another time flash, then fade - visions of parties filled with handsome young men, the parents whom he chose to spend his life besides, the generation he once knew, struck down by AIDS. But, when forced to watch the slow demise of a close neighbour, he is drawn back to the here and now, and his own borrowed time in this kingdom of sand.'Bracingly honest and wise' The Times, Books of the Year'Both melancholy and hilarious' New York TimesTrade Review[Holleran's] new novel is all the more affecting and engaging because the images of isolation and old age here are haunted . . . in 1978 Holleran wrote the quintessential novel about gay abandon, the sheer, careless pleasure of it: Dancer From the Dance. Now, at almost 80 years of age, he has produced a novel remarkable for its integrity, for its readiness to embrace difficult truths and for its complex way of paying homage to the passing of time -- Colm Tóibín * New York Times *Bracingly honest and wise... A beautiful way to describe how we fade away. * The Times, *Books of the Year* *Holleran's fifth novel - both melancholy and hilarious - finds the protagonist living out his days in his late mother's Florida home, navigating loneliness, a changing world and a life post-cruising. The book's image of isolation and old age is all the more haunting because in 1978 Holleran wrote the quintessential novel about the sheer, careless pleasure of gay abandon, Dancer From the Dance. * New York Times *[With] grim wit and flashes of sanctity from above... Holleran's writing is as calmly compelling as the repetitive tasks that occupy a monastic day. * Observer *Holleran renders an elegiac and very funny contemplation of not just ageing but an age... A wistful, witty meditation on a gay man's twilight years and the twilight of America. -- Jeremy Atherton Lin * Guardian *[Holleran's] new novel is all the more affecting and engaging because the images of isolation and old age here are haunted . . . in 1978 Holleran wrote the quintessential novel about gay abandon, the sheer, careless pleasure of it: Dancer From the Dance. Now, at almost 80 years of age, he has produced a novel remarkable for its integrity, for its readiness to embrace difficult truths and for its complex way of paying homage to the passing of time -- Colm Tóibín * New York Times *Bracingly honest and wise... A beautiful way to describe how we fade away. * The Times, *Books of the Year* *Holleran's fifth novel - both melancholy and hilarious - finds the protagonist living out his days in his late mother's Florida home, navigating loneliness, a changing world and a life post-cruising. The book's image of isolation and old age is all the more haunting because in 1978 Holleran wrote the quintessential novel about the sheer, careless pleasure of gay abandon, Dancer From the Dance. * New York Times *[With] grim wit and flashes of sanctity from above... Holleran's writing is as calmly compelling as the repetitive tasks that occupy a monastic day. * Observer *Holleran renders an elegiac and very funny contemplation of not just ageing but an age... A wistful, witty meditation on a gay man's twilight years and the twilight of America. -- Jeremy Atherton Lin * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA vibrant tableau of small-town life as seen through the eyes of a woman returning home from Paris.Juliette boards a train from Paris and comes back to her hometown hoping for a low-key visit with family and old friends. What she finds is anything but. Her sister, a caregiver and mother of two, is carrying on an elaborate affair with a man from a costume shop. Her parents, separated, are now estranged. Father is sure he's developing Alzheimer's, though it's more likely that he's simply getting old. Mother, on the other hand, revels in the second act of her life as a free woman, an artist with a show at their local gallery to prove it. Slowly, Juliette finds herself entangled with the unlikely Georges, a dyspeptic alcoholic who is stuck in his life. These divergent paths inevitably cross against a gloriously painted backdrop of eccentric small-town living.Camille Jourdy's beautiful watercolor pages provide an unfeigned mileu for the subtle dramedy at hand in

Read more less

Book Synopsis* AN OBSERVER BEST NEW NOVELIST FOR 2024 * ‘A spellbinding achievement’ FINANCIAL TIMES ‘Poignant and often painfully comic’ OBSERVER ‘I gasped, laughed, and wept my way through it’ KHALED HOSSEINI ‘Hugely impressive’ NEW EUROPEAN ‘Novels like this might help light the way’ GUARDIAN Tbilisi’s littered with memories that await me like landmines. The dearly departed voices I silenced long ago have come back without my permission. The situation calls for someone with a plan. I didn’t even bring toothpaste. Saba’s father is missing, and the trail leads back to Tbilisi, Georgia. It’s been two decades since Irakli fled his war-torn homeland with two young sons, now grown men. Two decades since he saw their mother, who stayed so they could escape. At long last, Tbilisi has lured him home. But when Irakli’s phone calls stop, a mystery begins... Arriving in the city as escaped zoo animals prowl the streets, Saba picks up the trail of clues: strange graffiti, bewildering messages transmitted through the radio, pages from his father’s unpublished manuscript scattered like breadcrumbs. As the voices of those left behind pull at the edges of his world, Saba will discover that all roads