Dear all,
What a month it’s been for Glasshopper! The book has been attracting fantastic attention in the press. Below are a selection of Isabel’s best review quotes, and you can hear her read from the book, talk about writing the novel, plus buy a signed copy at the events coming up at bookstores and libraries across the South East. And at the bottom is a flyer listing all the upcoming events – don’t forget to book if you want to come along!
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Observer
“Tender and subtle, it explores difficult issues in deceptively easy prose… Across the decades, Ashdown tiptoes carefully through explosive family secrets. This is a wonderful debut – intelligent, understated and sensitive.”
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Mail on Sunday
“An intelligent, beautifully observed coming-of-age story, packed with vivid characters and inch-perfect dialogue. Isabel Ashdown’s storytelling skills are formidable; her human insights highly perceptive.”
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Waterstone’s Books Quarterly
“An immaculately written novel with plenty of dark family secrets and gentle wit within. Recommended for book groups.”
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Sainsbury’s Magazine
“A brilliant debut.”
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Glamour
“This stirring coming-of-age novel evokes the strictures of the ’50s and the tacky flamboyance of the ’80s brilliantly. Narrated through 13-year-old Jake’s eyes, it’s a heartbreaking redemptive tale of family secrets that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. Arm yourselves with a box of Kleenex as you’ll be weeping into your pillow by the end.”
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Easy Living
“Carefully observed, unexpected and mesmerisingly beautiful.”
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Argus
“In Jake, Ashdown has created a beautifully realised character, totally believable as a 20th-century boy but imbued with qualities which should resonate with any reader and will surely stand the test of time…The prose is succinct and smooth, the dialogue crisp and convincing. An intriguing, atmospheric read with a healthy dollop of realism.”
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Drink and Drugs News
“Skillfully written and difficult to put down…this novel is a page-turningly good read.”
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bookersatz
“A beautifully poignant, multi-layered family story. There is glorious detail in the writing which renders it truly memorable. I was very impressed by the masterful handling of the chronology and the weaving of the two different points of view in the story as it rushes towards its climax.”
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Issie will be appearing on Simon Mayo’s show next Thursday 29th October – listen live on Radio 5 Live from 3pm – then she’ll be hotfooting it to Brighton to appear at the Jubilee Library at 6.30pm. Call 01273 294071 to book your free ticket, and if you’re one of the first to book you may also win a free copy of the book.
Glasshopper is in the running for the People’s Book Prize – cast your vote now to help it to the top spot! Here’s the link -http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/book.php?id=153
If for some reason you can’t open the attached flyer all Issie’s upcoming events are listed on www.myriadeditions.com and on http://isabelashdown.com – where you can also read Issie’s article for Saturday’s Guardian Family section, her interview with blogger Helen Beal, and – of course – follow the links to buy the book on Amazon.
Best wishes,
Vicky
Vicky Blunden
Fiction Editor
Myriad Editions
