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Pearl

Longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize
By Siân Hughes
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.85 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 5,954 ratings, 1,026 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
Pearl by Siân Hughes explores a family's journey through grief and loss after the mother disappears. The story is woven from the perspective of the daughter, who grapples with the gaps in her past and the impact of her mother's absence. Themes of memory and identity are intricately examined as she seeks answers to reshape her understanding of family and self.
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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 emotionally resonant stories that delve deeply into themes of grief, motherhood, and the impact of familial secrets. With evocative prose and nuanced character development, it's a compelling read for those who favour thoughtful and introspective fiction.

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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

A gripping psychological mystery longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize.

Marianne is eight years old when her mother goes missing. Left behind with her baby brother and grieving father in a ramshackle house on the edge of a small village, she clings to the fragmented memories of her mother's love; the smell of fresh herbs, the games they played, and the songs and stories of her childhood.

As time passes, Marianne struggles to adjust, fixated on her mother's disappearance and the secrets she's sure her father is keeping from her. Discovering a medieval poem called Pearl and trusting in its promise of consolation, Marianne sets out to make a visual illustration of it, a task that she returns to over and over but somehow never manages to complete.

Tormented by an unmarked gravestone in an abandoned chapel and the tidal pull of the river, her childhood home begins to crumble as the past leads her down a path of self-destruction. But can art heal Marianne? And will her own future as a mother help her find peace?

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?

Pearl by Siân Hughes is praised for its lyrical prose and emotional depth. Reviewers highlight the engaging narrative that delves into themes of loss and family dynamics. Readers appreciate the author's nuanced portrayal of characters and find the book's exploration of memory and belonging both gripping and poignant.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780702268649

Publisher: University of Queensland Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 12 September 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: University of Queensland Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 220g

Pages: 228

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Siân Hughes

About the Author

Si n Hughes is a writer who grew up in a small village in Cheshire where the story of Pearl is set. Returning to live there after her mother's death, she borrowed from the medieval poem Pearl to write a story set in an old house she cycled past every day as a child. Her first collection of poetry The Missing (Salt, 2009) was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award, shortlisted for the Felix Dennis and Aldeburgh prizes, and won the Seamus Heaney Award. Pearl is her first novel.

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