Elmet
Author(s): Fiona Mozley

Fresh and distinctive writing from an exciting new voice in fiction,Elmetis an unforgettable novel about family.

Daniel is heading north. He is looking for someone. The simplicity of his early life with Daddy and Cathy has turned sour and fearful. They lived apart in the house that Daddy built for them with his bare hands. They foraged and hunted. When they were younger, Daniel and Cathy had gone to school. But they were not like the other children then, and they were even less like them now. Sometimes Daddy disappeared, and would return with a rage in his eyes. But when he was at home he was at peace. He told them that the little copse in Elmet was theirs alone. But that wasn’t true. Local men, greedy and watchful, began to circle like vultures. All the while, the terrible violence in Daddy grew.

Atmospheric and unsettling,Elmetis a lyrical commentary on contemporary society and one family’s precarious place in it, as well as an exploration of how deep the bond between father and child can go.

Review(s):
A quiet explosion of a book, exquisite and unforgettable.
Pastoral idyll, political expos, cosy family saga and horror tale, it reads like a traditional childrens story that turns into a gangster film:Hansel and GretelmeetsThe Godfather
An impressive slice of contemporary noir steeped in Yorkshire legend . . .Elmetpossesses a rich and unfussy lyricism.
There is a hint of Grimms Fairy Tales in the blending of the pastoral and the macabre, and Mozley has a lot of fun showing how an unconventional childhood can be both inspirational and scary . . . one looks forward to more from the same pen.
A work of troubling beauty . . . Brutal, bleak, ethereal, Mozleys novel combines parable with urgent contemporary truths about dispossession and exploitation. ReadingElmetleaves the metallic taste of blood in the mouth: centuries old, yet as fresh as today.
The scattered moments of raw talent are arresting.
A brooding study of family and belonging.
At its best, it reminds you of Cormac McCarthysThe Road.
Mozley is a gifted writer . . . Pastoral idyll, political expos, cosy family saga and horror tale, it reads like a traditional childrens story that turns into a gangster film:Hansel and GretelmeetsThe Godfather.
Thrums with all the energy and life of the forests that surround the family . . . Rhythmic and lilting, the writing is dreamily poetic.

International Dublin Literary Award

ISBN:9781443456036