As booksellers, there are certain authors whose new releases immediately get our attention. Catherine Chidgey is one of them. When we hear that she has a new novel coming, there is a sense of anticipation (and, if we're honest, a little salivation!). Her books have that rare combination of literary quality and genuine reader appeal. They are beautifully written, thought-provoking and, importantly for booksellers, they sell.
The Starving Bride is an exceptional piece of writing. Chidgey has an extraordinary ability to take a seemingly contained story and slowly reveal the much larger, more unsettling world sitting beneath it. She really does have an innate way of understanding people. Her characters are complex, flawed and deeply human.
At the heart of The Starving Bride is Hazel, a young woman whose life has seemingly unravelled all at once. Her boyfriend has dumped her, she has lost her job, and she is estranged from her parents. With very little left to lose, Hazel finds herself drawn to an unusual opportunity as a sideshow act in Blackpool that promises a substantial reward to anyone who can endure the challenge and stay the course. And yes, there is a lion involved!
But what initially appears to be a strange yet straightforward challenge becomes increasingly difficult. The physical and psychological demands begin to take their toll, and Hazel discovers that simply enduring is not as easy as she imagined. As the days pass, the boundaries between the performance, the challenge and her own reality begin to blur. As demons from her past begin to surface, Hazel is forced to confront not only the way she sees herself, but also the distorted and often unforgiving public scrutiny she faces throughout the challenge.
And this book is a real page-turner. I simply couldn’t put it down. Chidgey has created a story that is easy to read, yet there is so much beneath the surface that you find yourself thinking about it as you go. The writing draws you in quickly, the pace keeps you turning the pages, and just when you think you understand where the story is heading, there is another layer to uncover.
It’s the kind of book that strikes that balance between being completely engrossing and giving you plenty to think about long after you’ve finished reading. As a bookseller, it’s exactly the sort of novel I love recommending - one I’ll be very happily putting into readers’ hands for a long time to come.