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Grimus
Grimus
Jan 12, 2026 8:08 AM

Author:Salman Rushdie,Adam Sims

Grimus

Brought to you by Penguin.

The extraordinary literary debut of Salman Rushdie

Flapping Eagle is a young Axona Indian gifted with immortal life after drinking an elixir from his wayward sister. But after 777 years of sailing the world's seas, he becomes weary of life, and sets out to find the mystical Calf Island, a place where his fellow immortals have gathered and created their own version of the human race.

But Calf Island is a strange place - like its inhabitants, it is both blessed and cursed. Sensing a terrible darkness at the heart of the island, Flapping Eagle sets out to scale the island's peak and confront its mysterious and potent creator, Grimus himself.

'A mixture of science fiction and folktale, past and future, primitive and present day... Grimus is a parallel form of life, and conjuring of an alternative society' Financial Times

© Salman Rushdie 1975 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Reviews

A satisfyingly sweeping novel that still manages to push the form in new directions. As good as anything he's written - a novel to cherish

—— Observer

Effortlessly pleasurable and deceptively simple. Mr Wilder & Me doesn't lack resonance, yet stays light on its feet. The whole book feels like some marvellous party where you ricochet from one good conversation to another

—— The Times

A coming of age story which offers a fascinating insight into fame - and the perils of an industry in flux

—— Daily Telegraph

One of my favourite writers . . . a thoughtful tender read

—— Good Housekeeping

Salman Rushdie is a magnificent writer. He has a free-ranging imagination and a coarse, strong wit. He attackes language with energy and without constraint

—— Independent

Shame is and is not about Pakistan, that invented, imaginary country... The theme is shame and shamelessness, born from the violence which is modern history. Revelation and obscurity, affairs of honour, blushings of all parts, the recession of erotic life, the open violence of public life, create the extraordinary Rushdie mood

—— Guardian

Every bit as good as Midnight's Children

—— The Times

Moving . . . French's best yet

—— Good Housekeeping

The final scenes are so perfectly executed they almost broke my heart. Because of You is a story to cherish

—— Sunday Express

Told with French's unfailing wit and warmth, Because Of You is the tale of family bonds and the mother-daughter relationships that ultimately make us who we are

—— Independent

Brilliant . . . a moving read that will stay with you long after you've finished the last page

—— Closer

A fantastic page-turner

—— Mail on Sunday

Beautifully observed

—— The Times

Wise and poignant, Because of You is a story about mothers and daughter, love and loss, mistakes and regrets, and family bonds

—— Eastern Daily Press

A must-read story told with compassion and heart

—— Sunday Express

French always writes so melodically about the truth of human nature . . . French manages to pick your heart up with the nib of her pen and slowly pull it apart, heart-wrenchingly, page by page . . . A true writing talent

—— My Weekly

An emotionally charged story - and a heartbreaking twist at the end

—— Hello!

A warmly told story about the bond between mothers and daughters

—— Evening Standard

Warm, witty and wise . . . I raced through

—— Daily Mail

A powerful and emotional book

—— Good Housekeeping

A bright, brilliant and heartbreaking tale of two mothers, two babies and the far-reaching consequences of one fateful day

—— Yahoo! Style

A beautifully powerful story about mothers, family and sacrifice

—— Sun

An uplifting story about mothers and daughters and familial relationships, in which two very different women give birth to two very similar daughters on the same night

—— Woman & Home

Arresting page-turner

—— Best

A novel her fans are sure to love

—— Woman's Weekly

A story of love, identity and belonging

—— i

Heartbreaking and humorous in equal measures

—— Boundless

A bouncy, comedy drama. Funny, poignant and bursting with joie de vivre

—— Daily Mail

A thought-provoking read . . . shows the true extent of motherly love

—— Publishers Association

Dawn French moves between the aftermath of that fateful night and 18 years later, when the explosive impact of Hope's actions is finally felt

—— Daily Express

A heartfelt story, handled so carefully and empathetically

—— Aisling Bea

Because Of You is a tale told with warmth by a storyteller who never takes herself too seriously

—— Sunday Express

Heartbreaking but redemptive, and lightened by French's trademark humour, this is a compelling read that will keep you poised between laughter and tears

—— Daily Mail

A tantalising story of motherhood told with Dawn French's signature warmth

—— Sainsbury's Magazine

As ever, even in the darkest of times, Dawn has found humour to inject into her novel

—— Best

A brilliant book

—— Good Housekeeping

The life-affirming and unmissable new novel

—— Eastern Daily Press

A tale told with warmth

—— Daily Record

While Dawn French's latest novel contains a dash of humour, it's also heart-wrenching

—— The Hunsbury Handbook

A fabulous emotional tearjerker of a novel

—— Silversurfers

Praise for Dawn French

—— -

Hilarious and brilliant

—— Woman & Home

I adored According to YES. It's so different to anything I've read in forever, so charming, wise, brilliantly written. I loved it all

—— Marian Keyes

Witty and wise, it'll have you burning the midnight oil. A cracker

—— Woman's Weekly

Very funny and packs an emotional clout. Brilliant!

—— Heat

An enlightening and feel-good read offering a fresh look at life and how to embrace it. Funny and enjoyable to the end

—— We Love This Book

There is lots of fun to be had reading this book. It's impossible not to warm to Rosie, a funny and open-hearted woman who acts as a salve and comfort blanket for this unhappy, inhibited family. There's something quite joyous about the way she unashamedly romps her way through the novel, changing the lives of those around her for the better

—— Express

Another hilarious novel!

—— Bella

French can spin a yarn . . . which sets According to YES apart. Think the vicar of Dibley, without the dog collar. YES YES YES indeed

—— Independent

Wise and poignant

—— Beyond the Joke

Heart-warming

—— Choice Magazine
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