Strangers at the Port: From one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists

Strangers at the Port is a novel by Lauren Aimee Curtis that was named a Telegraph Book of the Year 2023. It is set on a remote island and tells the story of Giulia and Giovanna, two sisters who live there with their donkey, and how their lives are changed when men arrive and a foreign yacht anchors at the port. The novel explores themes of myth, memory, suspicion, dislocation, and emigrants and explorers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 03 August 2023
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

This novel truly captivated me. It is the work of a true original, LUCIE ELVEN. I thoroughly enjoyed Strangers at the Port. It is both spare and complex, weaving a tale that encompasses both the past and a glimpse into the future.

SARA BAUME praised Strangers at the Port, describing it as "deliciously spare, yet complex." She noted that it is a story that explores both the past and a vision of the future.

Giulia, the protagonist of the novel, is a ten-year-old girl who lives on the greenest island in a volcanic archipelago. She has never left the island, and her closest companion is a donkey named Donato. Giulia adorns Donato with ribbons and dreams of marrying him when the time comes.

The sisters' days on the island are characterized by ritual, community, superstition, and isolation. The island feels like a time capsule, filled with verdant landscapes, abundant flora, and a peaceful atmosphere. However, everything changes when men arrive, a foreign yacht anchors at the port, and the vines begin to fail.

Strangers at the Port is an exquisite, enchanting, atmospheric novel that delves into themes of myth and memory, suspicion and dislocation, emigrants and explorers. Author Lauren Aimee Curtis skillfully brings her alchemical knack to a remote island setting, recounting the story through three vantage points. Giulia and Giovanna's acidic and beguiling accounts of the island's rituals and lore contrast with a third teller's fragmented logbooks, which form a feverish autobiography.

Curtis' radiant novel explores the ineffable dimensions of a place, of the past, of a person, which is precisely what I seek in literature. MIREILLE JUCHAU also praised Strangers at the Port, stating that it is a novel that "brings the reader into the heart of a mysterious and evocative place." She noted that Curtis' writing is "rich with sensory details and evocative imagery," allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the world of the island.

In conclusion, Strangers at the Port is a remarkable novel that has left a lasting impression on readers. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and the ability of literature to transport us to different worlds and dimensions. Whether you are a fan of historical fiction, atmospheric novels, or simply seeking a captivating story, this book is sure to captivate your imagination and leave you wanting more.

Weight: 332g
Dimension: 145 x 222 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399608169