'I once decided to become friends with someone on the sole basis that she named O Caledonia as her favourite book' Maggie O'Farrell
'A sparky, funny work of genius' Ali Smith
'The reader feels unalloyed joy on every page' Independent
At the bottom of a great stone staircase, dressed in her mother's black lace evening dress, twisted in murderous death, lies Janet. So end the sixteen years of Janet's short life.
A life spent in a draughty Scottish castle, where roses will not grow, and a jackdaw decides to live in the doll's house.
A life peopled by prettier, smoother-haired siblings, a Nanny with a face like the North Sea and the peculiar, whisky-swigging Cousin Lila.
A life where Janet is perpetually misunderstood - and must turn from people, to animals, to books, to her own wild and wonderful imagination.
A W&N Essential with an introduction by Maggie O'Farrell
'Funny, surprising, exquisitely written and brilliant on the smelly, absurd, harsh business of growing up' David Nicholls
'A wonderful oddity - brief, vivid, eccentric, written with ferocious zest and black humour' Penelope Lively
Readers love this classic:
'Macabre, funny and sad. Beautifully written' ?????
'Dizzying heights and depths of despair' ?????
'Poetically written ... I will read it over and over' ?????
'Poetic, magical, disturbing ... and comforting' ?????
'I am so happy that I chanced across this book, whilst simultaneously being devastated that I have only just discovered it' ?????
| ISBN: | 9781399640480 |
| Publication date: | 5th November 2026 |
| Author: | Elspeth Barker |
| Publisher: | Weidenfeld & Nicolson an imprint of Orion |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 224 pages |
| Series: | W&N Essentials |
| Primary Genre | Fantasy |
| Other Genres: |
'I once decided to become friends with someone on the sole basis that she named O Caledonia as her favourite book' Maggie O'Farrell 'A sparky, funny work of genius' Ali Smith'The reader feels unalloyed joy on every page' IndependentAt the bottom of a great stone staircase, dressed in her mother's black lace evening dress, twisted in murderous death, lies Janet. So end the sixteen years of Janet's short life.A life spent in a draughty Scottish castle, where roses will not grow, and a jackdaw decides to live in the doll's house.A life peopled by prettier, smoother-haired siblings, a Nanny with a face like the North Sea and the peculiar, whisky-swigging Cousin Lila.A life where Janet is perpetually misunderstood - and must turn from people, to animals, to books, to her own wild and wonderful imagination.A W&N Essential with an introduction by Maggie O'Farrell'Funny, surprising, exquisitely written and brilliant on the smelly, absurd, harsh business of growing up' David Nicholls'A wonderful oddity - brief, vivid, eccentric, written with ferocious zest and black humour' Penelope LivelyReaders love this classic:'Macabre, funny and sad.
O Caledonia features in the following genres: Classic fiction: general and literary, Fantasy, Narrative theme: Coming of age
Paperback. £9.89, down from the £10.99 cover price. Pre-order. 5th November 2026.
O Caledonia was written by Elspeth Barker and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson an imprint of Orion
O Caledonia has 224 pages
Yes it is part of W&N Essentials series
£9.89, reduced from £10.99. Pre-order. 5th November 2026.
