Pearl

Marianne, eight, loses her mother and struggles to adjust, fixated on her disappearance and her father's secrets. She discovers a medieval poem called Pearl and sets out to make a visual illustration of it, but it never completes. Her childhood home begins to crumble, leading her down a path of self-destruction. Can art heal Marianne and help her find peace?

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 04 July 2024
Publisher: The Indigo Press

Marianne, a young girl of eight, experiences a profound loss when her mother disappears. Left alone with her baby brother and her grieving father in a dilapidated house on the outskirts of a small village, Marianne clings to the remnants of her mother's love, such as the scent of fresh herbs, the games they used to play, and the songs and stories of her childhood. As time goes by, Marianne finds it difficult to move on, fixated on her mother's disappearance and the secrets she believes her father is concealing from her. She discovers a medieval poem called "Pearl" and places her faith in its promise of solace. Marianne sets out to create a visual representation of the poem, but despite her repeated attempts, she is unable to complete it. Tormented by an unmarked gravestone in an abandoned chapel and the allure of the river, Marianne's childhood home begins to fall apart as the past leads her down a path of self-destruction. However, can art truly heal Marianne, and will her future role as a mother provide her with the peace she seeks?

Weight: 162g
Dimension: 196 x 129 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781911648802