The World Before Us
The World Before Us by Aislinn Hunter, published by Penguin Books, Limited on February 25, 2016, is a 432-page work that delves into the complexities of memory and loss. The narrative follows Jane, whose life was irrevocably altered at the age of fifteen when a young girl she was caring for vanished in the woods near a Yorkshire country house. As an adult, Jane becomes fixated on another disappearance, that of a woman who left a Victorian lunatic asylum in 1877, intertwining her own past with forgotten stories of jealousy, illicit affairs, and tragedy.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of historical and psychological elements woven throughout the book, exploring themes of mystery and coming of age. The narrative invites reflection on the connections between past and present, as Jane uncovers the layers of history surrounding both disappearances. With elements of magical realism and a focus on the intricacies of human relationships, this edition presents a thought-provoking exploration of how the past shapes our understanding of the world.
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‘A tantalising mystery… beguiling and richly suggestive’ Metro
Jane was fifteen when her life changed for ever. In the woods surrounding a Yorkshire country house she took her eyes off the little girl she was minding and the girl slipped into the trees – never to be seen again.
Now an adult Jane is obsessed with another disappearance: that of a young woman who walked out of a Victorian lunatic asylum one day in 1877. As Jane pieces together moments in history forgotten stories emerge – of sibling jealousy illicit affairs and tragic death . . .
‘Strange and absorbing . . . I relished this book’ – Penelope Lively The New York Times Book Review
‘Sensitive melancholy sharply observant. A work of great power’ – Guardian
‘Ambitious inticate . . . cleverly innovates while tipping a nod to classic Gothic tropes: dynastic rivalries crumbling country houses madhouses and vanished girls’ National Post (Canada)
‘A brilliant work of humanity and imagination artful and breathtakingly beautiful. It will continue to haunt long after you have finished reading’ Helen Humphreys author of Nocturne
‘Powerful thought-provoking haunting and haunted . . . Reminiscent of A.S. Byatt’s Possession it forces you to look at the world – the people around you the objects they hold dear – in a different light’ Globe and Mail (Canada)
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