
Sea Change
Alix Nathan(Author)
Serpent's Tail (Publisher)
Published on 8. July 2021
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-78816-349-1 (ISBN)
Description
AS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4
'Unsettling and strange, Sea Change cements Nathan's reputation as one of our most interesting historical novelists.' The Times
'A strange, touching tale of hope and redemption' Sunday Times Best Historical Fiction
'That rare kind of historical fiction that both captures the period well and creates an absorbing narrative.' Charles Palliser
'I'll be back soon, my love. Tonight, I hope.'
The last Eve saw of her mother was a wave from the basket of a rising balloon. A wilful, lonely orphan in the house of her erratic artist guardian, Eve struggles to retain the image of her missing mother and the father she never knew. In a London beset by pageantry, incipient riot and the fear of Napoleonic invasion, Eve must grow into a young woman with no one to guide her through its perils.
Far away, in a Norfolk fishing village, the Rev Snead preaches hellfire and damnation to his impoverished parishioners and oppressed wife. Snead illustrates his sermons with the example of a mute woman pulled from the sea, over whom he keeps a very close watch indeed.
'Unsettling and strange, Sea Change cements Nathan's reputation as one of our most interesting historical novelists.' The Times
'A strange, touching tale of hope and redemption' Sunday Times Best Historical Fiction
'That rare kind of historical fiction that both captures the period well and creates an absorbing narrative.' Charles Palliser
'I'll be back soon, my love. Tonight, I hope.'
The last Eve saw of her mother was a wave from the basket of a rising balloon. A wilful, lonely orphan in the house of her erratic artist guardian, Eve struggles to retain the image of her missing mother and the father she never knew. In a London beset by pageantry, incipient riot and the fear of Napoleonic invasion, Eve must grow into a young woman with no one to guide her through its perils.
Far away, in a Norfolk fishing village, the Rev Snead preaches hellfire and damnation to his impoverished parishioners and oppressed wife. Snead illustrates his sermons with the example of a mute woman pulled from the sea, over whom he keeps a very close watch indeed.
Reviews / Votes
Praise for Alix Nathan: 'She is an original, with a virtuoso touch.' -- Hilary Mantel Praise for Sea Change: 'A compelling story about loss of identity, the impact of trauma, and the way back from it ... that rare kind of historical fiction that both captures the period well and creates an absorbing narrative.' -- Charles Palliser, author of Rustication A strange, touching tale of hope and redemption -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times Best Historical Fiction * A vivid portrait of loss and love, teeming with detail at the same time as it moves the reader profoundly. -- Rachel Halliburton, author of The Optickal Illusion A powerful and unsettling novel -- Andrew Taylor A gripping drama, fueled by the attraction of repulsion ... unique and chilling * The New York Times * Praise for The Warlow Experiment: 'An extraordinary, quite brilliant book' -- C. J. Sansom Unusual, gripping and emotionally complex - I loved this book. -- Sally Magnusson, author of The Sealwoman's Gift Original and beautifully written, this is a meaty, gripping novel of obsession gone sour. -- Daily Mail A darkly compelling read * The Herald * Can't recommend it highly enough. A magnificent read ... the complexity of character and the interweaving of the political upheaval in England at the time worked so well for me. -- Philip Ardagh Vivid and original * Daily Mail * Fascinating... What grips you and keeps you turning the pages are the stories of the three women, Sarah, Hester and Eve, at the heart of this fine historical novel. -- Anna Selby * The Arbuturian * Unsettling and strange, Sea Change cements Nathan's reputation as one of our most interesting historical novelists. * The Times *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Profile Books Ltd
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 223 mm
Width: 144 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
423 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78816-349-1 (9781788163491)
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
Additional editions

Person
Alix Nathan's novel The Warlow Experiment was a Radio Four Book at Bedtime and a Sunday Times fiction book of the year. Her short stories have been published in Ambit, the London Magazine and New Welsh Review. She lives in Shropshire where she owns some ancient woodland with her husband.