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Metamorphosis

Selected Stories
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( 266 ratings, 43 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 Metamorphosis by Penelope Lively, readers are introduced to characters whose lives undergo significant transformation. The story explores themes of change and adaptation, as personal experiences and unexpected events gently reshape their paths. Set against a backdrop of beautifully described settings, the novel delves into the intricacies of human relationships and the complexities of life's unanticipated shifts.
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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?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate stories that explore themes of transformation and self-discovery, all crafted with Penelope Lively's trademark wit and depth. Set in a world where past and present seamlessly merge, the narrative draws readers into a rich, imaginative journey that reflects on the nature of identity and change.

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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

An exquisite selection of the best short stories from one of our best-loved writers.

Wry, compassionate, and glittering with wit, Penelope Lively's stories get beneath the everyday to the beating heart of human experience. In intimate stories of growing up and growing old, chance encounters and life-long relationships, Lively explores with keen insight the ways that individuals can become tangled in history, and small acts ripple through the generations.

From new and never-before-published stories to forgotten treasures, Metamorphosis showcases the very best from a literary master.

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?

Metamorphosis by Penelope Lively is praised for its thoughtful and intelligent approach, showcasing her rare ability to reveal complex layers with elegance. Critics highlight her skill as a sublime storyteller, keeping readers engaged and curious while maintaining an awareness of storytelling as an art. Each story is described as vividly imagined, with Lively's writing celebrated for its wit, ease, and elegance. The Times deems it superb and unmissable, lauding the quality of the writing.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241514771

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 August 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Fig Tree

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 238g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Penelope Lively is the author of many prize-winning novels and short-story collections for both adults and children. She has twice been shortlisted for the Booker Prize- once in 1977 for her first novel, The Road to Lichfield, and again in 1984 for According to Mark. She later won the 1987 Booker Prize for her highly acclaimed novel Moon Tiger. Her other books include Going Back; Judgement Day; Next to Nature, Art; Perfect Happiness; Passing On; City of the Mind; Cleopatra's Sister; Heat Wave; Beyond the Blue Mountains, a collection of short stories; Oleander, Jacaranda, a memoir of her childhood days in Egypt; Spiderweb; her autobiographical work, A House Unlocked; The Photograph; Making It Up; Consequences; Family Album, which was shortlisted for the 2009 Costa Novel Award, and How It All Began. She is a popular writer for children and has won both the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Award. She was appointed CBE in the 2001 New Year's Honours List, and DBE in 2012. Penelope Lively lives in London.

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