A Trip to the Park/Come Home with Me (Storycuts)

Nov 6, 2025 5:08 AM

Author:Elvi Rhodes

In 'A Trip to the Park', Cassie is excited to arrive in New York, but disappointed when her fiance's job takes him away from her on her first weekend in the city. He makes her promise she'll stay in the apartment where she'll be safe, but she can't resist a little walk around Central Park - she is here to see the sights, after all. There she meets Dan, who manages to persuade her that he should show her the sights of the city. She knows Richard would be cross, but what harm could come of it?

In 'Come Home With Me', when Genevieve meets Nicholas, she can't believe her luck. Everything about their relationship seems just perfect. But when the time comes to introduce him to her family, she is sure that will be the end of them. Her family are so completely mad - there's no way he'll want anything to do with her after that! Or perhaps she shouldn't be so quick to assume what he is thinking...

Part of the Storycuts series, these two short stories were previously published in the collection Summer Promise and Other Stories.

Reviews

A more ambitious novel than Captain Corelli, and a better one

—— Financial Times

A mesmerising patchwork of horror, humour and humanity

—— Independent

A magnificent, poetic, colossal novel... Superbly written... It is, in every sense, a sublime book

—— Irish Times

His most serious and ambitious achievement to date

—— Times Literary Supplement

Pleasurable... Like Steinbeck, de Bernières deserves praise for his imaginative sympathy

—— Independent on Sunday

Shafak will challenge Paulo Coelho's dominance

—— The Independent

An honour killing is at the centre of this stunning novel... Exotic, evocative and utterly gripping

—— The Times

Lushly and memorably magic-realist... This is an extraordinarily skilfully crafted and ambitious narrative

—— The Independent

The book calls to mind The Color Purple in the fierceness of its engagement with male violence and its determination to see its characters to a better place. But Shafak is closer to Isabel Allende in spirit, confidence and charm. Her portrayal of Muslim cultures, both traditional and globalising, is as hopeful as it is politically sophisticated. This alone should gain her the world audience she has long deserved

—— The Guardian

In Honour, Shafak treats an important, absorbing subject in a fast-paced, internationally familiar style that will make it accessible to a wide readership

—— Sunday Times

Fascinating and gripping - a wonderful novel

—— Rosamund Lupton, author of Sister

Vivid storytelling... that explores the darkest aspects of faith and love

—— Sunday Telegraph

Moving, subtle and ultimately hopeful, Honour is further proof that Shafak is the most exciting Turkish novelist to reach western readers in years

—— Irish Times

Previous Article：Changing Times Next Article：Nurse Anna's War

Comments

Welcome to zzdbook comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.