There but for the cover art

There but for the

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There but for the

By: Ali Smith
Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
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Brought to you by Penguin.

A sparkling satire from the MAN BOOKER PRIZE-SHORTLISTED and WOMEN'S PRIZE-WINNING author of How to be both and the critically acclaimed Seasonal quartet

'There once was a man who, one night between the main course and the sweet at a dinner party, went upstairs and locked himself in one of the bedrooms of the house of the people who were giving the dinner party . . .'

As time passes by and the consequences of this stranger's actions ripple outwards, touching the owners, the guests, the neighbours and the whole country, so Ali Smith draws us into a beautiful, strange place where everyone is so much more than they first appear...

'Playful, humorous, serious, profoundly clever and profoundly affecting' Guardian

'Adventurous, intoxicating, dazzling. This is a novel with serious ambitions that remains huge fun to read' Literary Review

'Smith can make anything happen, which is why she is one of our most exciting writers today' Daily Telegraph

© Ali Smith 2011 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

 Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Satire Women's Fiction Comedy Witty
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Critic reviews

Whimsically devastating. Playful, humorous, serious, profoundly clever and profoundly affecting
Remarkable. A brilliant novel: funny, serious, always surprising, always true
I take my hat off to Ali Smith. Her writing lifts the soul
A playfully serious or seriously playful novel full of wit and pleasure. Wonderful
Eccentric, adventurous, intoxicating, dazzling. This is a novel with serious ambitions that remains huge fun to read. The writing dances along
Poignant, empathetic, funny. A book full of kindness and compassion
Fizzying, affectionate, sparkling. Smith presents her world view in words as fresh as lemons. A joyful read
A tour de force (Lionel Shriver)
A virtuoso piece of writing, both funny and gripping . . . Smith is a writer with a rich array of conventional strengths
A must read
All stars
Most relevant
What a wonderful few hours I’ve spent in the company of Ali Smith’s creative mind and the incomparable talent of Juliet Stevenson. Brilliant lyrical writing and superb reading. Going into my top ten ever.

Bravura everything

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