“An eloquent testament to the dangerous power of both art and myth.”—Elizabeth Lowry, The Times Literary Supplement
Short listed for the Man Booker Prize
A spellbinding novel, at once sweeping and intimate, from the Booker Prize–winning author of Possession, that spans the Victorian era through the World War I years, and centers around a famous children’s book author and the passions, betrayals, and secrets that tear apart the people she loves.
When Olive Wellwood’s oldest son discovers a runaway named Philip sketching in the basement of the new Victoria and Albert Museum—a talented working-class boy who could be a character out of one of Olive’s magical tales—she takes him into the storybook world of her family and friends.
But the joyful bacchanals Olive hosts at her rambling country house—and the separate, private books she writes for each of her seven children—conceal more treachery and darkness than Philip has ever imagined. As these lives—of adults and children alike—unfold, lies are revealed, hearts are broken, and the damaging truth about the Wellwoods slowly emerges. But their personal struggles, their hidden desires, will soon be eclipsed by far greater forces, as the tides turn across Europe and a golden era comes to an end.
Taking us from the cliff-lined shores of England to Paris, Munich, and the trenches of the Somme, The Children’s Book is a deeply affecting story of a singular family, played out against the great, rippling tides of the day. It is a masterly literary achievement by one of our most essential writers.
A.S. Byatt is internationally acclaimed as a novelist, short-story writer and critic. Her books include Possession and the quartet of The Virgin in the Garden, Still Life, Babel Tower and A Whistling Woman. She was appointed Dame of the British Empire in 1999.
Meet the author on her book tour.
Am enjoying the hell out of this book. I thought I was off on some post-modern Peter Pan trip, but it becomes more complex and challenging with each chapter, But don’t we all? Congratulations,
What is up with the bizarre punctuation in this novel? It is very distracting. Are times so hard that Knopf can’t afford a copy editor, or is it intentional, i.e., “artsy”? Here’s an example:
Phoebe Methley said “We propose to speak on your behalf to Mrs. Fludd, and make the arrangements clear and satisfactory.”
Elsie said slowly
“There’s been a great deal of talking about me behind my back.”
Where are the commas?
MK: The punctuation is definitely intentional. I’m not sure if Byatt has always punctuated dialogue in this manner, but she feels very strongly about the way it is done in The Children’s Book, and you’ll find that the punctuation is, in its own way, consistent throughout the book. I hope you are able to adjust.