Author:J M Coetzee

In a South Africa torn by civil war, Michael K sets out to take his mother back to her rural home. On the way there she dies, leaving him alone in an anarchic world of brutal roving armies. Imprisoned, Michael is unable to bear confinement and escapes, determined to live with dignity. Life and Times of Michael K goes to the centre of human experience - the need for an interior, spiritual life, for some connections to the world in which we live, and for purity of vision.
'This is a truly astonishing novel... I finished Life & Times of Michael K in a state of elation, for all the misery and suffering it contains. I cannot recommend it highly enough' Evening Standard
A strong and memorable novel
—— GuardianIt strikes deep inside the heart...The story is clean, clear, straight, the work of a mature imagination at full power...here is a book that will be celebrated for a long time
—— Mail on SundayThis is a trule astonishing novel... I finished Life & Times of Michael K in a state of elation, for all the misery and suffering it contains. I cannot recommend it highly enough
—— Evening StandardBeautifully written in a strong, plain, unpretentious style...distinguished by grim humour and powerful understatement
—— Sunday ExpressThe quality of Coetzee's writing lies in his inner vision: dark, passionately compassionate, concerned with the nature of man
—— Financial TimesI was captivated by this tale of books, friendship and the search for happy endings
—— Woman & HomeA heartwarming tale about literature's power to transform
—— PeopleA celebration of people who read to help them survive and thrive
—— Sainsbury's MagazineA heartwarming and utterly charming debut... This gentle, intelligent Midwestern tale will captivate... An ideal book group selection, it reminds us why we are book lovers and why it's nice to read a few happy endings
—— Library Journal, starred reviewBivald encourages us to look for adventure in both literature and life... Charming
—— LadyAn international bestseller, this quirky, offbeat novel about books, with its wry humour and wonderful characters, is a delicious read
—— Choice MagazineCharmingly original....sweet, quirky
—— Washington PostThis is a charming novel for book lovers from all walks of life… As you journey through the pages, weaving Little Women, Harry Potter, Jodi Picoult, Jane Austen, Steig Larsson and Proust around the storyline, you’ll find yourself rooting for the beautifully drawn characters, smiling at the wry humour and applauding the ending
—— Candis MagazineCharming and relatable
—— Mel Mitchell , NudgeYou’ll love it
—— Catherine Small , Irish NewsA wonderful tale.
—— Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan , Daily ExpressFunny, fashionable, fabulous - my beach read pick for the summer!
—— Jane GreenThis Years The Devil Wears Prada
—— Vanity FairLethally funny with sass to spare
—— Daily Mail[a] brilliant and claustrophobic novel
—— VICEone to watch out for
—— The IndependentA very impressive, must read for fans of STATION ELEVEN, so unsettling but subtle too. I loved FIND ME…
—— Eva Dolana moving, and frequently funny, exploration of character and of trauma
—— Independentso compelling ... an unforgettable debut
—— Irish Independenta wonderful read
—— Nina Allan , InterzoneLike Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale or Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, van den Berg’s debut novel presents a frighteningly plausible near-future dystopia grounded in human elements… heartbreakingly real and compellingly wrought
—— Library JournalFind Me, her transfixing first novel, is in keeping with her short stories thematically, and yet, in its deep soundings, it’s a commanding departure. . . Van den Berg’s enveloping novel of a plague and a seeker in an endangered world reveals what it feels like to grow up unwanted and unknown in a civilization hell-bent on self-destruction. It is also a beautifully strange, sad, and provocative inquiry into our failure to love, cherish, and protect. But ultimately, Find Me is a delving story of courage, persistence, and hope
—— BooklistIn Find Me, van den Berg depicts a life slowly coming into focus—it’s blurry and impressionistic at times, sometimes deliriously scattered. But out of the fog of memory and the haze of drugs emerges a sense of clarity that’s deep and moving and real
—— The Boston GlobeFrom this memorable novel's eerie first paragraph to its enigmatic ending, Laura van den Berg has invented something beautiful indeed
—— LA TimesThis is one of my favorite novels of 2015, and we’re not even IN 2015 yet . . .The language is beautiful, spare, and carefully crafted, and the characters are fully realized and unforgettable. There is tension and redemption and insight and even humor in these pages, and they make for a really incredible read
—— BookriotSurreal adventures blend with a reflective and sad sensibility in van den Berg’s lyrical debut novel
—— Library JournalBoth novels offer precision of language and metaphor and scene even as what is being constructed feels messy, chaotic, sad, hopeless... Both orphaned and alone in the world, both so completely real, both telling a story that feels important and exciting to read. I feel lucky to have stumbled upon these books this year, and challenged by them to be better
—— The MillionsThis debut novel by acclaimed short story writer van den Berg tends to lean much closer to the realms of literary fiction with its complex psychology. . . Van den Berg's writing is curiously beautiful
—— Kirkusa strange beauty in this apocalyptic tale
—— Psychologies






