
Coventry
A Novel
Helen Humphreys(Author)
WW Norton & Co (Publisher)
Published on 27. March 2009
Book
Hardback
192 pages
978-0-393-06720-0 (ISBN)
Description
Helen Humphreys draws on history to delve into the lives torn asunder by the German attack of November 14, 1940. Harriet, a widow from World War I, is atop Coventry Cathedral, part of the nightly watch, when first the factories and then the church itself are set on fire. In the ensuing chaos she bonds with a young man, very much like the husband she lost, who relies on her to find the way back to his home where he left his mother. On their journey through a hell of burning shops and collapsed homes, Harriet awakens to emotions she had long put aside. At home, the youth's mother awaits his arrival and rethinks the life that has brought her to this city and her life raising her son alone. Ultimately, together these two women must face a world as immeasurably changed as their own selves.
Reviews / Votes
"Starred Review. With stark, precise poetry, Humphreys builds a palpable, almost unbearable sense of inevitability and loss that echoes both John Hersey's Hiroshima and Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach." -- Kirkus ReviewsMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Dimensions
Height: 211 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
275 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-393-06720-0 (9780393067200)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
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Person
Helen Humphreys, a poet and novelist, is the author of The Lost Garden, Afterimage, Leaving Earth, and Coventry. She lives in Kingston, Ontario.