An Equal Stillness

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Format:	Hardback 240 pages

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Synopsis

Jennet Mallow is born in Yorkshire in the 1920s but her interest in art and creativity alienates her from her family, her father who is a priest, her conventional sister and her emotionally stunted mother. Jennet moves to London in search of a more exciting life and finds it in her new environment and in the handsome and enigmatic figure of the painter David Heaton. When Jennet falls pregnant, her parents more or less force the two to marry. In the postwar austerity of the 1940s, the young couple struggles to make ends meet and Jennet finds that her home life is gradually eroding everything she has fought to achieve. Aware that David is becoming increasingly reliant on drink and tired of the dank and drab bedsit in which they live, Jennet suggests they move to Spain. There, the bright blue skies, warm air and sunlit beaches give the couple and their children a new lease of life. Jennet begins to paint again and an agent takes an interest in her work. But as Jennet's own career begins to take off, her relationship with David sours and the two enter a destructive spiral with tragic consequences. Written in the form of a biography, An Equal Stillness is an outstanding debut, breathtaking in the poise and beauty of its language and craft.

Book details

Published
29/01/2009

Publisher
Weidenfeld & Nicolson

ISBN
9780297855491

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'An Equal Stillness is pitch perfect. Kay describes Mallow's painting with an arresting intensity' -- Eithne Farry DAILY MAIL 'An enchanting life story... Exquisitely written: the descriptions of Jennet's work, paintings that never existed and the descriptions of colour are breathtaking.' DAILY EXPRESS 'it's the freshness of the prose, the insightfulness of the author, that makes this a very special book... A startlingly accomplished debut.' newbooks magazine 'a masterful portrait of a woman forging an unexpectedly dazzling career against the backdrop of familial duty' EASY LIVING 'Kay writes about art with a wonderful sensuality and relish' THE TIMES 'Kay's writing is beautifully intense' FINANCIAL TIMES 'a compelling, vivid portrait' THE GUARDIAN 'Francesca Kay's impressive first novel is a fictional biography... The descriptions of artworks are remarkable. Colour is evoked with amazing subtlety.' THE INDEPENDENT 'the most beautiful, accomplished debut I have read for a long time... It is a powerful novel by a supremely talented artist.' -- Francesca Segal THE OBSERVER 'the author successfully shares with us her delight in the world.' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'This is a story of genius amid domesticity that will resonate with readers on a fundamental level. We're thrilled to recommend this book and are excited to see what Francesca Kay does next.' -- Mishal Husain Orange Chair of Judges, BBC World News presenter 'Ms Kay has an unusual ability to ignite the imagination. A passion for art and a gift for depicting the landscape of paint are what make the book stand out.' THE ECONOMIST

About the author

Francesca Kay

Francesca Kay grew up in South-east Asia and India and has subsequently lived in Jamaica, the United States, Germany and Ireland. She now lives in Oxford with her family and works in British-Irish relations.