Small Objects

by Aliya Whiteley

Genres: Literary Fiction; Horror

Synopsis

An acclaimed speculative fiction writer makes a literary crossover with a high-concept and emotionally resonant novel about memory, desire, and the objects that shape our lives.

When Bridget—alone, in her early 40s—arrives at the exclusive island resort of Infinity Beach, her every worldly possession has been left behind. In need of at least the basics, the hotel arranges for Fred – Infinity Beach’s charming and attentive “personal provider” – to visit her room. Behind him, he hauls a mysterious leather trunk. Inside are twenty-four small drawers, each containing a single item: a disposable camera, a swimsuit, a deck of cards, a matchbox.

As Bridget opens each drawer in turn, she is thrown back to her past self. But what lies behind that kind, attentive young man? And what is the secret of the trunk he brings with him? Can the small objects it contains help Bridget realise how she came to be the woman she is today – and what she might, still, become?

With its lyrical, fable-like voice, and its tightly controlled symbolism, Small Objects would sit confidently on the shelf alongside works like Weather by Jenny Offill, Assembly by Natasha Brown, and The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki.

Release date: July 20, 2027

Publisher: Diversion Books

Print pages: 304