My absolute darling gabriel tallent the ludic reader. Some will fall helplessly in love with it, others will struggle and abandon it. My absolute darling is gabriel tallents first novel, and no less than stephen king has called it a masterpiece. The book industry trades in superlatives, but the buzz for this debut novel stands out. Id heard amazing things about this debut novel and was indeed impressed by the descriptive language and characterization. Walk us through the process of writing this book and how you knew you had struck the idea for your first novel. My absolute darling by gabriel tallent is published by fourth estate. Gabriel tallent was born in new mexico and raised on the mendocino coast by two mothers. Booksellers have chosen gabriel tallents harrowing debut novel, my absolute darling riverhead books, as the numberone september indie next list pickthis is a great american novel.
Wall street journal make some time to read gabriel tallents my absolute darlingthe sentences are. To my own shortlist i can now add my absolute darling, by gabriel tallent. There are books we like well enough to recommend, but there are a very fewto kill. When stephen king hailed my absolute darling a masterpiece readers around the world sat up and took notice. Reuters get alerts on fiction when a new story is published. Like any good horror novel, gabriel tallents my absolute darling uses its cramped framework to steadily build tension. The house in rural california where turtle alveston.
At fourteen, she roams the woods along the northern california coast. Gabriel tallent author of my absolute darling gabriel is the author of my absolute darling a brilliant and immersive, allconsuming read about one fourteenyearold girls heartstopping fight for her own soul. Gabriel tallents my absolute darling is shaping up to be one of the most. Bookfest opens a new chapter with author events, panels. He received his ba from willamette university in 2010, and after graduation spent two seasons leading youth.
We follow turtles voice throughout the novel, and her thoughts are devastating, hilarious at times, raw and complicated. Ill be touring from august 29, when the book drops, until september 27. Hard to read, definitely, but gorgeous nevertheless. Sep 27, 2017 author gabriel tallent says he set out to tell the story of a young womans fight for her own soul when the odds are murderously against her. Gabriel tallent is the author of the new york timesbestselling novel my absolute darling. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading my absolute darling. A debut novelists descent into darkness the new york times. Gabriel tallent does not play it easy or safe in his powerful, sometimes horrific, cathartic debut novel, my absolute darling riverhead.
Gabriel tallent, a breathlessly anticipated new american voice, says it with flowers in the first sentence of his debut novel my absolute darling. A compelling debut about horribly tainted love a remarkable california teen comes to a realisation about her predatory father gabriel tallent. The novel put its american author gabriel tallent firmly on the shortlist for the dylan thomas prize, the worlds richest for young writers. I met a lot of booksellers at winter institute and bookexpo, and ive done a bit of traveling around its been an amazing and eyeopening experience to see these little bastions of openmindedness and of fiction, and all the best parts that go with that, all around the country. They can and do in gabriel tallents extraordinarily unsettling and ambitious first novel, my absolute darling. My absolute darling gabriel tallent january 29, 2019 february 4, 2019 christie gabriel tallents debut debut.
If you want this book to be successful, it has to be less hard. A heroine in the mold of huck and scout the new york times. The 14yearold heroine at the heart and soul of this book, set mostly along the northern california coast turtle alveston, is one of the most memorable, indomitable characters in recent fiction. Sep 20, 2017 the chaotic little book corner recommended for you 20. At the end of one of many baroquely violent scenes in my absolute darling gabriel tallents compelling, frustrating first novel martin, the violences perpetrator. Jul 27, 2018 discover book depositorys huge selection of gabriel tallent books online. My absolute darling is an affecting read but also an important one. Gabriel tallents my absolute darling the new york times. Aug 29, 2017 gabriel tallent does not play it easy or safe in his powerful, sometimes horrific, cathartic debut novel, my absolute darling riverhead. The adolescent heroine of gabriel tallent s harrowing novel of abuse will not only break your heart, but leave your mind reeling with her resourcefulness, stamina and humanity. The adolescent heroine of gabriel tallents harrowing novel of abuse will not only break your heart, but leave your mind reeling with her resourcefulness, stamina and humanity. Its clear from the first few sentences of gabriel tallents my absolute darling that the novels fierce, vulnerable, semiferal heroine, turtle alveston, is in a precarious situation. Gabriel tallent to sign debut novel at watermark the.
In his debut novel, my absolute darling, salt lake city writer gabriel tallent explores the life experiences of a 14year old girl being raised by. I wrote at the bar between shifts, i got up early to write, i stayed up late, i was ruthlessly selfish about time. Aug 28, 2017 the writing by gabriel tallent was wonderful. Jan 29, 2019 my absolute darling gabriel tallent january 29, 2019 february 4, 2019 christie gabriel tallents debut debut. My absolute darling by gabriel tallent survival instinct. I wanted to write a book that would help you take a little bit more care. This book is ugly, beautiful, horrifying, and uplifting. Process sounds like a wonderful thing to have, but throughout the writing of this book, i was a working person with irregular hours, and so i wrote whenever i could. Booksellers have chosen gabriel tallents harrowing debut novel, my absolute darling riverhead books, as the numberone september indie next list pick. In my absolute darling, a teen girl must survive her own. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over.
