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Blow on a Dead Man's Embers

Blow on a Dead Man's Embers

by Mari Strachan (Author)

  • Used

    Paperback 2011

    $3.34
Synopsis

In the aftermath of the Great War, Non Davies wakes one morning to find her husband crouching under the kitchen table in a cold sweat and with fear in his eyes, shouldering an imaginary rifle. During the intense heat of that summer she forces herself to sit and watch him, knowing she has to discover what has changed her Davey so completely. A mysterious letter addressed to Davey gives her the clue she needs and takes her to London in search of an answer. When she returns home Non realizes that the dark secrets of Davey's behaviour are working their way ever closer to the surface - secrets that will shatter the fragile happiness of their community if they ever become known. Blow on a Dead Man's Embers is a wonderful piece of storytelling, rich in atmosphere and full of characters that leap from the page. It is a gripping and moving portrait of a society emerging from the shadow of war, and of Non Davies, an unforgettable woman out of kilter with her time.

$3.34

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More Information

Format: Paperback
 Pages: 300
 Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd
Published: 04 Aug 2011
ISBN 10: 184767531X
ISBN 13: 9781847675316
Book Overview: With her husband shattered by war, does one young woman have the strength to bring him back to life?

Media Reviews
A distinctive and potent treatment of the lingering sorrow of war...a quirky mixture of the earthy and the ethereal * * Times Literary Supplement * *
Strachan skilfully evokes the general sense of war-weariness ... A slow starter, but its fire finally takes hold and burns deep * * Literary Review * *
Extremely compelling...I loved this novel. -- Catherine O'Flynn on The Earth Hums in B Flat
A gorgeous debut * * Marie Claire on The Earth Hums in B Flat * *
Strachan's deft handling of a dark subject is both sober and sparkling. * * Guardian on The Earth Hums in B Flat * *
A delight * * Financial Times on The Earth Hums in B Flat * *
Strachan eschews whimsy for reality in a beautifully written story about growing up. * * Independent on The Earth Hums in B Flat * *
Deeply moving...An impresive and wonderfully absorbing debut, which evokes the atmosphere of a small Welsh town with wit and precision. * * Waterstone's Books Quarterly on The Earth Hums in B Flat * *
A compelling page-turner for all ages. * * Herald on The Earth Hums in B Flat * *
This mesmerising and magical story weaves fantasy with reality and compelling characterisation; it's both spellbinding and inspiring. * * Easy Living on The Earth Hums in B Flat * *
Strachan's finest gift - one which she shares with the late Catherine Cookson, who also made colour out of the black and white of history - is a talent for telling stories with grace and compassion. Almost everyone, even the least of Strachan's walk-ons, pursues a storyline unique to themselves - yet they cross the arcs of others, creating flashpoints, repercussions. The book has momentum from first to last. -- Tom Adair * * Scotland on Sunday * *
A distinctive and potent treatment of the lingering sorrow of war...a quirky mixture of the earthy and the ethereal. * * The Times Literary Supplement * *
Strachan skilfully evokes the general sense of war-weariness ... A slow starter, but its fire finally takes hold and burns deep. * * Literary Review * *
A historical family saga...with crisp narrative ability, a non-judgemental eye for the often irreconcilable complexities of love, and no small amount of mystery. * * The List * *
The warmth of the storytelling overs compensation while, in the depiction of a nation seeking solace in radical politics and spiritualist seances, Strachan manages to bring something original to an old, old tale * * Financial Times * *
Timeless ... you could pick [Blow on a Dead Man's Embers] up and read without any sense at all of when it was written, only a very clear one of when it was set. * * Curious Book Fans * *
its fire finally takes hold and burns deep * * Literary Review * *
crisp narrative ability, a non-judgemental eye... and no small amount of mystery to strengthen the blend * * The List * *
Author Bio
Mari Strachan and her husband live on a tiny smallholding in the hills of Ceredigion, West Wales. Blow on a Dead Man's Embers is her second novel, following the acclaimed The Earth Hums in B Flat.