Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2017.
'A Skinful of Shadows confirms Hardinge's status as one of our finest storytellers. It's rare to find a book which is every bit as intelligent and stylish as it is riveting - I was enthralled' - Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent.
Frances Hardinge weaves a dark, otherworldly tale in A Skinful of Shadows, her first book since the Costa Award-winning The Lie Tree.
When a creature dies, its spirit can go looking for somewhere to hide.
Some people have space inside them, perfect for hiding.
Makepeace, a courageous girl with a mysterious past, defends herself nightly from the ghosts which try to possess her. Then a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard for a moment.
And now there's a ghost inside her.
The spirit is wild, brutish and strong, but it may be her only defence in a time of dark suspicion and fear. As the English Civil War erupts, Makepeace must decide which is worse: possession - or death.
Everyone should read Frances Hardinge. Everyone. Right now.
Patrick Ness
'A Skinful of Shadows confirms Hardinge's status as one of our finest storytellers. The striking originality of its magical element is matched by a thrilling depiction of a 17th century England riven with political and religious unease. At the centre of the novel, young Makepeace is a vital and engaging presence amid a cast of extraordinary and villainous characters, and she had my heart from the first. It's rare to find a book which is every bit as intelligent and stylish as it is riveting - I was enthralled'
Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent
Hardinge is a talent who deserves to be read by children and adults alike.
Guardian
"Девочка с медвежьим сердцем" - новый роман от звезды английской подростковой прозы Фрэнсис Хардинг.
Когда существо умирает, его дух может отправиться на поиски места, где можно спрятаться.
У некоторых людей внутри есть пространство, идеально подходящее для того, чтобы спрятаться.
Мейкпис, отважная девушка с таинственным прошлым, каждую ночь защищается от призраков, которые пытаются овладеть ею. Затем ужасное событие заставляет ее на мгновение потерять бдительность.
И теперь внутри нее живет призрак.
Дух дикий, жестокий и сильный, но это может быть ее единственной защитой во времена мрачных подозрений и страха. Поскольку в Англии разгорается гражданская война, Мейкпис должен решить, что хуже: одержимость - или смерть.
Книга на английском языке.