Small Rivers (Paperback)

Harry Gallon

ISBN 10: 1911585665 / ISBN 13: 9781911585664

Published by Dead Ink Books, Manchester, 2021

About this Item

Paperback. Christmas, 2016. Toby and Angelica are back at their father's farm. He is at the end of the worst year of his life. Struggling in every way, Frank hires Jerzy, a Polish worker, who lives on the farm with his wife, Irena. Previous worker Damien convinces himself that his home and job have been stolen from him by migrant workers. Jerzy and Irena keep noticing Damien's menacing presence, but Frank is too wrapped up in his own problems to help; tensions to run high as they try to find a new normal. Examining the cultural fractures in Britain at the end of 2016 and the impact of the EU referendum on rural farming communities, Small Rivers explores grief, trust, national identity and xenophobia, asking how we can reconcile the relationships between people and place. It's December 2016 and Toby and Angelica are going back to their father's farm for Christmas. Now that they live in London and Berlin respectively - eschewing the family trade in favour of more creative pursuits - this return to the pastoral also feels like a return to the parochial. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781911585664

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Small Rivers (Paperback)
• Publisher: Dead Ink Books, Manchester
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1911585665
• ISBN 13: 9781911585664
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Its December 2016 and Toby and Angelica are going back to their fathers farm for Christmas. Now that they live in London and Berlin respectively eschewing the family trade in favour of more creative pursuits this return to the pastoral also feels like a return to the parochial. Their father is at the end of the worst year of his life. His wife, Marie died suddenly in a tragic accident. Struggling in every way, and in desperate need of help with work, he hired Damien, who moved in to the other property on the farm. But after Damien stole and lied, Frank had to fire him, leaving Damien seething. In his place, Frank hired Jerzy, a Polish worker, who now lives on the farm with his heavily pregnant wife, Irena. Damien convinces himself that his home and job have been stolen from him by migrant workers, Frank is cautious of Jerzy after a few things seem amiss on the farm, and Toby and Angelica are quick to patronise and assume they know best. Jerzy and Irena keep noticing Damiens menacing presence, but Frank, Toby and Angelica are too wrapped up in their own problems to help; tensions to run high as they try to find a new normal now that theyre living separate lives, without Marie holding them together.