A vibrant, funny and compassionate debut from an exciting new literary voice, Keeping the House follows three generations of women as they navigate the complex and precarious heroin trade of North London.
Shortlisted for The British Book Awards 2022 Discover Book of the Year
Shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize for Book of the Year by a Writer of Colour 2022
Longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize 2022
Shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize 2022
Cabbages ... The Turkish variety are prized for their enlarged leaf bud, that's where we put the heroin ... There's a stash of heroin waiting to be imported, and no one seems sure what to do with it ...
But Ayla's a gardener, and she has a plan. Offering a fresh and funny take on the machinery of the North London heroin trade, Keeping the House lifts the lid on a covert world thriving just beneath notice: not only in McDonald's queues and men's clubs, but in spotless living rooms and whispering kitchens.
Spanning three generations, this is the story of the women who keep their family - and their family business - afloat, juggling everything from police surveillance to trickier questions of community, belonging and love.
Publisher: And Other Stories
ISBN: 9781913505080
Number of pages: 256
Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
‘Keeping the House is a truly beautiful debut. A mistress of deftly sketched characters that become whole humans in a few lines, Cin tells stories of working-class, inner-city life steeped in truth, emotion and vulnerability. She is one of a new generation of writers who see the splendour of these streets and articulate it with great majesty.’ Courttia Newland, Guardian Best Books of 2021 ---- ‘Crackling with energy . . . An exhilaratingly idiosyncratic first novel, Keeping the House has “cult classic” written all over it.’ Michael Donkor, The Guardian ---- ‘An enthralling read.’Fanny Blake, Daily Mail ---- ‘Cin has a gift for evocative writing.’ Michael Magras, Washington Post ---- ‘Rich and complex . . . There is treachery in Cin’s Tottenham but solidarity too.’ Stewart Home, 3:AM Magazine ---- ‘In her debut novel, Tice Cin weaves an extraordinary plot from the everyday lives in a community of Turkish Cypriots . . . Cin is capable of that gift that great storytellers have of bringing you into a world you may never inhabit, or even encounter, and make you feel that you are on first name terms with its whole population.’ John-Paul Davies, Buzz Magazine ---- ‘[Keeping the House] expertly interweaves questions about family, community, trauma and belonging into episodes that are often humorous, sometimes heart-breaking but always poetic.’ Kerri Logan, The Skinny ---- ‘This is a novel unapologetically specific to its depicted community, and, well, if you’re not going to let the author lead you, why do you read at all?’ Lisa McInerney, Stinging Fly ---- ‘An exciting new talent debuts with Keeping the House. This mercurial novel . . . has a raw energy and inconsistency . . . Cin makes a virtue of its unevenness, reflecting the patchwork, organic nature of a dynamic community.’ Alastair Mabott, Herald Scotland ---- ‘Tice Cin is a fine stylist . . . Keeping the House breaks free from drug-novel stereotypes to paint a fresh, fun and vivid picture of drug-dealing in today's Tottenham.’ Laura Waddell, The Scotsman ---- 'Keeping the House is such a bold and yet poignant read: musical, nimble, affectionate and (thank GOD) rule-breaking.' Lisa McInerney----'Written with immediacy and poignancy, this is a powerful debut from an exciting and compelling new voice, I loved it.' Salena Godden----'Tice Cin has arrived. With a style all her own and a confidence that radiates off each page, poetry that renders settings and characters incredibly vivid. No impression will escape you.' Derek Owusu----'Keeping The House drew me in from the first few lines. A glorious novel which thrums with feeling, illustrating the London community with a sharp and confident eye. Her characters are full and sure, and traverse their world with humour, boldness and love. Hope fills these pages.' Caleb Azumah Nelson, author of Open Water ----'A brilliantly enthralling read. Tice Cin's potent crime caper marks the arrival of an intoxicating new voice.' Irenosen Okojie, author of Nudibranch----Bookseller quotes:----'A bold and assured debut that rethinks what a crime novel can be.' Ollie Simpson, Pages of Hackney-----'Tice Cin fuses wild lyricism with dreamy romance in a form as voracious and alive as her characters.' So Mayer, Burley Fisher Books ----'A swirling collage of a novel that explores the dark side of a London community with great energy and warmth.' Kate Ellis, Brick Lane Bookshop ----'The Great Tottenham Novel exists and it's called Keeping the House. I loved it.' Gary Perry, Foyles ----'Cin's natural poetry and the unique rhythm of her storytelling weave a spellbinding narrative through several generations of Turkish Cypriot family. A captivating read from a powerful new voice!' Antony Hurley, Burley Fisher Books
Would you like to proceed to the App store to download the Waterstones App?