Displaying items by tag: medival fiction

Saturday, 27 September 2014 15:06

Vixen

Rosie Garland's extraordinary tale is a story of superstition and devotion in the time of the Black Death and will bewitch both new readers and fans of her much-loved debut, The Palace of Curiosities. It was nominated for the Green Carnation Prize, 2014.

'Vixen' is a fine example of how to marry a stunning cover to a book's contents. The cover features original artwork by Lindsay Carr http://www.littlerobot.org.uk/ and was designed by Alexandra Allden at Borough Press.

About the novel - Vixen

Devon, 1349. In Brauntone, where seagulls screech across the fields and the wind has a mind to change, Father Thomas arrives as the new priest. Determined to impress his congregation, he quells fears of the coming pestilence with promises of protection.
For Anne, the priest's arrival is an opportunity that at sixteen, she feels all too ready for. Convinced a grand fate awaits, she moves in as Thomas's housekeeper, though hopeful of something more. But his home is a place without love or kindness. So when a strange, mute Maid is discovered, washed up in the marshes, and taken in, Anne is grateful for the company. Their friendship is to give Anne the chance of a happiness she thought she'd never know.
But soon the plague strikes Brauntone, spreading panic. And as the villagers' fear turns to anger, Thomas must sacrifice anything to restore their faith in him.


Reviews

A great review in Diva magazine (August 2014)
"Poetic, surprising and ultimately deeply moving, Vixen will have you hooked faster than it takes to drink a jug of ale and - unlike ale - it will stay with you long after you've reached the final page."

Praise for The Palace of Curiosities:
'Garland's lush prose is always a pleasure' - The Guardian
'An alternately brutal and beautiful story about love and belonging in a vividly conveyed underworld, rich in carny phantasmagoria and lyrical romance' METRO
'Bewitching' Good Housekeeping
'A jewel-box of a novel ... Garland is a real literary talent: definitely an author to watch' Sarah Waters
'Reminds me of Angela Carter' Jenni Murray
"Fabulously strange historical debut... a romp filled with sheer, demented fun." Suzi Feay

Link to order Vixen -
https://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780007492800/vixen

Published in Novels