The Clay Girl

By Heather Tucker

Book Overview

"It is the voice of the characters, the kindness of strangers, and the ingenuity and determination of our protagonist against terrible forces that make this story sing." -- San Francisco Chronicle

" An] unbelievably accomplished first novel." -- NOW Magazine

American Booksellers Association Indie Next List pick

Shortlisted for the 2017 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize

Shortlisted for the 2017 Atlantic Book Awards

Publishers Weekly, starred review

A deeply compassionate novel about a gentle child who radiates goodness and the way that light refracts -- even in the harshest of circumstances.

For the Appleton sisters, life has unravelled many times before. But with a sudden gunshot, it finally explodes.

In the aftermath of chaos and tragedy, eight-year-old Hariet Appleton, known to all as Ari, is shipped off to Cape Breton and her Aunt Mary, who is purported to eat little girls. But Mary and her partner, Nia, offer an unexpected refuge to Ari and her steadfast companion, Jasper, an imaginary seahorse. Yet the respite does not last, and Ari is forced to return to her addiction-addled mother and broken sisters.

Through the sexual revolution and drug culture of the 1960s, Ari struggles with her father's legacy and her mother's addictions, testing limits with substances that numb and men who show her kindness. Through it all, her epic imagination colors her grim reality. Ari spins through a chaotic decade of loss and love with wit, tenacity, and the astonishing balance unique to seahorses.

The Clay Girl is a beautiful tour de force with the voice of an unforgetting child, sculpted by kindness, cruelty, and the extraordinary power of imagination.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1770413030
• ISBN13: 9781770413030
• Release Date: October 2016
• Publisher: Misfit Book
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.6" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

a poetic read

i found this book at a thrift store and took it home with me not expecting much, yet it turned out to be my favorite book that i have ever read. I recommend it to anyone and everyone, however, if you are not a fan of books that are a literary work of art, beware. it took me a while to get used to her style of writing, but once it clicked i could not put this book down. the story is intense and can be overwhelming at times, but the moments of hope in it are so beautiful it makes the hard parts so worth it. I have never felt more connection to characters, have never been more in awe of someone's style of writing, and have never wished more that everyone in the world would have a chance to read this book. for the poets, the dreamers, the lovers, the writers, the ones who wish for a better, kinder, more magical world. for the ones who are told they are "too sensitive," "too in the clouds," or "too much," this is for you. you will see yourself reflected back in every single page. this is for you.

The Clay Girl started out a little hard to understand but turned out to be a magnificent read.

It was hard to put down. I looked forward to what was coming next. I wish there was a sequel.