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Ness

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( 1,334 ratings, 222 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Ness by Robert Macfarlane and Stanley Donwood, a mysterious, inhuman entity emerges from the ruins of an abandoned military testing site, driven by nature's ancient forces. Set against the backdrop of the East of England, this graphic novel tells a haunting and lyrical tale of renewal and retribution. Through evocative images and language, it explores themes of ecological devastation and the resurgence of the natural world.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are captivated by stunning illustrations paired with lyrical, thought-provoking text. It's an immersive journey into an eerie and enigmatic landscape, brought to life by the collaboration of a renowned nature writer and an acclaimed artist. Perfect for fans of atmospheric storytelling and unique visual experiences.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Hauntingly beautiful Anthropocene fable from the bestselling author of Underland and The Lost Words.

What happens when the land comes to life?

Somewhere on a salt-and-shingle island, inside a concrete-and-iron structure called The Green Chapel, a figure called The Armourer is leading a black mass. He plans to detonate a thermonuclear missile. But something is coming to stop him.

Five more-than-human figures - or forms, or forces - are traversing the landscape, moving steadily towards a point where they will converge and become Ness. Ness is the land awakened. Ness is lichen skin and willow-bones, condensing mist and tidal drift. Ness has hagstones for eyes and Ness speaks only in birds. And Ness has come to take this island back.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Ness pushes the boundaries of traditional literature, combining elements of poetry and mythic modernism to deliver a dark, powerful narrative relevant to contemporary times. It is lauded for its unique, transformative approach that resonates as both timeless and groundbreaking.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241986370

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 November 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 10.0mm

Width: 131.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 99g

Pages: 96

About the Author

Robert Macfarlane (Author) Robert Macfarlane is internationally renowned for his writing on nature, people and place. His bestselling books include Underland, Landmarks, The Old Ways, The Wild Places and Mountains of the Mind, as well as a book-length prose-poem, Ness. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages, won prizes around the world, and been widely adapted for film, music, theatre, radio and dance. He has also written operas, plays, and films including River and Mountain, both narrated by Willem Dafoe. He has collaborated closely with artists including Olafur Eliasson and Stanley Donwood, and with the artist Jackie Morris he co-created the internationally bestselling books of nature-poetry and art, The Lost Words and The Lost Spells. As a lyricist and performer, he has written albums and songs with musicians including Cosmo Sheldrake, Karine Polwart and Johnny Flynn, with whom he has released two albums, Lost In The Cedar Wood (2021) and The Moon Also Rises (2023). In 2017, the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded him the E.M. Forster Prize for Literature, and in 2022 in Toronto he was the inaugural winner of the Weston International Award for a body of work in the field of non-fiction. He is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and is currently completing his third book with Jackie Morris- The Lost Birds. Stanley Donwood (Author) Stanley Donwood is a graphic designer, artist and writer. He has worked with the British band Radiohead since 1994, producing the artwork for all their albums and promotional materials. He is also the author of numerous books including Catacombs of Terror!, Slowly Downward and Small Thoughts. His collaboration with Robert Macfarlane, Ness, will be published in November 2019.

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