Synopsis
Ever since Keith Ridgway published his landmark cult novel Hawthorn & Child, his ardent fans have yearned for more
Finally, Ridgway gives us A Shock, his thrilling and unsparing, slippery and shockingly good new novel.Formed as a rondel of interlocking stories with a clutch of more or less loosely connected repeating characters, it’s at once deracinated yet potent with place, druggy yet frighteningly shot through with reality. His people appear, disappear, and reappear. They’re on the fringes of London, clinging to sanity or solvency or a story by their fingernails, consumed by emotions and anxieties in fuzzily understood situations. A deft, high-wire act, full of imprecise yet sharp dialog as well as witchy sleights of hand reminiscent of Muriel Spark, A Shock delivers a knockout punch of an ending.
Perhaps Ridgway’s most breathtaking quality is his scintillating stealthiness: you can never quite put your finger on how he casts his spell―he delivers the shock of a master jewel thief (already far-off and scot-free) stealing your watch: when at some point you look down at your wrist, all you see is that in more than one way you don’t know what time it is…
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About the Author
Keith Ridgway is a Dubliner living in London. His previous novels include A Shock (winner of the 2022 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction), Hawthorn & Child, and Animals. He has also been awarded the Prix Fémina Étranger and Premier Roman Étranger, the O Henry Award, and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. His books have been acclaimed "ingeniously slippery” (Lucy Scholes, New York Times Book Review), “bleak, hilarious, chilling and hopeful” (Louie Conway, Vanity Fair), and "like Finnegans Wake, only readable” (John Self, London Times).
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A Shock
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
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Condition: Good. Good condition ex-library book with usual library markings and stickers. Seller Inventory # 00097710925
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A Shock
Published by
New Directions (edition ), 2021
ISBN 10: 0811230856
ISBN 13: 9780811230858
Used
Paperback
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Paperback. Condition: Fair. The item might be beaten up but readable. May contain markings or highlighting, as well as stains, bent corners, or any other major defect, but the text is not obscured in any way. Seller Inventory # 0811230856-7-1-13
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A Shock
Published by
New Directions Publishing Corporation, 2021
ISBN 10: 0811230856
ISBN 13: 9780811230858
Used
Paperback
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0811230856I4N10
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A Shock
Published by
New Directions Publishing Corporation, 2021
ISBN 10: 0811230856
ISBN 13: 9780811230858
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Softcover
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
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Condition: Very Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 42488480-75
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A Shock
Published by
New Directions Publishing Corporation, 2021
ISBN 10: 0811230856
ISBN 13: 9780811230858
Used
Softcover
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 41592797-75
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A Shock
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paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or limited writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_427110700
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A Shock
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_393997975
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A Shock
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_431944176
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paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_430250708
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A Shock
Seller: Half Price Books Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
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paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_458871773