Description:
A thrilling literary puzzle that explores the haunted life and mysterious afterlifes of a writer and her work.
Who was Eliza May Drayden? Is she just the quiet, intensely private person she seems to all the world in her little village of Bridge Fowling in the shadow of the West Yorkshire hills--or is there more to her than meets the eye? It is only after her death that Haeger Mass, her one book--a dark and cryptic novel--assumes a life of its own. In each new chapter of this literary treasure hunt that spans almost three hundred years, we see the conundrum through the eyes of a new generation of characters, each providing competing and interlocking versions of the life--and cursed vision--of this Emily Brontë-like figure. Scholars immerse themselves in the mystery of her life and are led to ruin; the curse that hangs over her comes to visit a young couple; a mysterious diary emerges with her strange and indecipherable poetry and sketches. Elements and symbols repeat in relentless and varying combinations from one story to the next as the years pass: as if the truth at the center of her work is fighting to break free. The Song of Stork and Dromedary is a philosophical puzzle that unfolds with the exuberance of a historical romp, ingeniously pivoting from Gothic horror to quantum mechanics to memento mori. In this thrilling, recursive tale, Anjet Daanje gets to the frantically beating heart of why we tell stories, and how we try to create meaning with them in a world filled with brutality and death. Daanje has crafted a conundrum that is as diabolical as it is heartbreaking. When we finally open the box that contains the secret behind the life of Eliza May Drayden, what will we see there--a vision of heaven or a vision of hell?Review Quotes:
"[Daanje's] achievement is to bring us so close to her characters, and for so long an exposure, that they seem emotionally naked, utterly human in their desires and deceptions." --Sam Sacks, The Wall Street Journal
"Daanje works a deep literary vein that's full of sly allusions . . . And there are sublime moments throughout, even when death comes into play . . . A challenging book that rewards its readers with great depth and beauty." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Unforgettable . . . A significant and moving literary achievement, an unforgettable story of a historical mystery. . . McKay renders Daanje's distinct, rhythmic prose and character tones adroitly, alongside the atmospheric dread and luminous beauty that epitomizes her writing." --Elizabeth DeNoma, Shelf Awareness "Perfect for readers who enjoy fiction in translation and anyone looking for a sweeping adventure through literary legends, Daanje's story asks fundamental questions about art, loss, and acclaim as it highlights truths across languages and centuries." -- Courtney Eathorne, Booklist