Mere by Danielle Giles

Mere by Danielle Giles

Set in 10th-century Norfolk, when a young boy goes missing on the fens, talk of a devil's curse quickly gains momentum amongst the nuns he served in their isolated convent . . .

A dark and disturbing tale set in an East Anglian abbey in Dark Ages England, where the old pagan Gods are meeting a fledgling ChristianityA supernatural mystery, a political power struggle, a romance, a woman bringing compassion and healing to a brutal world, and fenland ripe with stagnant secrets. Beautifully written, you will be drawn into the claustrophobic world of the mere, where sinners fear the retribution of both God and the devil. -- Laura Shepherd-Robinson, bestselling author of The Square of Sevens
It is rare for an author to fully recreate the strangeness of the past, but Danielle Giles has done exactly that. Through eerie, beautiful writing, she takes readers on a mystery in Medieval Norfolk, until, like the proud, resourceful women of this novel, one can't help but be swallowed into one of the damp mouths of the mere. This is a gem of a novel. -- Costanza Casati, bestselling author of Babylonia
Chilling, dark and immersive, I raced through Mere. I loved the originality of the story and the brave and unexpected use of language. Such a treat of a novel -- Rosanna Pike, bestselling author of A Little Trickerie
Mere is a deftly written, stirring debut novel and a folk tale I'd yearn to hear around a campfire. Haunting and beautiful, it is a deeply affecting read that will stay with me for a long time to come. Even in Mere's brutality, there is a rare tenderness to be found -- Lucy Rose, bestselling author of The Lamb
This is an artful and atmospheric novel that reveals uncomfortable truths about the way we lived then and, for the thoughtful, the way we live now -- Annie Garthwaite, author of Cecily
This is historical fiction at its most captivating. Mere is a story about fear and survival, each page crackling with intrigue . . . Simmering with secrets and ultimately love, I was swept away by this book -- Molly Aitken, author of Bright I Burn
Danielle Giles has created a captivating world that pulls the reader in as strongly as the mere itself, and the characters feel imprinted on my mind. This is a book filled with gentle magic, gentle horror, gentle love, and I adored it from beginning to end -- Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women
Atmospheric, gorgeously mystical, Danielle Giles spins the tale of Mere with poetic perfection. A beautiful story of hope in the midst of darkness and decay. -- Isabelle Schuler, author of Lady MacBethad
Mere is a stunning debut novel. As the old pagan world of dark magic collides with the fragile faith of a group of nuns isolated in the treacherous fenlands of Norfolk in the 10th century, the community struggle to survive. At its heart is a forbidden and passionate love story which held me captivated to the last page. -- Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardo
Dark, evocative and atmospheric - I loved it! -- JJA Harwood, bestselling author of The Shadow in the Glass

Danielle Giles is a writer and researcher based in Bristol. She has been published (writing as Danielle Vrublevskis) in Extra Teeth and Dear Damsels, shortlisted for the Bristol Short Story Prize and the Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize, and longlisted for the Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize. She won the Local Prize in the 2023 Bath Short Story Award. Mere is her first novel.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781035051229
ISBN 10	1035051222
Title	Mere
Author	Danielle Giles
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Pan Macmillan
Year published	2025-04-03
Number of pages	384
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.