-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
A Novel
by Anjet Daanje
A thrilling literary puzzle that explores the haunted life and mysterious afterlifes of a writer and her work.
Who was Eliza May Drayden? Is she just the quiet, intensely private person she seems to all the world in her little village of Bridge Fowling in the shadow of the West Yorkshire hills―or is there more to her than meets the eye? It is only after her death that Haeger Mass, her one book―a dark and cryptic novel―assumes a life of its own. In each new chapter of this literary treasure hunt that spans almost three hundred years, we see the conundrum through the eyes of a new generation of characters, each providing competing and interlocking versions of the life―and cursed vision―of this Emily Brontë–like figure. Scholars immerse themselves in the mystery of her life and are led to ruin; the curse that hangs over her comes to visit a young couple; a mysterious diary emerges with her strange and indecipherable poetry and sketches. Elements and symbols repeat in relentless and varying combinations from one story to the next as the years pass: as if the truth at the center of her work is fighting to break free.
The Song of Stork and Dromedary is a philosophical puzzle that unfolds with the exuberance of a historical romp, ingeniously pivoting from Gothic horror to quantum mechanics to memento mori. In this thrilling, recursive tale, Anjet Daanje gets to the frantically beating heart of why we tell stories, and how we try to create meaning with them in a world filled with brutality and death. Daanje has crafted a conundrum that is as diabolical as it is heartbreaking. When we finally open the box that contains the secret behind the life of Eliza May Drayden, what will we see there―a vision of heaven or a vision of hell?
"Daanje works a deep literary vein that's full of sly allusions ... And there are sublime moments throughout, even when death comes into play ... A challenging book that rewards its readers with great depth and beauty." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Unforgettable ... A significant and moving literary achievement, an unforgettable story of a historical mystery... McKay renders Daanje's distinct, rhythmic prose and character tones adroitly, alongside the atmospheric dread and luminous beauty that epitomizes her writing." ―Shelf Awareness
"Perfect for readers who enjoy fiction in translation and anyone looking for a sweeping adventure through literary legends, Daanje's story asks fundamental questions about art, loss, and acclaim as it highlights truths across languages and centuries." ―Booklist
This information about The Song of Stork and Dromedary was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
David McKay is an award-winning translator of Dutch fiction and nonfiction. Born and educated in the United States, he has lived in and around The Hague since 1997. His previous translations include Daanje's The Remembered Soldier and the award-winning War and Turpentine as well as novels by Stefan Hertmans.
If you liked The Song of Stork and Dromedary, try these:
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
