Inventive, fantastical... memorable

[A] dashing, magical debut . . . intricately plotted, and peopled with intriguing characters and cunning clockwork

One of the best books I've read this year. Atmospheric, engaging, and elegantly written, this amazing tale of a clockmaker whose son possesses unusual talents is completely unforgettable.

An original coming-of-age tale... enjoyable and imaginative debut

I just fell in love with it within the first two sentences . . . When a book does that to you, when it really grabs you, it's just so powerful . . . this book is like the love child of Charles Dickens and Isabel Allende

Packed with intrigue, vividly drawn characters and heartstopping emotion, this beautifully written, ingeniously crafted debut is absolutely enthralling

Fans of eccentrically flavoured historical fiction with a touch of magic are in for a treat with this bustling Dickensian debut about a boy born with the ability to see into the minds of everyone he meets and which spans 18th-century Europe, from London to Constantinople.

Lusk is already an accomplished and award-winning short story writer, and it shows in the scope of his world-building, and the emotional depth of his characters . . . a novel that confidently plays with elements of magical realism and historical fantasy, offering the reader an enthralling journey and an enchanting protagonist.

An exhilarating magic carpet ride to 18th century Constantinople

Beautifully written, with brilliant characters and this very lush feel . . . really transports you to a different time and place.

The main thing that struck me was the beauty of the relationship between father and son . . . that was what pulled me in, I desperately wanted them to be reunited. It was heart-breaking

[A] transporting, beguiling historical mystery fans of Anna Mazzola will devour

Wild, bewitching and propulsive, Sean Lusk's drama of prophetic visions, exotic feats of engineering, transgressive desire and familial love is one of those novels that makes you rejoice that we are a storytelling species. The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley, peopled with vivid characters and sumptuously-imagined scenery is a triumph of the imagination, of language, and of generosity.

A superb debut...fans of magical realism will love this

An original and unique tale that blends historical fiction with magical realism and steampunk. Moreover, it features tragedy, humour, and adventure, amongst a Dickensian backdrop whilst remaining accessible to a large audience; there is something for everyone.

With a cast of colourful characters who are guaranteed to charm, this hugely entertaining book is full of imagination, adventure, wit and warmth.

Flavoured with characters of Dickensian brilliance...One taste, you'll be addicted.

A classic tale of adventure...chock full of brilliant characters, atmospheric descriptions and fascinating facts. The result is a joy to read

A superb historical novel... Sean Lusk has a bright future ahead of him.

A rich detailed and vibrant tale of a young man finding himself against the backdrop of 18th century London and Constantinople

Brilliant

I loved it - so good

Glorious

Beautiful

Like [William] Trevor, a wry wit permeates Flannery's storytelling

Flannery's depiction of the sounds, smells and seediness of the typical seaside resort is sharp and vivid

Charming and empathetic . . . Flannery's immense skill lies in her ability to inhabit such a wide range of characters, stepping into their shoes and capturing the nuance of each voice, each set of hopes and dreams and private, devastating heartaches

THIS BOOK is EVERYTHING. The characters are painfully, beautifully real, the writing is IMPECCABLE. Brutally honest about what we want for ourselves versus what we actually get, I LOVED it

Blackly funny

Impossibly compelling

My book of the year . . . I loved every page

Flannery excels at working that counterpoint of dark and light, comedy in the face of tragedy . . . A brilliant debut

Quietly beautiful . . . Flannery's characters are very well drawn, as is her understanding of small-town mores and idle gossip. It's a book that leaves and impression long after the final page

An amazing story

A touching contemporary fiction following one woman's journey back into the world

A timely and poignant book about trauma, loneliness, and stepping outside of our comfort zones - literally

An optimistic, feel-good novel

[A] satisfying debut. The endearing characters offer a sensitive portrayal of what it means to live with mental health issues... with heart to spare

Feverishly exhilarating stuff

With her unparalleled gift for sumptuous, sublime prose, Groff paints an engrossing portrait of a woman who, despite living in a world bound by constraints, experiences a life rich with passion and creativity. Surrounded by a supportive sisterhood, Marie uses strength and ingenuity to subvert the oppression of the patriarchy

Utterly absorbing

Splendid with rich description and period vocabulary, this courageous and spin-tingling novel shows an incredible range for Groff (FLORIDA, 2018), and will envelop readers fully in Marie's world, interior and exterior, all senses lit up. It is both a complete departure and an easy-to-envision tale of faith, power, and temptation.

In this bildungsroman about the real-life 12th-century poet Marie de France, a teenage Marie is exiled to a blighted Benedictine nunnery, where she finds strength and power as a prioress

Powerful, sapphic historical novel . . . Richly realized with historical details that don't overwhelm

Readers will recognize her stunning prose and grand, mythic perspective. . . . in a tale that feels both ancient and urgent, as holy as it is deeply human

The pages are almost completely devoid of men - seen, but not heard - with Groff using poetic, melodic and yet fierce writing to breathe volume into themes of power, ambition and success from the perspective of women

[A] propulsive, enchanting, and emotionally charged read

A clever spin on the story of Marie de France

I loved this accomplished piece of storytelling. So much so, I added it to my Booker wish list at the last minute, a wish not fulfilled, of course

Matrix is a rich, beautifully written novel about ambition and desire, and also witchy separatist medieval nuns

Mesmerizing and inspiring

Medieval life can seem far from our modern grasp, but Groff vividly describes the daily workings of the convent, from prayers to practical chores. She has done her research and it shows in the rich details she provides of working the fields, preparing meals, governing novices . . . magical, a beautiful evocation of what women can achieve and what they can mean to each other

[A] feminist foray into a medieval nunnery that is stunning in its labyrinthine artistry and sensual tracing of life as lived during the era of the poet Marie de France and the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine

Must-read

A[n] artful writer, Groff has no need for fantastic artifice to construct a world without men. She . . . gives us an extraordinary protagonist . . . Anyone who has read Groff's previous novels and stories knows that this author's greatest virtue is her economy of prose. A disciplined writer . . . If "Eleanor's best currency is story," that goes double for Groff . . . Groff's "Matrix" simultaneously transports us to a backward world that once was and the grim future that seems inevitable. And all this through the eyes of a group of extraordinary women who decline to live lives of quiet desperation

[A] transcendently beautiful novel with sensuality, religious ecstasy, gender and power explorations, and a fair bit of tasteful gore. It's surprisingly delicious to read fiction about a historical figure we know so little about

I'm on page 17 and now nothing else matters . . . Once you have this book in your hands I feel certain you too will be consumed

[D]reamy prose . . . At its heart, the book's message is simple: joy can exist in darkness

Richly imaginative

[A] relentless exhibition of Groff's freakish talent . . . an unforgettable book . . . ecstatic, refulgent, God-struck, heretical

[A] creative, intelligent work that will last

The real Marie de France may continue to elude historians but the speculative fiction in Matrix combine to produce an unfailingly absorbing novel

An uplifting novel in its own unique way, and up there with Groff's best work

Matrix forms an intensely focused character study, but also succeeds as a probing exploration of female power

A beautiful and beguiling novel that transports the listener utterly and completely to another world

Against a convincingly filthy and precarious medieval backdrop, Marie is a figure of dazzling complexity