Explore books by gabriel tallent with our selection at. Aug 27, 2017 its clear from the first few sentences of gabriel tallents my absolute darling that the novels fierce, vulnerable, semiferal heroine, turtle alveston, is in a precarious situation. Like many writers, he spent a lot of his time reading books such as the greek tragedies and moby dick. Gabriel tallent is an author that grew up in the interesting city of mendocino, california. We recommend the book with reservations my absolute darling by gabriel tallent. The chaotic little book corner recommended for you 20. Very dark and disturbing, but one of the most noteworthy novels i have read this year. Sep 16, 2017 gabriel tallent will visit watermark books in wichita on sept. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. He was born in new mexico and raised on the mendocino coast by two mothers.
The real work of being a writer gabriel tallent youtube. Gabriel tallents devastating debut novel about a young girl and her abusive but charismatic father has memorable characters, the pacing of a. Fourteenyearold turtle alveston is a brilliantly rendered creation, and her father is the most terrifyingly believable human monster to inhabit the pages of a novel since harry powell in the night of the hunter. Its clear from the first few sentences of gabriel tallent s my absolute darling that the novels fierce, vulnerable, semiferal heroine, turtle alveston, is in a precarious situation.
August 29, 2017 gabriel tallents devastating debut novel about a young girl and her abusive but charismatic father has memorable characters, the pacing of a thriller, and still manages to. Julia turtle alveston, age fourteen, lives in california with her sociopathic father. We recommend the book with reservations my absolute. My absolute darling is the 2017 debut novel by american author gabriel tallent plot.
I believe in great american novels, but not the great american novel, said john evans, coowner of diesel, a bookstore in larkspur, santa monica, and oakland, california. It is a protracted story of child abuse, cut in with passionate descriptions of the environment, neither of which felt like a recipe for success in a conventional way. I follow my inspiration, however difficult fiction. But some people live up to their names, and gabriel tallent, whose first novel this is, writes with bravura more experienced authors can only envy. Gabriel tallent talks about the main character in his debut novel, my absolute darling riverhead books, 2017, and how he hopes the book will resonate with readers. A book should feel hot in your hands, gabriel tallent. Love and cruelty are bound together in my absolute darling.
This may be doing gabriel tallent a great disservice, but i suspect that he read twilight, despised it and decided to write an infinitely better book. My absolute darling is a major american debut that incorporates psychological realism of the highest order, juxtaposed with nature writing that at times is so lyrical. Aug 26, 2017 love and cruelty are bound together in my absolute darling gabriel tallents debut novel has been called a masterpiece on the level of to kill a mockingbird. From its first pages, the book grabs you full throttle. Usa today impressively, this isa novel of great beauty, filled with lush evocations of the woods. Love and cruelty are bound together in my absolute darling gabriel tallents debut novel has been called a masterpiece on the level of to kill a mockingbird. Reviews there are books we like well enough to recommend, but there are a very fewto kill a mockingbird, catch22, the things they carriedthat we remember forever.
Turtle born julia lives with her father, martin, in the woods near the mendocino coast. A strange and impressive novel that frames big questions about abuse and civilisation against the wilderness of northern california. Fourteenyearold turtle alveston is a brilliantly rendered creation, and her father is the most terrifyingly believable human monster to inhabit the. Sep 21, 2017 a book should feel hot in your hands, gabriel tallent. My absolute darling is hard to read, harder to put down. He attended the mendocino community high school and spent a lot of time backpacking, rereading greek tragedies, and trying to figure out moby dick. My absolute darling by gabriel tallent is a 2017 riverhead books publication.
Gabriel tallent is the author of my absolute darling 3. Process sounds like a wonderful thing to have, but throughout the writing of this book, i was a working person. Jul 21, 2018 my absolute darling by gabriel tallent is published by fourth estate. In gabriel tallents debut novel, a remarkably selfsufficient 14yearold girl must try to survive her survivalist father. But if you know one thing about this book, its that its full of horrifically matteroffact scenes of sexual abuse. Bookfest opens a new chapter with author events, panels and more.
Shes not particularly nice to anyone, especially women, but how can we possibly hold that against her. Gabriel is the author of my absolute darling a brilliant and immersive, allconsuming read about one fourteenyearold girls heartstopping fight for her own soul. Gabriel tallent the joy harris literary agency, inc. Gabriel tallent will visit watermark books in wichita on sept.
The structure of the book pays homage to william shakespeare, and it may this that solidifies gurnahs ninth novel as an ambitious work worthy of attention. Discover book depositorys huge selection of gabriel tallent books online. He attended mendocino community high school in his area and had a habit of going backpacking. Tallent received his ba from willamette university and wrote his thesis on the discursive construction of pleasure in samuel. Booksellers have chosen gabriel tallents harrowing debut novel. Gabriel tallent grew up in mendocino, california, thrashing through the underbrush in search of anything awesome. Bookfest opens a new chapter with author events, panels and.
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