The Absolute Book
The instant classic and spellbinding fantasy from the bestselling author
1st Edition
Published on 18. March 2021
640 pages
978-1-4059-4725-1 (ISBN)
Description
DISCOVER THE ENCHANTING EPIC THAT WILL TRANSPORT YOU TO OTHER WORLDS . . .
'AN INSTANT CLASSIC' GUARDIAN
'BEWITCHING' THE TIMES
'MIND-BLOWING' LAINI TAYLOR
'ASTOUNDING' FRANCIS SPUFFORD
'GORGEOUSLY WRITTEN' DEBORAH HARKNESS
_______
Taryn Cornick barely remembers the family library. Since her sister was murdered, she's forgotten so much.
Now it's all coming back. The fire. The thief. The scroll box. People are asking questions about the library. Questions that might relate to her sister's murder.
And something called The Absolute Book.
A book in which secrets are written - and which everyone believes only she can find. They insist Taryn be the hunter. But she knows the truth.
She is the hunted . . .
_______
The Absolute Book is a tale of sisters, ancient blood, a forgotten library, murder, revenge and a book that might just have the answer to everything.
'An instant classic . . . A work to rank alongside other modern masterpieces of fantasy such as Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series or Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Everything fantasy should be: original, magical, well read, compelling' GUARDIAN
'Astonishing. Gripping. Hugely ambitious. An extraordinary conclusion. Admire the sheer scope and grandeur' DAILY MAIL
'A marvellous argument for stories. There are Norse gods, references to Merlin, a tour through purgatory and a strange parallel world where magic is real and humans are bit players in the clash of supernatural realms. Bewitching' THE TIMES
'Contains multitudes, spanning the geographies of Canada, Britain and New Zealand; the cosmologies of fairies, demons and angels; and the genres of thriller, domestic realism and epic fantasy . . . I'm in awe of it' NEW YORK TIMES Review of Books
'Intricately plotted and gorgeously written, THE ABSOLUTE BOOK has something for everyone . . . Here is a cinematic tale that is by turns dark and dreamlike, yet ultimately hopeful' DEBORAH HARKNESS, author of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES
'Fantastical' THE TIMES
'Savour and absorb the world Knox conjures' SUNDAY TIMES
'Gorgeous. The payoffs and reveals are mind-blowing' LAINI TAYLOR, author of DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
'An angelic book, an apocalyptic book, an astounding book' FRANCIS SPUFFORD
'AN INSTANT CLASSIC' GUARDIAN
'BEWITCHING' THE TIMES
'MIND-BLOWING' LAINI TAYLOR
'ASTOUNDING' FRANCIS SPUFFORD
'GORGEOUSLY WRITTEN' DEBORAH HARKNESS
_______
Taryn Cornick barely remembers the family library. Since her sister was murdered, she's forgotten so much.
Now it's all coming back. The fire. The thief. The scroll box. People are asking questions about the library. Questions that might relate to her sister's murder.
And something called The Absolute Book.
A book in which secrets are written - and which everyone believes only she can find. They insist Taryn be the hunter. But she knows the truth.
She is the hunted . . .
_______
The Absolute Book is a tale of sisters, ancient blood, a forgotten library, murder, revenge and a book that might just have the answer to everything.
'An instant classic . . . A work to rank alongside other modern masterpieces of fantasy such as Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series or Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Everything fantasy should be: original, magical, well read, compelling' GUARDIAN
'Astonishing. Gripping. Hugely ambitious. An extraordinary conclusion. Admire the sheer scope and grandeur' DAILY MAIL
'A marvellous argument for stories. There are Norse gods, references to Merlin, a tour through purgatory and a strange parallel world where magic is real and humans are bit players in the clash of supernatural realms. Bewitching' THE TIMES
'Contains multitudes, spanning the geographies of Canada, Britain and New Zealand; the cosmologies of fairies, demons and angels; and the genres of thriller, domestic realism and epic fantasy . . . I'm in awe of it' NEW YORK TIMES Review of Books
'Intricately plotted and gorgeously written, THE ABSOLUTE BOOK has something for everyone . . . Here is a cinematic tale that is by turns dark and dreamlike, yet ultimately hopeful' DEBORAH HARKNESS, author of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES
'Fantastical' THE TIMES
'Savour and absorb the world Knox conjures' SUNDAY TIMES
'Gorgeous. The payoffs and reveals are mind-blowing' LAINI TAYLOR, author of DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
'An angelic book, an apocalyptic book, an astounding book' FRANCIS SPUFFORD
Reviews / Votes
An INSTANT CLASSIC, a work to rank alongside other modern masterpieces of fantasy such as Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series or Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Everything fantasy should be: original, magical, well read, compelling * Guardian * Intricately plotted and gorgeously written, THE ABSOLUTE BOOK has something for everyone: the search for a mysterious book, talking ravens, police detectives and academics, gods and demons, a giant saltwater crocodile, the bucolic English countryside and magical gates to hidden worlds. Here is a cinematic tale that is by turns dark and dreamlike, yet ultimately hopeful -- Deborah Harkness * author of A Discovery of Witches * An angelic book, an apocalyptic book, an astounding book -- Francis Spufford Gripping and hugely ambitious, the broad narrative flood sweeps us on to an extraordinary conclusion * Daily Mail * Gorgeous. The payoffs and reveals are mind-blowing -- Laini Taylor * author of Daughter of Smoke and Bone * A marvellous argument for stories. There are Norse gods, references to Merlin, a tour through purgatory and a strange parallel world where magic is real and humans are bit players in the clash of supernatural realms. Bewitching * The Times * A magical book; doors between worlds; talking birds, vicious fairies and a trip to Purgatory. Stuffed with literary allusion and mythic echoes from the Norse legends to Alan Garner, straddling dimensions and hopping genres with ease, this is a one-of-a-kind fantasy novel that's worth getting lost in * Guardian, 50 Hottest Books * Epic, imaginative and exquisitely written, this is a feat of fantastical world-building * Daily Express * Reminded me of how I felt reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell or His Dark Materials - this is a masterpiece -- Dan Kois * Slate * A triumph. Book where the best hearts meet the best minds meet the best imaginations are few and far between -- Pip AdamMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
File size
1,31 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-4059-4725-1 (9781405947251)
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
Elizabeth Knox
The Absolute Book
'An INSTANT CLASSIC, to rank [with] masterpieces of fantasy such as HIS DARK MATERIALS or JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR NORRELL' GUARDIAN
Book
03/2021
Michael Joseph Ltd
€38.56
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Person
Elizabeth Knox is the author of thirteen novels, three novellas, and a collection of essays. The Vintner's Luck won the Deutz Medal for Fiction and was longlisted for The Women's Prize. Elizabeth is an Arts Foundation Laureate, was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002 and was recently appointed Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours. She lives in Wellington with her husband and son. The Absolute Book is already a bestseller in her native New Zealand.
