Midwinter by Fiona Melrose

LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILEYS PRIZE FOR FICTION 2017

'Finely judged writing like this comes from a spot of intuition, and it marks Melrose out as an individual to observe . . . Midwinter is a brilliant luck' Melissa Harrison, Guardian

Father and Son, Landyn and Vale Midwinter, are Suffolk farmers, dwelling jointly on land their relatives has labored for generations. yet they're haunted there by means of a previous they've got lengthy refused to confront: the loss of life of Cecelia, cherished spouse and mom, while Vale used to be only a baby. either males have carried her loss, unstated.

Until now.

With the onset of a mauling wintry weather, anything among them snaps.

While Vale makes more and more determined judgements, Landyn retreats, discovering solace within the land, his animals - and a vixen who haunts the farm and turns out to carry along with her either convenience and protection.

Tender and lyrical, alive to language and nature, Midwinter is a singular approximately guilt, blame, misplaced possibilities and, finally, it's a tale approximately love and the lengths we'll visit locate our means home.

Longlisted for the recent perspective Prize 2017

'Melrose elegantly weaves narratives detailing the men's inner tumult with lush descriptions in their ordinary atmosphere . . . A relocating tale concerning the cruelty of likelihood, sleek masculinity and the transformative strength of the bonds among males' Financial Times

'I have hardly learn a story voice as specified as Landyn's, and the loving depiction of neighborhood English working-class masculinity is rare and well timed . . . this can be on no account a light-hearted ebook, however it deals the genuine comfort of a few first-class writing' Sarah Moss, TLS

'A penetrating research of grief and guilt' Daily Mail