The Incredible Kindness of Paper
A Novel
Published on 11. September 2025
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-6680-8190-7 (ISBN)
Description
For fans of Matt Haig and Clare Pooley, an enchanting novel about a pair of long-lost childhood friends who find themselves magically linked through origami flowers as adults-from the New York Times bestselling author of the "tug-at-your-heartstrings winner" (Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author) The Hundred Loves of Juliet.
Can one random act of kindness change the trajectory of a life?
In elementary school, Chloe Hanako Quinn is assigned Oliver Jones as her pen pal partner. Before sending her letter, she also whispers a note into it...and he hears her. Little does she know it would be the beginning of a friendship that would bloom into something more. That is, until disaster strikes, and Oliver and his family disappear without a trace.
Now over twenty years later, Chloe is a high school guidance counselor in New York City. But life in the Big Apple is not what she dreamed it would be as she faces a layoff, rising rent, a situationship, and loneliness. Desperate for encouragement, she gives herself a pep talk via uplifting messages written on yellow origami paper that she folds into roses. When one of the roses unexpectedly finds its way to a neighbor in need of cheering up, a desire to spread kindness and optimism is sparked in Chloe, who begins folding more roses and leaving them around town.
Across the city, Oliver has picked himself up from the rough circumstances that forced him to leave everything behind as a teenager-including Chloe. Now a successful financial analyst, Oliver's past continues to haunt him. But when the city is suddenly inundated with yellow origami roses, a specific one finds its way into his hands and changes his life forever...
Can one random act of kindness change the trajectory of a life?
In elementary school, Chloe Hanako Quinn is assigned Oliver Jones as her pen pal partner. Before sending her letter, she also whispers a note into it...and he hears her. Little does she know it would be the beginning of a friendship that would bloom into something more. That is, until disaster strikes, and Oliver and his family disappear without a trace.
Now over twenty years later, Chloe is a high school guidance counselor in New York City. But life in the Big Apple is not what she dreamed it would be as she faces a layoff, rising rent, a situationship, and loneliness. Desperate for encouragement, she gives herself a pep talk via uplifting messages written on yellow origami paper that she folds into roses. When one of the roses unexpectedly finds its way to a neighbor in need of cheering up, a desire to spread kindness and optimism is sparked in Chloe, who begins folding more roses and leaving them around town.
Across the city, Oliver has picked himself up from the rough circumstances that forced him to leave everything behind as a teenager-including Chloe. Now a successful financial analyst, Oliver's past continues to haunt him. But when the city is suddenly inundated with yellow origami roses, a specific one finds its way into his hands and changes his life forever...
Reviews / Votes
"Even the greatest skeptics of happily ever after stories will fall hard for The Incredible Kindness of Paper. . . . Beautifully written, cleverly crafted, creatively detailed. Even on an overcast day, this story will leave you feeling as if the sunshine decided to make an appearance and stay for the long haul." -- Alka Joshi, international bestselling author of THE HENNA ARTIST and SIX DAYS IN BOMBAY "Full of joy, whimsy, and just the right dash of magic. This sweet tale is more than a great comfort read-it also serves as a powerful reminder that small acts of generosity can have a lasting impact." -- Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of OONA OUT OF ORDER "I don't think I've ever read a book quite like THE INCREDIBLE KINDNESS OF PAPER. It gripped me from the very beginning with its beautiful prose and heartfelt characters. It's touching and whimsical, and it's exactly what the world needs right now." -- Ethan Joella, author of THE SAME BRIGHT STARS "THE INCREDIBLE KINDNESS OF PAPER is a sweet confection of a story, filled with heart." -- Nikki Erlick, New York Times bestselling author of THE MEASURE and THE POPPY FIELDS "Infused with heartfelt magic, like Matt Haig's THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY." * Woman's World * "Perfect for the end of summer, this feel-good novel will be in bookstores in August...It's just the book you need-beautifully drawn characters and prose and a smile-inducing story." * Newsweek, "Favorite Books to Read on Summer Vacation 2025" * "Sure to put a smile on your face and uplift your spirit." * Club Calvi Book Club on CBS * "Delightful . . . Readers are in for a treat." * Publishers Weekly * "A cozy, uplifting tale that is as romantic as it is sincere. THE INCREDIBLE KINDNESS OF PAPER celebrates human connection and hope, all with a touch of enchantment." * Booklist * "A heartfelt, feel-good novel full of warmth [and] wonder. Perfect for anyone in need of a little hope." * Library Journal (starred review) *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Simon & Schuster
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 233 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
354 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6680-8190-7 (9781668081907)
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
08/2025
Atria/Emily Bestler Books
€13.84
Available for download
Person
Evelyn Skye is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including The Incredible Kindness of Paper and The Hundred Loves of Juliet. A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, her books have been published worldwide and translated into sixteen languages. Find out more at EvelynSkye.com.