Paradise Block

In "Paradise Block," a collection of thirteen surreal stories, Chris Power explores a strange and unsettling world where mold grows thick along the walls, alarms ring out at unexpected hours, and neighbors are not what they seem. The stories feature lonely residents longing for connection in a topsy-turvy world where flea traps are more important than babies and sales calls for luxury coffins provide a welcome distraction.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 03 February 2022
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Winner of the Edge Hill Readers' Choice Prize 2021, this captivating collection delves into a profound and enigmatic realm, infusing it with vigor, humor, and heartfelt emotion. The atmosphere within the confines of Paradise Block becomes suffocatingly dense, as mold thrives along the walls, alarms blare at unanticipated times, and the neighbors present a peculiar façade. A young bride finds herself frustrated with her unappreciative husband, who serves as the caretaker of the creaking, dilapidated Paradise Block. Meanwhile, a little girl boils an endless supply of eggs in their burnt-out flat, an isolated old woman captivates a new friend with gifts of cutlery and cufflinks, and a peculiar character entices a young woman with promises of a luxurious coffin.

Through a haunting sense of place and a keen appreciation for the absurd, these thirteen surreal stories transport us to a realm where the importance of flea traps surpasses that of babies, and sales calls for opulent coffins offer a delightful respite from the ordinary. The residents of Paradise Block, despite their proximity, yearn for genuine connection and fulfillment.

Weight: 198g
Dimension: 130 x 199 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788165556
Edition number: Main