The Maker of Swans
'A deeply pleasurable gothic fantasy'
Published on 12. January 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
978-1-4746-0103-0 (ISBN)
Description
'Compulsive reading . . . rich, strange, beautiful' Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk
'A strange, new and captivating look at a magical realm . . . Lavishly entertaining' Independent
'Enthralling . . . a literary feast' Stylist
The world had forgotten Mr Crowe and his mysterious gifts. Until he killed the poet.
He lived a secluded life in the fading grandeur of his country estate. His companions were his faithful manservant and his ward, Clara, a silent, bookish girl who has gifts of her own.
Now Dr Chastern, the leader of a secret society, arrives at the estate to call Crowe to account and keep his powers in check. But it is Clara's even greater gifts that he comes to covet most.
She must learn to use them quickly, if she is to save them all.
'A strange, new and captivating look at a magical realm . . . Lavishly entertaining' Independent
'Enthralling . . . a literary feast' Stylist
The world had forgotten Mr Crowe and his mysterious gifts. Until he killed the poet.
He lived a secluded life in the fading grandeur of his country estate. His companions were his faithful manservant and his ward, Clara, a silent, bookish girl who has gifts of her own.
Now Dr Chastern, the leader of a secret society, arrives at the estate to call Crowe to account and keep his powers in check. But it is Clara's even greater gifts that he comes to covet most.
She must learn to use them quickly, if she is to save them all.
Reviews / Votes
[With much] in common with Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell ... a tale about magic and art, power and responsibility ... [that will] keep the reader enfolded * DAILY MAIL * It would not be surprising if the public clamours for a second instalment of this vividly imagined and deeply pleasurable gothic fantasy - not to mention a film. * FINANCIAL TIMES * The prose in O'Donnell's first novel is glorious, combining an ear for deep cadences of language with a phenomenal acuity of vision ... O'Donnell is clearly a major talent * THE GUARDIAN * Poetic and strange, this Gothic novel is a dark, elegant celebration of the power and beauty of words and the spells they weave. * SUNDAY EXPRESS * Strange and new and captivating * THE INDEPENDENT * A charming, lyrical read even when tension is high. I admired the depth of O'Donnell's imagination, which allowed him to conjure up this enthralling tale . . . A literary feast * STYLIST * A powerful thriller * VOGUE * Wonderfully dark, magical * ELLE * Strange and beautiful - one of Stylist's Essential Reads for 2016 * STYLIST * A fabulously assured, elegant Gothic-flavoured tale * WOMAN AND HOME * A peculiar and beautiful tale of art and magic * STYLIST.CO.UK * An oddly beautiful tale of magic and art, this reminded me of Alain-Fournier's Le Grand Meaulnes * Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of THE LAST ACT OF LOVE * Compulsive reading . . . rich, strange, beautiful * Helen Macdonald, author of H IS FOR HAWK * I devoured this book and it kept me guessing right to the very end . . . Line by line, Paraic's writing contains some of the most beautifully turned phrasing I've read in a long while * Laura Barnett, author of THE VERSIONS OF US * Dazzlingly inventive, compelling * Jane Casey, author of THE BURNING * Exquisite * Liz Nugent, author of LYING IN WAIT * The Maker of Swans combines through-the-looking-glass enchantment with Nabokovian dexterity. O'Donnell has written a mesmerizing book whose prose absolutely soars * Sandra Newman, author of THE COUNTRY OF ICE CREAM STAR * Sonorous, beautifully made, disquieting * THE SPECTATOR *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Orion Publishing Co
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
272 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4746-0103-0 (9781474601030)
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
E-Book
02/2016
1st Edition
Weidenfeld and Nicholson
€3.99
Available for download
Person
Paraic O'Donnell is a writer of fiction, poetry and criticism. His first novel, THE MAKER OF SWANS, was named the Amazon Rising Stars Debut of the Month for February 2016 and was shortlisted for the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards in the Newcomer of the Year category. His most recent novel, The House on Vesper Sands, was a Guardian and Observer book of the year for 2018. He lives in Wicklow, Ireland with his wife and two children.
http://paraicodonnell.com | @paraicodonnell
http://paraicodonnell.com | @paraicodonnell