The Liminal Space

This is the second novel from Jacquie McRae whose first novel was internationally recognised, and whose short fiction has been published in Huia Short Stories (2009 and 2013) and Nga Hau e Wha Stories on the Four Winds (2016. A timely novel, The Liminal Space is about connection, identity, hope and the transformative power of stories, especially the ones we tell ourselves. A story with human emotion and warmth at its centre, recognising everyday heroes of their own lives.

In a small village, there are whispers that William is not who he says he is. He was once a doctor, but now he only prescribes books – for Emily, Marco and James, whose lives have become entangled with his. They have all been thrown into a liminal space and can no longer stay as they are.In a small village, there are whispers in the market square that William is not who he says he is. They say he skinny-dips and talks to trees. He was once a doctor, but now he only prescribes books – for Emily, Marco and James, whose lives have become entangled with his. Emily is in a troubled relationship and has spent most of her life sheltering in the library. James is coming undone as he struggles to live up to his father’s expectations. While Marco, who measures his self-worth by the size of his bank account, has returned to the village with nothing. They have all been thrown into a liminal space and can no longer stay as they are. This is a tale about the power of stories – especially the ones we tell ourselves.