Beyond Black
Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel, published by Harper Perennial in 2008, is a thought-provoking novel that delves into the world of psychics and the complexities of human relationships. The story follows Colette, who, after a difficult divorce, seeks guidance from the spiritual realm. Her journey leads her to a psychic fair in Windsor, where she meets Alison, a charismatic figure burdened by her own connections to the dead. This edition spans 468 pages and is presented in English.
Readers will encounter a narrative that intertwines the lives of Colette and Alison as they navigate their unique challenges and the supernatural elements surrounding them. The novel explores themes of solitude, the search for meaning, and the impact of the past on the present. As their lives become increasingly entangled, the influence of Alison’s spirit guide and the haunting presence of Morris complicate their journey, ultimately revealing the darker aspects of their quest for understanding. Beyond Black offers a blend of contemporary fiction with elements of fantasy and the paranormal, inviting readers into a world that is both unsettling and richly layered.
Official synopsis Publisher
Hailed as a “writer of subtlety and depth,” Hilary Mantel turns her dark genius on the world of psychics in this smart, unsettling novel (Joyce Carol Oates)
A paragon of efficiency, Colette took the next natural step after finishing secretarial school by marrying a man who would do just fine. After a sobering, do-it-yourself divorce, Colette is at a loss for what to do next. Convinced that she is due an out-of-hand, life-affirming revelation, she strays into the realm of psychics and clairvoyants, hungry for a whisper to set her off in the right direction. At a psychic fair in Windsor she meets the charismatic Alison.
Alison, the daughter of a prostitute, beleaguered during her childhood by the pressures of her connection to the spiritual world, lives in a different kind of solitude. She cannot escape the dead who speak to her, least of all the constant presence of Morris, her low-life spiritual guide. An expansive presence onstage, Alison at once feels her bond with Colette, inviting her to join her on the road as her personal assistant and companion.
Troubles spiral out of control when the pair moves to a suburban wasteland in what was once the English countryside and take up with a spirit guide and his drowned therapist. It is not long before Alison’s connection to the place beyond black threatens to uproot their lives forever. This is Hilary Mantel at her finest- insightful, darkly comic, unorthodox, and thrilling to read.
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