Elmet: SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2017

by Fiona Mozley

2.5 of 5 stars 2 ratings • 1 review • 6 shelved
Book cover for Elmet

Bookhype may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2017

'A quiet explosion of a book, exquisite and unforgettable' The Economist

'A cleverly constructed rural Gothic fable . . . Elmet is a marvellous achievement' TLS

'Pastoral idyll, political expose, cosy family saga and horror tale, it reads like a traditional children's story that turns into a gangster film: Hansel and Gretel meets The Godfather' Sunday Times

Daniel is heading north. He is looking for someone. The simplicity of his early life with Daddy and Cathy has turned menacing and fearful. They lived apart in the house that Daddy built for them in the woods with his bare hands. They foraged and hunted.

Cathy was more like their father: fierce and full of simmering anger. Daniel was more like their mother: gentle and kind. Sometimes, their father disappeared, and would return with a rage in his eyes. But when he was at home, he was at peace. He told them that the little copse in Elmet was theirs alone. But that wasn't true. Local men, greedy and watchful, began to circle like vultures. All the while, the terrible violence in Daddy grew.

Brutal and beautiful in equal measure, Elmet is a compelling portrayal of a family living on the fringes of contemporary society, as well as a gripping exploration of the disturbing actions people are capable of when pushed to their limits.

  • ISBN10 1473681944
  • ISBN13 9781473681941
  • Publish Date 6 September 2018 (first published 10 August 2017)
  • Publish Status Cancelled
  • Publish Country GB
  • Publisher Hodder & Stoughton General Division
  • Imprint JM Originals
  • Format Hardcover
  • Pages 320
  • Language English