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Linger Awhile

A surreal exploration of love and technology

Russell Hoban author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:15th Jan '07

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Linger Awhile cover

In Linger Awhile, an elderly man attempts to resurrect a long-dead actress, leading to surreal encounters and unexpected complications in modern Soho.

In Linger Awhile, readers are drawn into a surreal narrative that explores the intersection of love, technology, and the supernatural. The story revolves around eighty-three-year-old Irving Goodman, who finds himself infatuated with Justine Trimble, an actress who has been deceased for nearly half a century. Despite the insurmountable odds, Irving is determined to bring Justine back to life, enlisting the help of Istvan Fallok, a tech wizard who manages to pull her from the confines of a vintage television screen into the vibrant world of modern-day Soho. However, the twist is that Justine appears in black-and-white, and she requires a continuous supply of color to exist fully in this new reality.

As the plot unfolds, the narrative takes a darker turn, revealing the complexities of maintaining Justine's existence. Irving and his companions must find unconventional ways to keep her vibrant, leading to encounters with unsuspecting passersby. The introduction of Grace Kowalski, who brings a second version of Justine into the mix, complicates matters further. The story's tension escalates as the police begin to take an interest in the bizarre happenings surrounding Irving and his friends.

Linger Awhile is not just a tale of love and longing; it is a commentary on the lengths to which one might go to grasp the impossible. With its unique blend of fantasy and reality, the novel challenges readers to ponder the nature of existence, the impact of technology on our lives, and the enduring power of love, even across the boundaries of life and death.

'By far the most imaginative novelist in Britain' Independent 'Hoban is the best sort of genius ... Long indeed may he linger' Guardian 'The primary pleasure of this book and of Hoban's writing in general is the unsullied joy at the strange great coincidence of life that breathes through every sentence. "I find it impossible to stop writing," states the author in his afterword. And thank heavens for that' Independent 'Fiercely comic and darkly moving. The real London that underpins the book has rarely seemed so alive with possibility ... Linger Awhile reasserts the novel's subversive and transgressive power but also restores its ability to sustain and entertain Scottish Sunday Herald

ISBN: 9780747585770

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

176 pages

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