The Blasphemer by Nigel Farndale
SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA NOVEL AWARD & A RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK FOR FANS OF ATONEMENT, BIRDSONG, IN MEMORIAM AND ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE 'A book that won't leave your fingernails intact...a terrifically exciting and thought-provoking must-read' DAILY MAIL 'A great achievement...To take on the First World War and make it fresh is remarkable.' MELVYN BRAGG ____ On its way to the Galapagos Islands, a light aircraft ditches into the sea. As the water floods through the cabin, zoologist Daniel Kennedy faces an impossible choice – should he save himself, or Nancy, the woman he loves? In a parallel narrative, it is 1917 and Daniel’s great-grandfather Andrew is preparing to go over the top at Passchendaele. He, too, will have his courage tested, and must live with the moral consequences of his actions. When Daniel returns to London, the past and the present collide, as Daniel tries to make sense of something he saw while swimming to safety that he cannot explain. Indeed nothing will make sense - either for Daniel or his great-grandfather - until they prove themselves capable of altruism, and deserving of forgiveness. It is a question of courage. It is a question of love. It is a question of having the faith to endure... _____ Readers say: 'Really gripping ... I recommend it very warmly to anyone who likes an involving, intelligent, thoughtful and thought-provoking read.' 'A beautifully constructed and written novel with some very fine touches and linked themes...quite remarkable for a first work' 'The author treats the reader with intelligence and offers an intricate tale with convincing, flawed characters making difficult choices and dealing with the consequences' 'Really superb...Usually I feel you have to choose a book that is ether a page turning immersive read OR has beautiful writing and thought provoking themes. It is rare to find a book that provides both. The Blasphemer is that book.'
A great achievement..To take on the First World War as so very many have done and make it fresh is remarkable. -- Melvyn Bragg
Does suspense exceptionally well, and it's a book that won't leave your fingernails intact...a terrifically exciting and thought-provoking must-read -- John Harding * Daily Mail *
This perfectly constructed drama explores the moralities around unconditional love and self-preservation. And it also weaves an intricate story of redemption starting in the trenches at Passchendaele and continuing till Britain's current terror threat...storytelling at its best. * News of the World *
A fine novel; strange and unforgettable. -- Kate Saunders * The Times *
Ignites with an energy that should ensure short-listing in the next Man Booker Prize....Farndale's evocation of trench warfare surpasses Sebastian Faulks's Birdsong...Of the book's many accomplishments perhaps the strongest is the writing itself. Exquisite and luminous...Farndale gives a master class in the power of literature to illuminate the physical world and the human soul. * The Australian *
Does suspense exceptionally well, and it's a book that won't leave your fingernails intact...a terrifically exciting and thought-provoking must-read -- John Harding * Daily Mail *
This perfectly constructed drama explores the moralities around unconditional love and self-preservation. And it also weaves an intricate story of redemption starting in the trenches at Passchendaele and continuing till Britain's current terror threat...storytelling at its best. * News of the World *
A fine novel; strange and unforgettable. -- Kate Saunders * The Times *
Ignites with an energy that should ensure short-listing in the next Man Booker Prize....Farndale's evocation of trench warfare surpasses Sebastian Faulks's Birdsong...Of the book's many accomplishments perhaps the strongest is the writing itself. Exquisite and luminous...Farndale gives a master class in the power of literature to illuminate the physical world and the human soul. * The Australian *
Nigel Farndale was born and raised in the Yorkshire Dales where he farmed with his father and grandfather, a veteran of the Trenches. He is the author of Haw-Haw: The Tragedy of William and Margaret Joyce, a biography shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. He now lives on the Hampshire-Sussex border with his wife and their three children.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780552776172 |
| ISBN 10 | 0552776173 |
| Title | The Blasphemer |
| Author | Nigel Farndale |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Transworld Publishers Ltd |
| Year published | 2011-01-06 |
| Number of pages | 496 |
| Prizes | Short-listed for Costa Novel Award 2010 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |