Unsettled Ground: Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021

So sharply so utterly brilliant that I found myself holding my breath while reading it dazzled by Fullers mastery and precision LAUREN GROFF author of Fates and Furies__________________________________________________________________________What if the life you have always known is taken from you in an instant? What would you do to get it back?Twins Jeanie and Julius have always been different from other people. At 51 years old they still live with their mother Dot in rural isolation and poverty. Inside the walls of their old cottage they make music and in the garden they grow (and sometimes kill) everything they need for sustenance.But when Dot dies suddenly threats to their livelihood start raining down. Jeanie and Julius would do anything to preserve their small sanctuary against the perils of the outside world even as their mothers secrets begin to unravel putting everything they thought they knew about their lives at stake. Unsettled Ground is a heart-stopping novel of betrayal and resilience love and survival. It is a portrait of life on the fringes of society that explores with dazzling emotional power how we can build our lives on broken foundations and spin light from darkness.____________________________________________________________________A gorgeously written celebration of the natural world as well as a moving portrait of a family struggling against time LUCY TAN Review Her strongest yet... apowerful beautiful novel that shows us our land as it really is: a place of shelter and cruelty innocence and experience ―The TimesDark brilliantly observed and ultimately a tale of love winning the day. ―The Sunday TelegraphAnintriguing moving novel that will make youquestion assumptions you have about modern life ―Tracy Chevalier author of A Single ThreadSuperb...deservedly longlisted for this years Womens Prize for Fiction ―Daily MailA moving portrait of a family struggling against time. This book isultimately about redemption-about the unexpected importance of neighbours lovers and friends and the ways in which we can re-envision our lives for the better ―Lucy Tan author of What We Were PromisedSo sharply so utterly brilliant that I found myself holding my breath while reading it dazzled by Fullers mastery and precision. ―Lauren Groff author of Fates and FuriesWith sensitivity and intelligence Fuller unpicks the relentless complexity of the modern world ―The GuardianThe way she writes (with empathy but never sentimentality) moves my heart ―Elizabeth Day author of MagpieFuller isexcellent at description and capturing the twins awkward interactions with the world. The fate of the illiterate and weak-hearted Jeanie once she loses everything that is safe isparticularly unsettling ―The Sunday TimesIts merciless in its observation of casual cruelty and merciful in its observation of casual kindness and family love ―Richard CurtisUnsettled Ground is anothersly psychological treat from Claire Fuller who just keeps on getting better with each book -- Laline PaullThesememorable characters will worm their way intoyour head and heart and the descriptions of thelandscape are beautiful. ―Jo Finney Good HousekeepingAn atmospheric thriller thats both heartbreaking andheartwarming ―RedTender unusual... these memorable characters will work their way into your head and your heart ―Good HousekeepingFullers prose isdarkly elegant her eye for characterastute and humane and her sense of placevividly atmospheric -- here is a writer of greatskill sensitivity and subtlety -- Lucy Atkins author of Magpie LaneClaire Fuller strikes theperfect balance between beauty and melancholy in thisrelevant and powerful exploration of isolation and life on the fringes of society -- Clare Mackintosh author of HostageUnsettled Ground shares with Fullers previous works themes of closely guarded