"Endings, the embers of life and new shoots – this is an inimitably spellbinding gem from a unique Welsh writer."
Suffused in the haunting longings and losses of complex, compelling Mari, The Jeweller shines with mysterious originality. Mari is a market stallholder in a West Wales seaside town whose wares come from clearing the houses of the dead, and who spends hour after hour fashioning a perfect emerald. Throughout, the language is exquisitely vivid, the story dappled with shocking, jarring moments, such as when Mari is publicly accused of being responsible for a man’s death, and the depiction of her pet monkey’s degeneration. And then there’s the unexpected discovery that leads to a reunion that releases Mari to a new life.
Gleaming with precise lyricism (kudos to translator Gwen Davies, who rendered it from the original Welsh), this mesmeric novel has a truly mythic quality.
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
Win a book bundle by Women's Prize Outstanding Contribution Award Winner, Bernardine Evaristo
Closing date: 05/07/2025
