A bold, utterly unforgettable novel about new beginnings and the survival of hope that’s already a huge hit with our booksellers, The Stranding tells the story of one woman’s extraordinary journey as the world reels from a seismic catastrophic event.
Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 2021
Her world fell to pieces. From the bones she built a new life.
Ruth lives in the heart of the city. Working, drinking, falling in love: the rhythm of her vivid and complicated life is set against a background hum of darkening news reports from which she deliberately turns away.
When a new romance becomes claustrophobic, Ruth chooses to leave behind the failing relationship, but also her beloved friends and family, and travels to the other side of the world in pursuit of her dream life working with whales in New Zealand.
But when Ruth arrives, the news cycle she has been ignoring for so long is now the new reality. Far from home and with no real hope of survival, she finds herself climbing into the mouth of a beached whale alongside a stranger. When she emerges, it is to a landscape that bears no relation to the world they knew before.
When all has been razed to the ground, what does it mean to build a life?
The Stranding is a story about the hope that can remain even when the world is changed beyond recognition.
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 9781529340686
Number of pages: 368
Weight: 260 g
Dimensions: 198 x 128 x 26 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
It's GORGEOUS and original and captivating . . . Beautiful writing and characters I cared for as if they were my own family - Marian Keyes, international bestselling author of Grown Ups
The Stranding is a breathtaking book about relationships, love and human resilience at the end of the world; it's beautifully written and I know I'll be thinking about it for a very long time! - Lex Croucher, author of Reputation
Powerful, atmospheric and utterly transfixing - Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
The Stranding is an original, compelling and brilliantly written story. I loved the dual timelines of 'before' and 'after' and could not put it down. It's a thought-provoking and timely read, about hope, survival and the human spirit - Aliya Ali-Afzal, author of Would I Lie To You
I didn't want this book to end. It blew me away, and moved me beyond belief. I want to read it again and again and again - Bryony Gordon, author of Mad Girl
Original, visceral, rich with themes of refuge and redemption, it's a beautifully imagined story about the hiding places in our hearts and minds - Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters.
Beautiful and harrowing but also optimistic and extremely moving . . . a truly arresting depiction of an unlikely relationship - Clover Stroud, author of The Wild Other
A quiet, piercing contemplation on what really matters when it comes to the end of the world. Strange and beautiful - Abigail Dean, author of Girl A
Beautifully written, it's truly something special - Stylist
A terrific debut. Brave, unexpected . . . transfixing and captivation . . . full of hope, resilience and love - The Sunday Times
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