The Four Marys: A Quartet of Contemporary Folk Tales : A Quartet of Contemporary Folk Tales

Longisted for the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered prize 2015 "Powerful stories." - Marina Warner. Obsession, longing, deceit and even murder feature in this quartet of provocative novellas, which gives a modern twist to tales of women for whom all is not necessarily as it seems. Drawing on history, culture and lore, this is a riveting exploration of the complexities of motherhood: edgy and engrossing, moving, yet at times, disturbing. Cover; Title Page; Dedication; Contents; One: THE SEALWOMAN; Wishing Night; Jake's Room; Rough Grief; Naming the Problem; The People of the Sea; A Holiday to the World; To Give Without a Pounding Heart; How Can I Live Without my Blood?; The Beginning of Life as a Woman; Made Anew; Blood, Bone, Breath; A Long Line of Swimmers; Two: A FAERIE CHILD; Nine Rosebushes; A World Elsewhere; A' Women Want a Wean; The Clootie Well; The Baby Shower; A Faerie Child; The Other Wee Ones; They Know what to Do; Waiting for the Eighth Wave; Sister, Little Sister, my Love, my Sister; A Changeling. Three: THE DIVABlack Holes; What Makes You Think You Can Do That?; Who Dares Wins; In Questa Reggia; My Heart Beats only for You; Up-ended Geisha; Post-natal Dementia; They Can Do Anything; Four: THE FOUR MARYS; You Make Me Forget Everything; She Will Not Be Meat; Confined to a Cage; That's not Living; Chosen by a King; Chinese Whispers; Blood; Amboise; Safe from Drowning; The Four Marys, Linlithgow; No Place in the World; The Perfect Wife; Shining through Edinburgh Town; He'd Never Come back to Me; Acknowledgements; About the Author; Copyright. This Masterly Collection Of Four Contemporary Stories Draws On Scottish History And Folklore For Inspiration, Giving A Modern Twist To Tales Of Seals Turning Into Women; Opera Divas; Faerie Folk; And Mary Hamilton. Linked By A Theme Of Women And Children, This Book Nevertheless Features Diverse Stories, And Is A Must For Lovers Of Edgy Fiction.