Synopses & Reviews
Jane Gardam's marvelous stories of young girls on the threshold of womanhood —
God on the Rocks and
Crusoe's Daughter — have delighted her many readers. These "modern classics" (
The Independent) are now joined by another novel that is equally fresh and vivid, comic and touching.
Jessica Vye introduces herself on the first page by announcing, "I ought to tell you at the beginning that I am not quite normal, having had a violent experience at the age of nine." Jessica's "violent experience," a prescient prediction of her future, colors her school days and her understanding of the adult world around her, as does the war raging in Europe. It's a time of rationing and restrictions, of uncomfortable dresses, restrained essays, and dusty tea shops.
Young Jessica has been told by a revered author that she is "beyond all possible doubts" a born writer. The proof being her refusal to conform, her compulsion to tell the absolute truth, and her dedication to noting her experiences. This she knew. What she doesn't know is that the experiences which now enrich and sustain her talent will one day lead to a new and wholly unexpected reality.
Review
"The qualities for which Gardam is cherished (the quirkiness, the bright-eyed wonder at reality) are already apparent in this early work." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Gardam understands the beauty of coaxing something to unfold over time, and trusts her readers with the patience to watch her stories grow." The Millions
Review
"Her passion and fiercely individual voice make her more than the run-of-the-mill teenage heroine, and make A Long Way from Verona far more than just another coming-of-age story." Bustle
Synopsis
I ought to tell you at the beginning that I am not quite normal having had a violent experience at the age of nine'
Jessica Vye's 'violent experience' colors her schooldays and her reaction to the world around her- a confining world of Order Marks, wartime restrictions, viyella dresses, nicely-restrained essays and dusty tea shops. For Jessica she has been told that she is 'beyond all possible doubt', a born writer. With her inability to conform, her absolute compulsion to tell the truth and her dedication to accurately noting her experiences, she knows this anyway. But what she doesn't know is that the experiences that sustain and enrich her burgeoning talent will one day lead to a new- and entirely unexpected- reality."
Synopsis
Jane Gardam's marvelous stories of young girls on the threshold of womanhood--God on the Rocks and Crusoe's Daughter--have delighted fans and critics alike. These "modern classics" (The Independent) are now joined by a new novel that is equally fresh and genuine, comic and touching.
Jessica Vye introduces herself with an enigmatic pronouncement: "I ought to tell you at the beginning that I am not quite normal, having had a violent experience at the age of nine." A revered author has told Jessica that she is, beyond all doubt, a born writer. This proves an accurate prediction of the future, one that indelibly colors her life at school and her preception of the world.
Jessica has always known that her destiny would be shaped by her refusal to conform, her compulsion to tell the absolute truth, and her dedication to observing the strange wartime world that surrounds her. What she doesn't know, however, is that the experiences and ideas that set her apart will also lead her to a new and wholly unexpected life. Told with grace and inimitable wit, A Long Way to Verona is a wise and vivid portrait of adolescent discovery and impending adulthood.
About the Author
Jane Gardam is the only author to have twice been awarded Britain's prestigious Costa (formerly Whitbread) Award for Best Novel. She was also a Booker prize finalist. Her novel The Man in the Wooden Hat was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times book prize and Old Filth was a finalist for the Orange Prize and a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. She lives in the south of England near the sea.