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2014 McIlvanney Prize (nominee)
From the Women's Prize-shortlisted author of A Thousand Ships and Pandora's Jar comes a critically-acclaimed novel of grief, myth and Greek tragedy.
When you open up, who will you let in?
Alex Morris has lost everything:her relationship, her career and her faith in the future. Moving to Edinburgh to escape her demons, Alex takes a job teaching at a Pupil Referral Unit. It's a place for kids whose behaviour is so extreme that they cannot be taught in a normal classroom. Alex is fragile with grief and way out of her depth.
Her fourth-year students are troubled and violent. In desperation to reach them, Alex turns to the stories she knows best. Greek tragedy isn't the most obvious way to win over such damaged children, yet these tales of fate, family and vengeance speak directly to them.
Enthralled by the bloodthirsty justice of the ancient world, the teenagers begin to weave the threads of their own tragedy - one that Alex watches, helpless to prevent.
*** Shortlisted for the Deanston Scottish Crime Book of the Year Award 2014 ***
*** Longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2014 ***
Genre: Mystery
When you open up, who will you let in?
Alex Morris has lost everything:her relationship, her career and her faith in the future. Moving to Edinburgh to escape her demons, Alex takes a job teaching at a Pupil Referral Unit. It's a place for kids whose behaviour is so extreme that they cannot be taught in a normal classroom. Alex is fragile with grief and way out of her depth.
Her fourth-year students are troubled and violent. In desperation to reach them, Alex turns to the stories she knows best. Greek tragedy isn't the most obvious way to win over such damaged children, yet these tales of fate, family and vengeance speak directly to them.
Enthralled by the bloodthirsty justice of the ancient world, the teenagers begin to weave the threads of their own tragedy - one that Alex watches, helpless to prevent.
*** Shortlisted for the Deanston Scottish Crime Book of the Year Award 2014 ***
*** Longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2014 ***
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"A gripping thriller, but also a beautifully drawn portrait of grief and how we find our way back to life." - Madeline Miller
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