lead back to the past, and to secrets swallowed up by the great forests of Georgia. In a winding pursuit through the magic and mystery of returning to a lost homeland, Hard by a Great Forest is a rare, searching tale of home, memory and sacrifice – of one family’s mission to rescue one another, and put the past to rest.Trade ReviewA compelling novel about war, family separation and ambivalent homecoming, its tale of sacrifice, guilt and betrayal is propelled by dark mysteries and offset by glorious shafts of humour ...Novels such as this might help light the way * Guardian *A family story in an unfamiliar setting, the journey affords us glimpses of Georgian history, swearing, wine, eyebrows and mordant humour ... An intriguing treasure hunt, self-consciously picaresque and peppered with references to magic, myths and miraclesA captivating star-burst of a novel ... An all-consuming, deeply affecting story of family, memory, courage, perseverance, and brutality, leavened with a little magic and a touch of madness ... I urge you to read it * Country & Townhouse *The stakes could barely be higher in Leo Vardiashvili’s propulsive page-turner Hard by a Great Forest ... Taking its title from a line in a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Vardiashvili’s sprawling narrative, part comic, part tragic, abounds in mysteries, monsters, magic and terrors. It’s a spellbinding achievement * Financial Times *War trumps most things, Leo Vardiashvili observes early on in his poignant and often painfully comic novel about the effect of violence and conflict on those who must live through them * Observer, 10 Best New Novelists for 2024 *It is a testament to Vardiashvili’s writing that he converts the grief and yearning of the forcibly displaced into such a pacy and frequently funny novel ... Vardiashvili’s hugely impressive debut might be about a place that many of us will not know well but its themes are representative of the wider story of our era ... In this wise, moving and instructive book Vardiashvili, with extraordinary maturity and lightness of touch, cuts through the deafening white noise of sloganeering arguments to present the intimate lives of traumatised people doing their best * New European *Vardiashvili has captured the winking, world-weary humor and magic-realist touches that mark a lot of literature from Europe’s war-torn corners ... Like the voices on the radio, people can keep speaking out their dreams of rescue. And the book persuades you that sometimes, a form of it might arrive * Los Angeles Times *This powerful debut draws on the legacy of the war in Georgia in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union ... A fairytale tone allows Vardiashvili to creep up on his theme of survivor’s guilt * Mail on Sunday *Hard by a Great Forest has the offbeat lucidity of a waking dream ... a novel that indeed resembles a walk through a dark forest, Vardiashvili’s imaginative powers render his timely subject matter at once strange, disorientating and – occasionally – even magical * Daily Mail *A stupendous debut, by turns nerve-shredding, heart-rending and hilarious * Saga *Vardiashvili pushes the story on at pace as Saba searches for clues in the colourful enclaves of Georgia ... This debut is a heartfelt, lively story * i (Press Association) *This debut novel captures both the long scars of collective trauma and the indomitable spirit of those determined to remember and survive * Oprah Daily, Most Anticipated Books of 2024 *A sensitive exploration of grief, memory, loss and the immigrant experience woven seamlessly into a propulsive narrative * Perspective magazine *Rich with irony and animated with astonishing humanity, this tale of a young Georgian refugee’s odyssey into his birthplace to rescue family left my heart bruised and battered and aching for more -- Khaled HosseiniA wildly charming debut – propulsive, funny, and profound -- Elif BatumanAstonishingly crafted with history, candour, beauty, grief and just a little magic. A book like no other, from an imagination like no other. Vardiashvili has written a triumph -- Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize winning author of LESS IS LOSTThis novel blows open the heart of the past. It's a mystery, it's a picaresque, it's a comedy, and it's an authentic song of belonging and unbelonging ... By turns political and philosophical, it introduces a fine new voice in contemporary fiction -- Colum McCannPropulsive, profoundly moving and rich with humour and heartbreak, Hard by a Great Forest mesmerised me from the very first page. Inspired by Vardiashvili's own family story, this novel will capture your heart -- Jean KwokA sweeping, ambitious, and almost unbelievably assured debut. Exploring the long shadow of trauma cast by any war, Vardiashvili’s novel pummels the reader with an emotional force that few can match * Booklist (starred review) *Hard By A Great Forest movingly evokes the complicated feelings of trying to recapture and redefine what home looks and feels like * Bookreporter *Lushly haunted debut * Shelf Awareness *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA moving story of love, friendship, grief, healing, and the magical bond between a woman and her dog - now in a stunning new edition as part of Virago''s 50th anniversary Five Gold Reads seriesWINNER OF THE 2018 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD * A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 INTERNATIONAL DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD''A true delight: I genuinely fear I won''t read a better novel this year'' FINANCIAL TIMES''Loved this. A funny, moving examination of love, grief, and the uniqueness of dogs'' GRAHAM NORTON''Delicious'' SUNDAY TIMES 100 BEST SUMMER READSWhen a woman unexpectedly loses her lifelong best friend and mentor, she finds herself burdened with the unwanted dog he has left behind. Her own battle against grief is intensified by the mute suffering of the dog, a huge Great Dane, and by the threat of eviction: dogs are prohibited in her apartment building.Isolated from the rest of the woTrade ReviewA true delight: I genuinely fear I won't read a better novel this year * Financial Times *A beautiful book . . . crammed with a world of insight into death, grief, art, and love * Wall Street Journal *Very very clever. Mature. Entertaining. Eminently readable and re-readable. In short, absolutely delightful. * Irish Times *Delicious ... An intensely pleasurable read because it is so accessible, capacious and clever * Sunday Times *A pitch-perfect novel ... Wry and moving, The Friend is a love story, a mania story and a recovery story * Vanity Fair *Loved this. A funny, moving examination of love, grief, and the uniqueness of dogs * Graham Norton *A sneaky gut punch of a novel . . . a consummate example of the human-animal tale * Harper's Magazine *The book is an intimate, beautiful thing, deceptively slight at around 200 pages, but humming with insight . . . [an] artfully discursive meditation on friendship, love, death, solitude, canine companionship and the life of an aging writer in New York .. peppered with wry observations * The Economist *I loved it . . . It's one of my favourite books and it moved me * Whoopi Goldberg, The View *A poignant reflection on loss and companionship * Marie Claire *Often as funny as it is thoughtful, The Friend is an elegant meditation on grief, friendship, healing, and the bonds between humans and dogs * Buzzfeed *An elegant and darkly humorous meditation on grief and companionship, it's a great read - whether or not you're obsessed with canines * Shondaland.com *Charming ... the comedy here writes itself... The snap of her sentences sometimes puts me in mind of Rachel Cusk * New York Times *The contemplation of writing and the loss of integrity in our literary life form the heart of the novel . . . Nunez's prose itself comforts us. Her confident and direct style uplifts - the music in her sentences, her deep and varied intelligence. She addresses important ideas unpretentiously and offers wisdom for any aspiring writer who, as the narrator fears, may never know this dear, intelligent friend - or this world that is dying. But is it dying? Perhaps. But with The Friend, Nunez provides evidence that, for now, it survives * New York Times Book Review *In crystalline prose, Nunez creates an impressively controlled portrait of the 'exhaustion of mourning' * New Yorker *Astonishingly fresh and tinged with sadness . . . a highly entertaining, uplifting book exploring the magical bond between humans and canines. A must-read for dog-lovers. * The Lady *She has a wry compassion, and an eye for the kind of detail only grown-ups can catch. The books feel lived-in rather than hard-earned, the voice is smart and kind -- Anne Enright * The Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Too often we treat popular music as wallpaper surrounding us as we live our lives. Jude Rogers shows the emotional and cerebral heft such music can have. It''s a personal journey which becomes universal. Fascinating'' Ian Rankin''Moving and absorbing, The Sound of Being Human mixes memoir, analysis, anecdote and personal chronicle into a mosaic that evokes what music means to the individual and the human tribe. A candid, beautiful read'' Stuart MaconieThe Sound of Being Human explores, in detail, why music plays such a deep-rooted role in so many lives, from before we are born to our last days. At its heart is Jude''s own story: how songs helped her wrestle with the grief of losing her father at age five; concoct her own sense of self as a lonely adolescent; sky-rocket her relationships, both real and imagined, in the flushes of early womanhood, propel her own journey into working life, adulthood and parenthood, and look to the future.Shaped around twelve songs, ranging from ABBA''s ''Super Trouper'' to Neneh Cherry''s ''Buffalo Stance'', Kraftwerk''s ''Radioactivity'' to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas'' ''Heat Wave'', the book combines memoir and historical, scientific and cultural enquiry to show how music can shape different versions of ourselves; how we rely upon music for comfort, for epiphanies, and for sexual and physical connection; how we grow with songs, and songs grow inside us, helping us come to terms with grief, getting older and powerful memories. It is about music''s power to help us tell our own stories, whatever they are, and make them sing.Trade ReviewToo often we treat popular music as wallpaper surrounding us as we live our lives. Jude Rogers shows the emotional and cerebral heft such music can have. It's a personal journey which becomes universal. Fascinating -- Ian RankinA stunning hybrid of memoir and music, soundtracking the indelible nature of sound. Rogers' moving, lyrical sentences sing and stop you in