Reconciliation by Guy Ware - 29th September

Posted 13:28, 13 September 2017

 Join us to celebrate the publication of Reconciliation by Guy Ware. His first novel, The Fat of Fed Beasts was described by Nicholas Lezard as ‘Brilliant … the best debut novel I have read in years.’ and was chosen as a ‘Paperback of the year’ in the Guardian. His collection, You Have 24 Hours to Love Us included the story ‘Hostage’, which was subsequently included in the Best British Short Stories 2013.

Holly Stanton’s grandfather was a spy. In Berlin in September 1939; in Norway when the Germans invaded. Sailed back to Orkney by a brave Norwegian, whose family was killed in retaliation. And he kept a diary. Holly has always known that. It’s the family story. But when her father finally passes on a transcript of the diary, she finds the ‘brave Norwegian’ has a name. He is real. But why was a spy writing a diary at all?

Part war-time thriller, part exploration of the ethics of storytelling, Reconciliation slips between Occupied Norway and Cambridge, London and the Highlands during the Iraq War and its aftermath. It is based on truth but laced with errors and lies. As each layer peels away, we discover just how easily we have been misled. Stories always lie, but sometimes they are the only truth we have. Reconciliation is a clever, exciting and – ironically – honest account of its own bad faith.

Tickets cost £5 and include a glass of wine and £4 off purchases made on the night. Book tickets here