Author:Sarah Maguire
* A POETRY BOOK SOCIETY SPECIAL COMMENDATION *
Sarah Maguire’s first collection, Spilt Milk, established her as one of the most original voices in British poetry, and led to her being chosen as one of the New Generation Poets. Three critically acclaimed volumes have since followed – The Invisible Mender, The Florist’s at Midnight and The Pomegranates of Kandahar – to form a lucid, lyrical and rich body of work remarkable for its intelligence and artistry.
This welcome selection of Maguire’s poems spans time and continents – from the ‘bare flanks’ of the Thames at low tide to the night streets of Marrakech – bringing us the sights and sounds of distant lands, as well as taking us to the very heart of human feeling.
Verdant in imagery and imagination, this is poetry of extraordinary precision and power – fully attuned to ‘that precious music, / the pitch of flesh / on flesh’.
Almost the Equinox is a bouquet gathered over time. These beautiful poems belong together- in a way that is rarely the case with selected poems
—— Kate Kellaway , ObserverSimple ideas braided with complexity
—— Jeanette Winterson , Guardian[Maguire] observes the physical world and the definitive failure of human choices with equal clarity… These are love poems to the world.
—— Fiona Sampson , New StatesmanSharp, witty and beautifully written, it only takes moments to fall head first into the beautiful style of Pillow Man.
—— We Love This BookA raw account of the male emotional landscape.
—— Liza Hoggard , IndependentNick Coleman has a wonderful feel for the sights, sounds and stenches of modern London, and an extraordinary talent for making prosaic things poetic.
—— Kate Saunders , Saga MagazineA tender, thoughtful first novel about love, death - and the appeal of fresh, crisp Egyptian cotton bed sheets.
—— Daily MailNick Coleman makes his fiction debut with an enjoyably offbeat romance set in modern London
—— 4 stars , MetroIt's a beautifully written, thoroughly modern and witty exploration of love, relationships and getting older, with no sign of cheesiness or sentimentality.
—— UK Press SyndicationThis is a remarkable novel, that rare kind where you both want to reach the end for answers but also to savour every page. I cannot recommend it enough.
—— Rosamund Urwin , Evening StandardWritten with compelling simplicity.
—— Kerry Fowler , Sainsbury's MagazineCleverly constructed, carefully written and deservedly longlisted for this year’s Booker Prize.
—— Harry Ritchie , Daily MailClegg's story is frequently affecting.
—— James Kidd , IndependentAt times a harrowing read, the slow and deliberate manner with which connections are revealed and questions answered is genuinely satisfying. By the time Clegg’s narrative strands converge, the glimpse that he grants of a brighter future feels earned.
—— Stephanie Cross , LadyAn emotionally resonant debut.
—— Sunday TimesA moving lament on guilt and grief, not to mention a gripping thriller.
—— Harpers BazaarA sad yet hopeful novel built from both suffering and kindness.
—— Erica Wagner , New StatesmanPoignant and haunting debut.
—— Suzi Farry , Sunday ExpressClegg shows an impressive depth and range of voice as he tells a story of friendships, broken families, burgeoning love, and the aftermath of grief.
—— Mail on SundayDeeply moving.
—— PsychologiesClegg is committed to unravelling the complexities of human nature.
—— Janette Currie , Independent on SundayThrough distinctive and instantly recognisable characters, this novel finds beauty in pain, grief and regret.
—— UK Press SyndicationA true beauty of a novel.
—— Georgina Lane , Belle About TownClegg writes with warmth and a deep understanding of grief.
—— Saga MagazineWonderful narrative of chance, grief, and the ways we feed on and nourish each other.
—— John Burnside , New StatesmanFabulous.
—— James Kidd , IndependentTold its heart-breaking tale with tenderness and verve.
—— Alex Preston , ObserverA work full of secrets, shame and scandal.
—— Fiona Wilson , The TimesA story of what can be found when so much has been snatched away.
—— Kerry Fowler , Sainsbury’s MagazineA meditation on enduring the unendurable… This is a wonderful and deeply moving novel.
—— Clare Clark , GuardianA beautiful, heart-rending novel of quiet, understated tragedy… Sensitive and insightful, heart-breaking and hopeful… [A] tender, wise and hopeful novel.
—— Hannah Beckerman , Observer