your tracks -- Sinéad GleesonI absolutely loved this book. It's a fabulously moving memoir, gorgeous and unique, and beautifully written - tender, funny, nostalgic and insightful, elegantly revealing so much about the power of music. It's given me a completely new take on the songs I have loved in my life and why I love them. What a joy. * Ruth Jones *Moving and absorbing, The Sound Of Being Human mixes memoir, analysis, anecdote and personal chronicle into a mosaic that evokes what music means to the individual and the human tribe. A candid, beautiful read -- Stuart MaconieI've not read a warmer, deeper or truer evocation of the intense and unique connection between person and song. In untangling her own life, Jude Rogers helped me understand mine. This book is truly beautiful -- David WhitehouseA beautifully written memoir of love, loss and the ways in which music can move us in unseen ways. Jude is a rare talent -- Sirin KaleJude Rogers is one of our very finest music writers, and The Sound of Being Human shows us exactly why: tender, whip-smart, passionate and meticulous. All music fans will relish this book -- Laura BartonThere are books that have made me cry and books that have taught me about the psychological effects of music, but Jude's is the only one that has done both. It's a wonderful thing - real food for the heart and head. A book that lots of people will treasure -- Mat OsmanJude Rogers is one of my favourite writers and one of my favourite people. Having been interviewed by her many times I'm always bowled over by her constant passion for music, new and old, and the way she can take you to a time and a place in a few words. This is a beautiful memoir about how music can shape your life, sometimes change your life, and I defy anyone not to have a little cry along the way -- Sarah CracknellBoth heavy and light, dark and sweet - I very much like this book -- Kristin HershEvocative, intelligent and touching. So brilliant on that rush you get from the music that shapes, describes, soundtracks & changes your life. I love Jude's writing and her power to conjure the emotions you felt when you first heard a certain song -- Mhairi McFarlanePersonal but universal, The Sound Of Being Human is a moving, funny and very smart exploration of what music does to you and how it does it -- Alexis PetridisTracing the relationship between music, memory and emotions - Jude Rogers has created a finespun weave of heartfelt memoir, keen insights into the inner workings of pop music, merging into mind-expanding chunks of science. An absorbing and poignant book -- Philip ClarkA beautifully written book offering fresh insight into the way the mind processes music as well as giving a glimpse into Jude's own life as a writer, mother and broadcaster -- Ralph Moore, Mixmag magazine/Worldwide FMJude Rogers takes on one of the most intriguing questions of all: how some songs come to mean so much to us, curling themselves around our memories of that blissful summer or bleak winter. As I read this warm and honest book, I realised its true subject is not pop music, not really. It is rather an exploration of love - how it is formed and maintained, and what it leaves behind -- Aditya Chakrabortty, Senior Commentator, the GuardianA brilliantly unjaded exploration of the power of songs to intoxicate, enthuse and reassure * Guardian *Fascinating read, which, far from reducing music, enriches it * Mojo *A moving meander through Rogers' musical memories * Big Issue *Her writing brims with the lively, engaged intelligence of someone who lives in her material * Record Collector *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA powerful new novel about grief and mourning from the acclaimed and prize-winning author of The Old DriftA BARACK OBAMA BOOK OF THE YEAR and NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARI don't want to tell you what happened. I want to tell you how it felt.Cassandra is twelve; her little brother Wayne is seven. One day, when they're alone together, there's an accident and Wayne is lost forever. Though his body is never recovered, their mother can't stop searching.As Cassandra grows older, she sees her brother everywhere: in cafes, aeroplane aisles, subway cars. But it can't be, of course. Or can it? And then one day, there's another accident, and she meets a man both mysterious and familiar, a man who shares her brother's name and who is also searching for someone...'In Namwali Serpell's hands, grief is a kind of possession. The Furrows is a piercing, sharply written novel about the conjuring power of loss' - RAVEN LEILANI, author of LusterTrade ReviewSerpell is a terrific destabiliser, even at the level of the sentence... There are no tidy moral lessons at the end of her dissonant and time-contorting fable - no bones to bury, no truth to pin, no mysteries solved - only the inescapable rhythms of loss -- Beejay Silcox * The Guardian *A masterfully intelligent and many-sided book * The Telegraph *The Furrows...confirms Serpell's place as one of the most innovative and intelligent writers today * Financial Times *In Namwali Serpell's hands, grief is a kind of possession. The Furrows is a piercing, sharply written novel about the conjuring power of loss -- Raven Leilani, author of LusterMasterful: a blend of self-knowing, sincere and spry... Serpell's sentences are unhurried, yet detailed, smart and brisk * Sunday Telegraph *

Read more less