We were captivated by this brilliant portrait of a woman searching for meaning in a rich (and often ridiculous) literary world. Everyone describes Sophie as upbeat and positive, but reality looks a little different when she’s alone in the old bachelor pad she’s renting from her estranged husband, eating hummus and rice cakes over the sink and compulsively reading the works of her favourite author, Lilac Dunne. So when Sophie’s job at a literary festival brings her face to face with Lilac herself, the emotional stakes are bizarrely high. Meg Mason (Sorrow and Bliss) has a true gift for writing women, exploring Sophie’s inner contradictions and palpable loneliness with wit, insight, and plenty of humour. And the incisive way she portrays the literary world is just as satisfying, particularly when it comes to Lilac’s cutting cleverness. Katherine Parkinson’s intimate, understated narration is a perfect fit for this deeply personal, sharply intelligent listen.

APPLE BOOKS REVIEW