by HelenaMcEwen (Author)
Elizabeth can hardly accept that her brother James, her nursery soulmate and partner in crime, committed suicide, so when her sister Kitty dies too, it is more than she can comprehend. As she wanders the large family mansion of her childhood - a haunting place of mystery, wonder and opulence - the memories of an apparently idyllic but secretly threatening past will not let her go. Confronting at last the hidden fears from her early years, Elizabeth begins to make some sort of sense of the confusion of sadness, half-known truths and moments of happiness that embraced her whole family. "Brilliant" - "Sunday Tribune". "Starkly beautiful" - "Observer". "Unforgettable" - "Scotsman". "Enriching" - "Independent". "Intensely moving" - "Sunday Times". "Original" - "Sunday Telegraph". "Delicious" - "Herald". "Surprising joyful" - "Literary Review".
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Edition: New
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published: 05 Mar 2001
ISBN 10: 074754848X
ISBN 13: 9780747548485
Book Overview: The debut novel by Helena McEwen that created a furore on its publication in hardback. A brilliant evocation of childhood written in exquisite prose - it is a story that haunts. 'THE BIG HOUSE is big news: a first novel that is distinguished, not by hype, but by brilliant writing McEwen has pulled off possibly the most difficult task for a writer - to alchemise pain into beauty. This is true talent' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 'Beautifully written The prose is eloquent, moving and extremely evocative A rather wonderful debut novel' THE TIMES