[ book tip by Ann Morgan Ann Morgan ]

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The Separate Principle

Bullock, Emily

Book tip
In these troubled economic times, it’s difficult for many publishers to take risks. It’s particularly difficult for many in the book industry to put their weight (and money) behind new, untested writers, especially when their style or topic is more than a little off the beaten track. Which is why I’m particularly grateful to YouWriteOn for running its unprecedented 5,000-book free publishing scheme and giving the work of promising new writers such as Emily Bullock a chance to see the light. 

Set in a tuberculosis hospital on the Isle of Wight just before the start of the Second World War, The Separate Principle was never going to be an easy one to pitch. Add to this a gay love affair between two of the central characters and you have a book that is decidedly not mainstream.   

And thank God for that. While bookshop shelves are groaning with yet more trauma narratives and the ghost-written biographies of gurning celebrities, this compelling and haunting exploration of the poisonous power of secrets comes as a breath of fresh air. Minutely observed and crafted, this shocking portrayal of the unravelling of a community will draw readers into the world of the cornered and embittered Lillian, trapped by society’s expectations, the past and her own decisions into a marriage with a man she does not love.  

Weaving flawless historical detail and the louring power of her setting together, Bullock creates an absorbing and terrifying universe, which will stay with you long after you close the book. Bring on novel number two.

Genre: novel
Languages (book tip): English

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