Black narcissus

Rumer Godden

£10.99

High in the Himalayas, the mountaintop palace shines like a jewel. Built for the General’s harem, laughter and music once floated out over the gorge. Now it sits abandoned, windswept and haunting. The palace is bestowed to the Sisters of Mary, and what was once known as ‘the House of Women’ becomes the Convent of St Faith. Close to the heavens, the nuns feel inspired, working fervently to establish their school and hospital. But as the isolation and emptiness of the mountain become increasingly unsettling, passions long repressed emerge with tragic consequences.

In stock

Publish Date: 13/02/2025

Description

Rumer Godden’s stunning classic novel of devotion, faith and madness

‘You have to be very strong to live close to God or a mountain, or you’ll turn a little mad . . .’

High in the Himalayas, the mountaintop palace shines like a jewel. Built for the General’s harem, laughter and music once floated out over the gorge. Now it sits abandoned, windswept and haunting – until Sister Clodagh and her group of nuns arrive to turn ‘the House of Women’ into the Convent of St Faith. Close to the heavens, the Sisters of Mary feel inspired, working fervently to establish their school and hospital. But the isolation and emptiness of the mountain begin to take a terrible toll, unleashing long-repressed passions with tragic consequences . . .

Introduced by Amanda Coe

‘A masterly novelist’ Tessa Hadley

‘A remarkable and beautiful book’ DAILY TELEGRAPH

‘I envy anyone reading it for the first time’ AMANDA COE

‘Distinctive, poised and entirely unsentimental’ ROSIE THOMAS

Additional information

Dimensions 198 × 126 × 22 mm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

272

Language

English

Edition

Reprint

Dewey

823.912 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K