One of the manuscripts that struck deepest chords in me last year was Sylvia Brownrigg’s new novel, MORALITY TALE, now published in the US by Counterpoint and coming soon in the UK from Picador. It’s gratifying to read such strong reviews in The New York Times:“Divinely deadpan…Brownrigg’s writing will remind readers of Carol Shields whose quirky adjectives gave texture to her writing in a way that seemed effortlessly engaging and astute.”
and San Francisco Chronicle: “Curious, teasing, idiosyncratic and strangely charming…It’s a witty parable, a slight but subtle dissection of modern marriage…Illuminated by its sympathy toward its oddly innocent cast of characters, it presents the dilemmas of daily commitment and redemption in a form even burnt-out cynics might find palatable.”
MORALITY TALE was also featured in The Bookseller as a July fiction highlight: “This is a sensitive novel of temptation, yearning and guilt portraying how unlooked-for love can devastate a life.” MORALITY TALE displays a much lighter and wittier style than Brownrigg’s acclaimed previous novel, “The Delivery Room“, and I think it will appeal to a wider readership, while still advancing Brownrigg’s reputation on both sides of the Atlantic. She has been praised by Michael Chabon as having “perfect pitch, and she sees with amazing depth and tenderness into the hearts of her real-as-real characters – and into the reader’s heart too.” Over a single weekend last September, I savoured every word of MORALITY TALE. It’s deeply romantic and passionate without being at all cloying or sentimental; instructive and illuminating with out being overly moralistic; and warm and funny without ever being frivolous or unrealistic. And the surprise ending takes place during the outbreak of a rainstorm so vividly conveyed that you can smell and taste it in the air. All translation rights to MORALITY TALE are available and I hope foreign editors will now take notice. You can read more about Sylvia Brownrigg and her novels on her excellent website.
