Looks at the techniques, methods and philosophies of some of the leading writers of modern fiction as revealed in essays by and interviews with the authors. The book takes a look at the creative powers and techniques of writers such as William Boyd, Mary Wesley, Fay Weldon and Hilary Mantel.
Clare Boylan's storytelling transforms ordinary experiences into extraordinary narratives, showcasing her unique imagination. Renowned for her compelling short stories, she stands alongside literary giants like Alistair MacLeod and Alice Munro. With over twenty years of publishing critically acclaimed works, Boylan's stories resonate universally, offering captivating insights into the human experience. Her ability to weave the magical into the mundane marks her as one of the most original short-story writers of her time.
For Nan, on the threshold of puberty, and her younger sister Mary, innocence blends uneasily with the trials of convent life and a shadowy knowledge of the facts of life. For their mother, buffeted by the whims of her tyrannical, unreliable husband, the days take on an unreal, dreamlike quality. And while Nellie, the Dickensian maid with a dubious past, regales the children with tales of her antics, home becomes a haven to a stream of unwelcome guests - as the dangerous depths of the adult world loom ever closer...
Exploring the complexities of marriage, this narrative intertwines a love story with thrilling elements, revealing the institution as a private dictatorship. It delves into the juxtaposition of love and fear, tenderness and tyranny, highlighting how these dynamics persist in a world that has undergone significant change. The book offers a profound analysis of relationships against the backdrop of shifting societal norms.
Mere Marie-Helene once turned her back on life, sealing up her heart in order to devote herself to God. Now the formidable Mother Superior of an Irish convent, she has, for some time, been experiencing grave doubts about her vocation. But when she meets Anna Murphy, the youngest-ever boarder, the little girl's solemn, poetic nature captivates her and she feels 'a storm break in her hollow heart'. Between them an unspoken allegiance is formed that will sustain each through the years as the Reverend Mother seeks to combat her growing spiritual aridity and as Anna develops the strength to resist the conventional demands of her background.
Clare Boylan expands on Charlotte Bronte's unfinished novel, "Emma," creating a gripping tale of mystery. When Conway Fitzgibbon and his daughter Matilda arrive at a ladies' school, their true identities spark intrigue. As a local lawyer and a widow delve into the mystery, they uncover life-altering truths set against 19th-century England.
To Eugene Rafferty, girls are like money - they have to be saved. Despite living in 1950s Dublin, his three daughters, Bridie, Kitty and Rose, seem doomed to a Victorian childhood. However, as fortunes decline the Rafferty's are forced to take in lodgers and these independent but eccentric outsiders introduce the girls to new experiences - sex and superstition, of spite, of true love and tragedy. For in a world caught between the aftershock of the war and the transforming liberalism of the 1960s there are two states of womanhood: single, and caught up in the comic and desperate search for a suitable husband, or married and enduring the claustrophobia of suburban life. Evoking the magic of childhood and adolescence with rare subtlety, wit and warmth, ROOM FOR A SINGLE LADY is both delightfully comic and genuinely moving.
