LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
Part exhilarating adventure, part literary puzzle, A Wild and True Relation by Kim Sherwood presents an inspired, inspiring romp through centuries as it tells the story of a woman who rises from being little orphan Molly to making myths that grip literary greats. Reeling with revenge, courage and incredible escapades, it’s a joyous, beautiful book.
Opening with a brutal scene of violence and flames, we meet Molly when she’s taken under the wing of smuggler Tom West: “I’ll take care of you… I couldn’t stop Dick English killing your mother. But I saw him dead for it. I know I’m not your father, but I swore the day you were born.
You’re mine, you understand? And you always will be. I’ll live up to my word”. Disguised as a boy called Orlando, Molly joins his crew and shows herself to be an indomitable force, bound for a life of revenge-fuelled adventure.
With interludes from writers intrigued by Molly/Orlando’s exploits, among them George Eliot, this dances with invention, wit and women’s voices.
Reviewed by Joanne OwenJoanne Owen’s lifelong love of reading and writing began when she was growing up in Pembrokeshire, and very much wished that witches (and Mrs Pepperpot) were real.
More reviews by Joanne Owen About A Wild & True Relation
Shortlisted for the Winston Graham Prize for Historical Fiction
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A Wild & True Relation Synopsis
Shortlisted for the Winston Graham Prize for Historical Fiction
'This book is a rarity - a novel as remarkable for the vigour of the storytelling as for its literary ambition. Kim Sherwood is a writer of capacity, potency and sophistication' HILARY MANTEL
A Wild & True Relation opens during the Great Storm of 1703, as smuggler Tom West confronts his lover Grace for betraying him to the Revenue. Leaving Grace's cottage in flames, he takes her orphaned daughter Molly on board ship disguised as a boy to join his crew. But Molly, or Orlando as she must call herself, will grow up to outshine all the men of Tom's company and seek revenge - and a legacy - all of her own.
Woven into Molly's story are the writers - from Celia Fiennes to Hester Thrale to George Eliot - who are transfixed by her myth and who, over three centuries, come together to solve the mystery of her life. With extraordinary verve and chutzpah, Sherwood remakes the eighteenth-century Heroical novel and challenges women's writing and women's roles throughout history.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780349015392 |
| Publication date: |
4th January 2024 |
| Author: |
Kim Sherwood |
| Publisher: |
Virago an imprint of Little, Brown |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
528 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Historical Fiction
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Press Reviews
Kim Sherwood Press Reviews
This book is a rarity - a novel as remarkable for the vigour of the storytelling as for its literary ambition. Kim Sherwood is a writer of capacity, potency and sophistication -- Hilary Mantel
A thrilling adventure novel that richly evokes the sights, sounds and smells of Devon at the turn of the eighteenth century. Smugglers, pirates and some cameos from some well-known writers - what's not to like! It presents swashbuckling action alongside reflections on authorship, agency and the powerful question of who gets to write history -- Fiona Mozley, Booker shortlisted author of ELMET and HOT STEW
I loved this tremendous book and devoured it in two days. Vividly imagined, relentlessly entertaining, rich and resonant in scope and context, it's both a thrilling adventure and a vital witness to women's voices -- Emma Stonex, author of THE LAMPLIGHTERS
It is a breathtaking feat of historical fiction, and an utterly astounding novel. It is wise, urgent and entirely compelling. I was bereft when it ended. If it does not win every prize for fiction next year, I will be amazed. - Wyl Menmuir, author of The Draw of the Sea
Author
About Kim Sherwood
Kim Sherwood was born in Camden in 1989 and lives in Bath. She studied Creative Writing at UEA, is now Senior Lecturer at the University of the West of England, and teaches prisoners. Her pieces have appeared in Mslexia, Lighthouse, and Going Down Swinging. Kim began researching and writing Testament, her first novel, after her grandfather, the actor George Baker, passed away and her grandmother began to talk about her experiences as a Holocaust Survivor for the first time. It won the 2016 Bath Novel Award.
Photo Credit: Rosie Sherwood
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