Description
In the middle of the countryside, a realtor is showing a disgraced professor around an idyllic house. She speaks not only about the home's many wonderful qualities but about its previous owner, the mystifying Helen, whose presence still seems to suffuse every fixture. Through hearing stories of Helen's chosen way of living, the man begins to see that his story is not actually over – rather, he is being offered a chance to buy his way into the simple life, close to the land, that's always been out of reach to him. But as evening fades into black, he will learn that the asking price may be much higher, and stranger, than anticipated. Philosophically and formally adventurous, at once intimate and cosmic in scope, Helen of Nowhere asks: What must we give up in exchange for true happiness?
- Makenna Goodman’s second novel has received advance praise from Rachel Cusk, Celia Paul, Ayşegül Savaş and others.
- Strikingly original in its form, Helen of Nowhere is an ‘epic in miniature’ (Sarah Manguso), a work of wry humour and philosophical depth.
- Comps: Pure Colour by Sheila Heti; Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett; The Wall by Marlen Haushofer; Rachel Cusk’s Outline trilogy.