September 2016 Debut of the Month
In a Nutshell: Unfathomable mystery | Timeless fairy tale quest
An elegantly atmospheric page-turner that will have readers rooting for main character, Max, and intoxicated by its exquisite style.
When people start vanishing from all corners of the globe, leaving only a puddle of clothes, the world is thrown into utter shock and confusion. But, while the scientist Seekers research this chilling phenomenon, and people continue to disappear, “children did not vanish.” And one child in particular might just hold the key to understanding – and stopping – the Vanishings…
After spending years working within the research programme, former Seeker Boris is alerted to the fact that the cause of the Vanishings might be a boy who was abandoned in a bookshop at birth. No one wants to adopt this “spooky baby” until the Mulgan’s come to the Orpanab Centre and name him Max. After discovering that he’s adopted, Max is haunted by dreams of his genetic mum and dad, his “Forever Parents”. Max’s fractured life begins to make a strange kind of sense when a man in a bookshop remarks, “when you read you discover who you really are”. This turns out to be entirely true when Max discovers a storybook brimming with enticingly disturbing tales of the Beginning Woods. While his adoptive parents implore him to “start living in the real world”, Max knows that his reality lies within the world laid bare in this book: he is of the Beginning Woods, and to the Woods he must return. The question is, can Max survive its terrifying magic and solve the mystery of the Vanishings?
At once visceral and philosophical, this impressive debut is suffused with the wit and timelessness of The Princess Bride and will surely be relished by Neil Gaiman fans. ~ Joanne Owen
A Piece of Passion from Adam Freudenheim, Publisher, Pushkin Books 'Malcolm McNeill's stand-alone fantasy is an exceptional book, I believe. This is a book for anyone - child, teenager or adult - still in love with stories and enchanted by the power of stories. With its beautifully designed cover and part-title pages thanks to the amazing Helen Crawford-White I hope you also find it a pleasure to hold! You have a real treat in store - enjoy!'
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