Untold Story

Monica Ali

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Featured on The Book Show on Sky Arts on 28 April 2011.

What if Princess Diana hadn't died? What if the tragedy in the Alma Tunnel never happened, and she were still alive today? Where would she be, and what would she be doing? This title takes the life of the world's most famous woman as a point of departure, imagining a future and examining the nature of celebrity, and the meaning of identity.

If you like Monica Ali you might also like to read books by Anne Enright, Ann Patchett and Tash Aw.

Synopsis

Untold Story by Monica Ali

What if Princess Diana hadn't died? Diana's life and marriage were fairy tale and nightmare. Adored by millions, in her personal life she suffered heartbreak and betrayal. Within a life of privilege, she frequently felt trapped and alone. Constrained by protocol and precedent, she refused to follow the rules. Untold Story takes the life of the world's most famous woman as a point of departure, examining the past and imagining a future. The fictional princess who is the novel's heroine is at breaking point and, believing that the Establishment is plotting her assassination, she makes an irrevocable decision: to stage her own death and begin a new life under an assumed identity. After a period of intense upheaval, Lydia (as she is known) settles in small town America and establishes a fragile peace. It is threatened by thoughts of what she has lost: not the glamour and glitz of royalty but that which is most precious - her children. She is, at least, safe in the knowledge - having altered her appearance and ten years after her 'death' - that her secret will never be uncovered. But then a chance encounter with a member of the paparazzi robs her of that certainty. Will he recognize her? Should she flee or remain calm? Is there anyone she can trust and turn to, or will she inevitably be betrayed? Untold Story is a novel about family and friendship, intrigue and obsession, the meaning of identity, and the peculiar calamity of fame.

Reviews

A thoughtful, compassionate and utterly untrashy piece of work. It is also...a suspenseful and gripping read. Suzi Feay, Financial Times A startlingly intelligent, perceptive and entertaining piece of fiction. It's quite brilliant. Henry Sutton, Daily Mirror Ali's third-person princess is a very convincing and sympathetic figure. The cat-and-mouse play between Lydia and [the paparazzo] Grabowski is extremely skilfully done. Tibor Fischer, Observer A terrific, clever, multi-layered and subtle book (and let's not forget - hugely entertaining!) Joanne Harris

About the Author

Monica Ali was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and grew up in England. She is one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists of the decade, Newcomer of the Year at the 2004 British Book Awards and has been nominated for most of the major literary prizes in Britain. Brick Lane was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, the George Orwell Prize for political writing and the prestigious Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

Internationally there has been similar recognition including, in the United States, the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times ‘First Fiction’ Prize where the book was shortlisted.

Monica Ali lives in London with her husband and two children, and is working on her next novel.

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Book Info

Publication date

31st March 2011

Author

Monica Ali

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Publisher

Doubleday an imprint of Transworld Publishers Ltd

Format

Hardback
352 pages

ISBN

9780385614597

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