The author of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen has produced another beautiful novel, he certainly seems to be on a roll. In this story a man struggles with his identity, is he going mad or only now truly discovering himself? Family secrets, relationships and lifestyle are all questioned. A great book to get discussion going, perfect for reading groups.
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
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The novel begins as Michael, a middle-aged man of means, is dressing for dinner at a friend's country house in Ireland. As he descends the grand staircase, he spots a small painting of a landing with an old linen press and the white marble statue of an angel. In the background is a woman clad in a dark green dress. During dinner, Michael comments on the painting to his hosts but they say there is no woman in the picture. When Michael goes up to bed later, he sees that they are correct.
This is only the first in a series of incidents that lead Michael to question his grip on reality. His wife Elilzabeth is unsettled by the changes she sees in a man she originally married because he was dependable and steady, not because she loved him. Suddenly she is aware that she has never really known Michael and as he changes, she sees glimpses of someone she could fall in love with. Michael, in the meantime, is disturbed by events at his family's ancestral home in the wilds of Scotland and by a past that he is threatening to destroy everything, and everyone, he has ever loved.
The Girl on the Landing features in the following genres: Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Family Drama, Book Club Recommendations, eBooks of the Month, Books of the Month, General Fiction, Fiction, Recommendations
The Girl on the Landing is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Girl on the Landing was written by Paul Torday and published by Orion Publishing Co
