These Fragile Things: A Novel

by Jane Davis

Synopsis

Life can change in a split second. And nothing you can do will stop it.

'Very occasionally a story jumps out at you with a raw burst of originality and thought-provocation that goes deeper than most, leaving you pondering the issues and plot lines unfolding in front of you. That story is These Fragile Things.' ~ Lorraine Devon Wilke, Author

As a London suburb reels from riots in neighbouring Brixton, Graham Jones finds fatherhood a frightening place. How can he protect his daughter from the onslaught of change? But the future holds more fear than he can possibly imagine. One afternoon, a wall collapses, burying thirteen-year-old Judy beneath it. Rescuers who recover her shattered body from the rubble are amazed. “She's alive,” they tell her shaking mother, Elaine. “And we'll do everything we can to keep her that way.” With Judy's life hanging in the balance, Graham's anxieties seem trivial. The unimaginable has happened. Who can he turn to? While his wife puts her trust in medics, Graham's answer is to pray - and, in his desperation, he isn't beyond bargaining.

When Judy not only pulls through but defies medical predictions, Graham tells anyone who is prepared to listen about his miracle. Soon headline-hungry journalists are writing about ‘The Miracle Girl'. Elaine knows this is a tough label for any teenager to live up to, let alone one who's battling physical and psychological scars. She has always understood that love is all we can cling to in this whirling confusion of a world. At odds with her husband, under siege from the press, pushed to breaking point by an onslaught of miracle seekers, she seeks solace in the arms of strangers.

Meanwhile, refusing to be drawn into her parents' emotional tug-of-war, Judy treads her own path. But we all of us live on a knife edge. And things are about to get far, far worse.

With the trademark elegance and profound thoughtfulness one expects from this award-winning author, this emotionally-charged novel will make you reflect on belief, faith and the enduring power of love.

Perfect for fans of Maggie O'Farrell, Rachel Joyce and Ali Smith.

“Davis is a phenomenal writer. And this is a coming of age story like no other. ” Compulsion Reads

Scroll up and treat yourself to a copy today.

Release date: January 15, 2014

Publisher: Jane Davis

Print pages: 386