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Four by Four
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Check link for latest rating. ( 1,678 ratings, 254 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Four by Four
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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?
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See moreA haunting depiction of a sinister elite boarding school in a world veering toward chaos.
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
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Description
Set entirely at Wybrany College—an institution where the wealthy keep their children safe from the chaos erupting in the cities—Four by Four is a novel of insinuation and gossip, in which the truth about Wybrany's 'program' is always palpable, but never explicit.
An exploration of the relationship between the powerful and powerless—and the repetition of these patterns—Mesa's 'sophisticated nightmare' calls to mind great works of gothic literature, reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, and social thrillers. This creates a unique, unsettling view of freedom and demonstrates how a fear of the outside world can create monsters.
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?
Sara Mesa's Four by Four is acclaimed for its precise, chilling prose that evokes a sense of unease and suspense. Set in the enigmatic Wybrany College, the narrative masterfully explores themes of power, privilege, and societal oppression through its gothic atmosphere and unsettling story. Critics have praised the novel's capacity to captivate with its stark depiction of inequity and influence, drawing comparisons to works by Shirley Jackson and Samanta Schweblin. With its immersive narration and complex character dynamics, the book is recognised as a sophisticated and thought-provoking literary thriller.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781948830140
Publisher: Open Letter
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 04 June 2020
Country: United States
Imprint: Open Letter
Contributors:
- Translated by Katie Whittemore
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 139.0mm
Height: 216.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 140
Collections
About the Author
Sara Mesa is the author of eight works of fiction, including Scar (winner of the Ojo Critico Prize), Four by Four (a finalist for the Herralde Prize), An Invisible Fire (winner of the Premio Mlaga de Novela), and Cara de Pan. Her works have been translated into more than ten different languages, and has been widely praised for her concise, sharp writing style.
Katie Whittemore is a graduate of the University of NH (BA), Cambridge University (M.Phil), and Middlebury College (MA), and was a 2018 Bread Loaf Translators Conference participant. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Two Lines, The Arkansas International, The Common Online, Gulf Coast Magazine Online, Los Angeles Review of Books,The Brooklyn Rail, and InTranslation. Current projects include novels by Spanish authors Sara Mesa, Javier Serena, and Aliocha Coll, Aroa Moreno Durn, and Nuria Labari.
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