Sorrow and Bliss: Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2022

"The Most Wonderful, Heartbreakingly Gorgeous Novel of the Year" - Elizabeth Day, author of "Magpie"
"One of those read it in one sitting and tell all your friends kind of books" - Clare Chambers, author of "Small Pleasures"
"A raucously funny, beautifully written, emotion-bashing book" - The Times

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 28 April 2022
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN S PRIZE FOR FICTION


THE BOOK EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT




Just read it. It's unforgettable. India Knight, The Sunday Times


It is impossible to read this novel and not be moved. It is also impossible not to laugh out loud... Extraordinary. Guardian


Full of snappy one-liners but, at the same time, remarkably poignant. Craig Brown


Probably the best book you'll read this year. Mail on Sunday


Completely brilliant. I think every girl and woman should read it. Gillian Anderson


Exactly the book to read right now, when you need a laugh, but want to cry. Observer


The most wonderful, heart-breakingly gorgeous novel of the year. Elizabeth Day, author of Magpie


A raucously funny, beautifully written, emotion-bashing book. The Times


I was making a list of all the people I wanted to send it to, until I realised that I wanted to send it to everyone I know. Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House


One of those read it in one sitting and tell all your friends kind of books. Evening Standard


Patrick Melrose meets Fleabag. Brilliant. Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures


Everyone tells Martha Friel she is clever and beautiful, a brilliant writer who has been loved every day of her adult life by one man, her husband Patrick. A gift, her mother once said, not everybody gets.


So why is everything broken? Why is Martha - on the edge of 40 - friendless, practically jobless and so often sad? And why did Patrick decide to leave?


Maybe she is just too sensitive, someone who finds it harder to be alive than most people. Or maybe - as she has long believed - there is something wrong with her. Something that broke when a little bomb went off in her brain, at 17, and left her changed in a way that no doctor can explain.


Martha Friel is a talented writer who has been married to Patrick for most of her adult life. However, everything is not as it seems. Martha is friendless, jobless, and often sad. Patrick has decided to leave her, and Martha is left wondering why.


Some people believe that Martha is too sensitive, and that this is the reason why she is unable to maintain relationships. Others think that there may be something wrong with her, perhaps a brain injury that occurred when she was 17.


Martha has always been a talented writer, but her recent work has been met with criticism and disappointment. She has been unable to find a publisher for her latest novel, and her agent has dropped her. Martha is also struggling to cope with the loss of her mother, who passed away recently.


Despite these challenges, Martha refuses to give up. She continues to write, hoping that one day her work will be recognized and appreciated. She also seeks therapy to help her cope with her emotional struggles.


In conclusion, Martha Friel is a talented writer who has faced many challenges in her life. While some may believe that she is too sensitive or that there is something wrong with her, others recognize her talent and hope that she will continue to produce great work.

Weight: 260g
Dimension: 196 x 128 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474622998