The long-awaited sequel to The Winshaw Legacy, the novel that introduced American readers to one of Britain's most exciting new writers--an acerbic, hilariously dark, and unflinching portrait of modern society. The novel opens in the early aughts: two ten-year-olds, Alison and Rachel, have a frightening encounter with the "Mad Bird Woman" who lives down the road. As the narrative progresses through time, the novel envelops others who are connected to the girls: Alison's mother, a has-been singer, competing on a hit reality TV show; Rachel's university mentor confronting her late husband's disastrously obsessive search for a German film he saw as a child; a young police constable investigating the seemingly accidental and unrelated deaths of two stand-up comedians; the ludicrously wealthy family who hire Rachel as a nanny--under whose immense London mansion Rachel will discover a dark and terrifying secret. Psychological insight, social commentary, vicious satire, and even surrealist horror are combined in this highly accomplished work to hold up a revealing, disquieting mirror to the world we live in today.
The long-awaited sequel to The Winshaw Legacy, the novel that introduced American readers to one of Britain's most exciting new writers--an acerbic, hilariously dark, and unflinching portrait of modern society. The novel opens in the early aughts: two ten-year-olds, Alison and Rachel, have a frightening encounter with the "Mad Bird Woman" who lives down the road. As the narrative progresses through time, the novel envelops others who are connected to the girls: Alison's mother, a has-been singer, competing on a hit reality TV show; Rachel's university mentor confronting her late husband's disastrously obsessive search for a German film he saw as a child; a young police constable investigating the seemingly accidental and unrelated deaths of two stand-up comedians; the ludicrously wealthy family who hire Rachel as a nanny--under whose immense London mansion Rachel will discover a dark and terrifying secret. Psychological insight, social commentary, vicious satire, and even surrealist horror are combined in this highly accomplished work to hold up a revealing, disquieting mirror to the world we live in today.
Jonathan Coe’s awards include the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, the Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger, the Prix Médicis Étranger, and the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Writing. He lives in London with his wife and their two daughters. www.jonathancoewriter.com
“Darkly funny. . . . An open-choked literary shotgun, doing the
maximum amount of satirical damage to the widest possible swath of
targets. . . . Maybe it's the perfect book for our time.”
—NPR
“A sequel of sorts to Coe’s The Winshaw Legacy. . . . Weighty
topics are leavened by a mischievous narrative and a gothic humor.”
—The New Yorker
“A novel bulging with comedic riches. . . . Richly enjoyable,
densely textured and thought-provoking entertainment.” —Financial
Times
“Raucous and ridiculous fun. . . . [Number 11] deepens and affirms
Coe’s reputation as the best English satirical novelist of our
times.” —The Spectator
“A reflection on all that is corrupt and dispiriting about modern
life—from free-market capitalism to social-media bullying. . . .
You can't stop reading. . . . I was haunted for days.” —Liz
Hoggard, The Independent
“A literary crossword puzzle of a political novel, disguised in the
form of a piece of fiction. . . . You’re in the presence of
Britain’s arguably best current novelist.” —The Buffalo News
“A very good book indeed. . . . What Victorians called ‘a condition
of England’ novel.” —The Times (London)
“Number 11 is undoubtedly a political novel. It is also an
interrogation of the purposes and efficacy of humour in exposing
society’s ills, and a spoof on horror B-movies (its deus ex machina
comes in the form of giant spiders).” —The Guardian
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