Night of Demons and Saints

Oct 6, 2024 6:34 AM

Author:Menna van Praag

And then there were three . . .

Once upon a time four sisters confronted their demonic father in the shadowy and enchanting other-world of Everwhere. The battle between them ended in devastating losses. The scars they carried from that fatal night slowly pushed the remaining sisters apart. But now they're being drawn back together - reuniting to try and resurrect what one of them has lost . . .

On the night of their twenty-first birthday, when the clock strikes midnight, when October ticks into November, when autumn wilts into winter, when All Hallows' Eve becomes All Saints' Day, the sisters Grimm will reach the zenith of their powers.

On this night, at this time, in the ethereal mist-bound realm of Everwhere, anything is possible. But when dark magic is released, tragedy will strike once more.

Acclaim for The Sisters Grimm:

'Vividly drawn, evocative and complex . . . absorbing and beautiful.' BRIDGET COLLINS, author of The Binding

'One of those rare finds: a vivid and fully-realised act of the imagination, written with the page-turning immediacy of the here and now, but overflowing with the wonder of the stories of old.' ROBERT DINSDALE, author of The Toymakers

'A very grown up fairy-tale with more than a nod to Angela Carter and Philip Pullman . . . spellbinding.' STARBURST

'Darkly beguiling . . . perfect for fans of rich and imaginative fantasy books akin to Erin Morgenstern and Neil Gaiman.' CULTUREFLY

'An entertaining and clever examination of folklore, female empowerment, and the system that attempts to keep women in check.' SciFiNOW

'A compelling, intensely poetic narrative of empowerment and self-realisation.' GUARDIAN

Reviews

It takes a brave author to attempt a contemporary reimagining of such a beloved novel. Luckily, India Knight [...] has courage and talent in spades ... It's beautifully and meticulously done, echoing the detail of the original plot as far as feasible, but with contemporary twists ... Knight is warmer than Mitford, and more comforting

—— Sunday Times

Fans of Nancy Mitford's The Pursuit Of Love will adore this brilliant contemporary take ... The writing is as sharp, the details as perfect, the jokes as funny as [the] original

—— Daily Mail

The delight is in the details. Knight's are bang on, and there's joy in spotting them ... There's heart as well as humour: it was, and remains, a sincere romance ... Pursuit of Love diehards can rest easy: your blood vessels are safe with this faithful, fiercely funny homage

—— Spectator

In less talented hands, Knight's retelling of this classic novel might have gone horribly wrong. But Darling is a treat, with whip-smart dialogue, larger-than- life characters, witty observations and a heart-breaking twist ... Fans will love Knight's clever re-imagining of this classic tale - and new readers will relish the chance to discover the glorious Radletts

—— Daily Express

What could have been a disaster - a modern reimagining of Nancy Mitford's superlative comedy of manners The Pursuit of Love - is an absolute triumph. Romantic, clever and oh-so funny

—— The i Paper, What We're Reading

A perfect comfort read: the kind of book you take into the bath and keep reading even when the water has gone cold, a one-sitting, dark-at-four joy ... Darling is a very human book, full of feelings and heartbreak and humour and joy

—— Ella Risbridger , Guardian

Beguiling reimagining ... Spry and wry Darling is delicious

—— Mail on Sunday, Best New Fiction

[A] lively modern update of a passionately loved classic ... A sizzling modern-day comedy of manners. Plenty of Mitfordian wit but with Ukip peers and mobile phones

—— The Times, Best Fiction to Read This Autumn

I found myself tearing through, beguiled by Knight's faithful channelling of Radlett ways, wiles and speech patterns ... Reinventing anything so beloved is a formidable challenge, and Knight has risen to it admirably

—— The Bookseller

A modern retelling of Nancy Mitford's beloved The Pursuit of Love ... Knight nails the wit and satire

—— Grazia

Sheer brilliance. Darling is hilarious and heartbreaking and vivid and and clever and utterly compulsive - I absolutely loved it

—— Francesca Segal, author of Mother Ship

Total escapist bliss. A joyous updating of the Mitford classic. I loved every page

—— Sabine Durrant, author of Finders Keepers

A savagely funny, bracingly sad, dazzlingly clever reimagining of The Pursuit of Love. I loved it

—— Meg Mason, author of Sorrow and Bliss

A triumph! Brilliantly done, faithful but imaginative, tremendously romantic and very funny. Meeting the Radlett family again in the 21st century was an absolute a treat, rather like hearing a new arrangement of beloved old carol and hearing it anew, with trumpets

—— Nina Stibbe, author of Reasons to be Cheerful

Darling is a black forest gateau of a book: rich characters, sumptuous prose, delicious dialogue, and layered throughout with sharp wit and intelligence (which are even better than the cherry liqueur the gateau calls for). Somehow, India Knight's writing manages to be hilarious, melancholy, insightful, and romantic all at the same time. Treat yourself to this novel

—— Katherine Heiny, author of Early Morning Riser

As tender and emotional as it is funny, it made me laugh out loud A LOT, and it made me sob

—— Cressida McLaughlin, bestselling author of The Cornish Cream Tea Bus

Heartbreaking, funny and emotive

—— Sun

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