After Me Comes the Flood
From the author of The Essex Serpent
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Profile Books Ltd
Published:2nd Nov '17
Should be back in stock very soon
A man named John Cole leaves his old life behind, only to find himself in a strange community with mysterious intentions in After Me Comes the Flood.
In After Me Comes the Flood, the story unfolds on a sweltering summer day when John Cole makes a life-altering decision to abandon his mundane existence. He closes the doors of his bookshop, which has seen little customer activity, and sets off from London in search of something more meaningful. However, fate intervenes when his car breaks down on a desolate road, leaving him stranded and in need of assistance. As he wanders in search of help, he unexpectedly discovers a grand, albeit crumbling, house that seems to beckon him in.
Upon arriving at this peculiar residence, John is greeted warmly by its inhabitants, who appear to have been anticipating his arrival. They know him by name and have even prepared a room for him, which raises unsettling questions about their intentions. As John delves deeper into this enigmatic community, he begins to uncover the layers of mystery that shroud their existence. The more he learns, the more he realizes that this seemingly welcoming group harbors secrets that could alter the course of his life forever.
After Me Comes the Flood is a captivating exploration of isolation, identity, and the human psyche. The narrative weaves together elements of psychological complexity and a gently sinister atmosphere, drawing readers into a world where nothing is as it seems. This debut novel showcases the author's talent for creating a hauntingly immersive experience that lingers long after the last page is turned.
'A beautiful, dream-like narrative. Rarely do debut novels come as assured and impressive as this one. * Sarah Waters *
Just occasionally you pick up a novel that is inexplicably gripping from the first page - and Perry's debut is one of them -- Phil Barker * Sunday Times *
What makes this novel truly remarkable is its unique vision, its skilful and sophisticated characterisations, and the creation, without unseemly effects, of an atmosphere that will haunt the reader long after the final page * John Burnside, Guardian *
An original and haunting book ... a mix of elegant, alluring, but subtly sinister characters ... a talented writer * Daily Mail *
A dark, marvellous novel ... Perry evokes the oppressive atmosphere in precise, elegant prose ... This mesmeric quality recalls Sebald's writing, but Gothic-smudged ... It is not good for a first novel, just very good full stop. So pour yourself a cool drink and bask in a dazzling new writing talent. -- Catherine Blyth * Sunday Telegraph *
After Me Comes the Flood is written in deceptively straightforward prose that gradually yields a profound sense of foreboding. A house and the mysteries it contains; a disconcerting, dark reservoir to which everyone's attention returns; and a most unsettling sense of place - all made me think of Fowles' The Magus, Maxwell's The Chateau, and Woolf's To The Lighthouse. This is a book perhaps most deeply about the unknowability of others and of oneself - and one that, while highly disorienting and eerie, is also intensely warm. I loved it. -- Katherine Angel, author of UNMASTERED
Perry's debut successfully creates an air of real eeriness and tension ... the real pleasure here is in her insightful and convincing depiction of family. -- Lesley McDowell * Glasgow Herald *
Impossible to put down * Image Magazine *
Perry is a startlingly good writer. If she doesn't win the Booker prize one day, I'll be amazed. * Sophie Hannah *
Unsettling, thoughtful, eerie...strange and new...It's very clever and very intriguing. * Tim Pears *
- Short-listed for EDP Jarrold East Anglian Book Awards 2014 (UK)
- Long-listed for Guardian First Book Award 2014 (UK)
- Long-listed for NetGalley UK Book of the Year 2014 (UK)
- Long-listed for The Folio Prize 2015 (UK)
- Long-listed for New Angle Prize for Literature 2015 (UK)
ISBN: 9781781259559
Dimensions: 196mm x 128mm x 20mm
Weight: 170g
240 pages
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