Stubborn Archivist
Shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Little, Brown Book Group
Published:6th Feb '20
Should be back in stock very soon
This debut novel explores the challenges of identity and belonging, as the protagonist navigates her multicultural upbringing in Stubborn Archivist.
In Stubborn Archivist, the protagonist navigates the complexities of identity while growing up between cultures. The narrative unfolds as she grapples with her sense of belonging, often feeling like an outsider in her own life. The story is deeply rooted in her experiences with family, particularly her mother, grandmother, and aunt, who each play a significant role in shaping her understanding of herself and her heritage.
The novel explores the tension of living in a world where one's name is often mispronounced, reflecting a broader struggle for recognition and acceptance. As the protagonist confronts the challenges of her environment, she learns to articulate her experiences and emotions, revealing the impact of cultural displacement on her identity. The author skillfully weaves together personal history and family dynamics, creating a rich tapestry that highlights the nuances of growing up in a multicultural setting.
Ultimately, Stubborn Archivist is a poignant exploration of self-discovery and resilience. It invites readers to consider the ways in which we define ourselves amidst the complexities of our backgrounds and experiences. Through her journey, the protagonist emerges with a renewed sense of identity, illustrating the power of storytelling in understanding one's place in the world.
With an exceptionally light touch, the debut novelist Yara Rodrigues Fowler uses dialogue to sketch out a young woman's awkward attempts to articulate and reconcile different aspects of who she is . . . The novel ends with a tiny movement, a moment of discovery all the more tantalizing for remaining largely unexpressed, and this is undoubtedly the novel's strength: its ability to show something momentous - about cultural identity, sexual violence, racial prejudice - without seeming to say anything at all - TLS
Strikingly original - Sunday ExpressRodrigues Fowler's debut novel is a timely exploration of what it means to understand past and present and the delicate balance of embracing two cultures simultaneously...Original and thought-provoking, this is a book that's well worth your time - StylistYara Rodrigues Fowler has written something extraordinary, playing with structure to create an insightful, lyrical and visceral novel - Emerald StreetCompelling . . . it should delight anyone looking for a thoughtful, witty successor to Sally Rooney - ObserverStubborn Archivist is an intimate and wonderfully resourceful exploration of origins. In its quest to uncover what a person is made of it digs deeply into the living body, as well as tracing back through its tangled roots. Visceral and elegant, circumspect and vivid, Yara Rodrigues Fowler has a distinctly unhampered way of telling a story; I liked Stubborn Archivist very very much.I read Stubborn Archivist in a ravenous gulp. It's stunning: so articulate about what it means to live between two languages and countries, tenderly unravelling the knots of unbelonging.My goodness. Yara Rodrigues-Fowler has conjured a work of rare power, startlingly original form, and devastating beauty. This novel is a triumph- Short-listed for Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year 2019 (UK)
- Long-listed for Desmond Elliott Prize 2019 (UK)
- Long-listed for Dylan Thomas Prize 2020 (UK)
- Nominated for Rathbones Folio Prize 2020 (UK)
ISBN: 9780708899052
Dimensions: 196mm x 128mm x 30mm
Weight: 280g
368 pages