The White Rock: From the bestselling author of The Ballroom

FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE BALLROOM AND EXPECTATION ' Poetic, philosophical and wildly captivating ... I swam in this book and didn't want to come up for air ' Emma Jane Unsworth, author of Animals and Adults ___________________ They are separating, she and her husband, after two decades together. This fact is new. Only really a fact for a few weeks or so. Before that it was a possibility - one potential outcome among many. But now it appears to be, unequivocally, the case. There are many ways of telling the tale ... There are many different sides to every story ... The White Rock stands, ancient and sacred, off the Pacific coast of Mexico. Four people, across four centuries, each navigating ruptures to the world they know, are irresistibly drawn to it. A British writer travels in 2020 with her husband and young daughter to give thanks for the birth of their child. She looks to the White Rock for answers, even as her faith in her marriage, and the future itself, is unravelling. An American rock star in 1969 is in the final act of his self-destruction. On the run from the law, from his rabid fans and an America burning with the fever of the Vietnam War, he washes up at the edge of Mexico, hoping to lose, or maybe find himself. A Yoeme girl is torn from her homeland at the turn of the twentieth century and taken by force to the coast. As her future is recast in the name of progress and power, she turns to the stories of her people, to resist, and to survive. And in 1775 a young Spanish naval officer, preparing to set sail from the White Rock to continue the conquest of the Pacific coast, appears to lose his grip on reality, with far-reaching and fatal consequences. And as they each find themselves at the end of the story they have lived by, their tales echo, breathtakingly, through time . . . ___________________ 'So bold and wild, but controlled and fierce. It reminded me of Cloud Atlas , but it's very much itself. Stunning' Russell T. Davies, writer of It's A Sin 'Absolutely a story for our times, and a fiercely important one, too' Clover Stroud, author of The Red of my Blood 'I loved it . . . It is full of wisdom, intricate and emotional, and it will linger in my head for a long time' Dave Haslam, author of Sonic Youth Slept On My Floor From The Bestselling Author Of Expectation 'so Bold And Wild, But Controlled And Fierce. It Reminded Me Of Cloud Atlas, But It's Very Much Itself. Stunning' Russell T. Davies, Writer Of It's A Sin 'absolutely A Story For Our Times, And A Fiercely Important One, Too' Clover Stroud, Author Of The Red Of My Blood I See You. Inside The Cage You Have Been Given. The Cage You Have Made. The Cages We Have All Made The White Rock Stands, Ancient And Sacred, Off The Pacific Coast Of Mexico. Four People, Across Four Centuries, Each Navigating Ruptures To The World They Know, Are Irresistibly Drawn To It. A British Writer Travels In 2020 With Her Husband And Young Daughter To Give Thanks For The Birth Of Their Child. She Looks To The White Rock For Answers, Even As Her Faith In Her Marriage, And The Future Itself, Is Unravelling. An American Rock Star In 1969 Is In The Final Act Of His Self-destruction. On The Run From The Law, From His Rabid Fans And An America Burning With The Fever Of The Vietnam War, He Washes Up At The Edge Of Mexico, Hoping To Lose, Or Maybe Find Himself. A Yoeme Girl Is Torn From Her Homeland At The Turn Of The Twentieth Century And Taken By Force To The Coast. As Her Future Is Recast In The Name Of Progress And Power, She Turns To The Stories Of Her People, To Resist, And To Survive. And In 1775 A Young Spanish Naval Officer, Preparing To Set Sail From The White Rock To Continue The Conquest Of The Pacific Coast, Appears To Lose His Grip On Reality, With Far-reaching And Fatal Consequences . . . Each Finding Themselves At The End Of The Story They Have Lived By, Their Tales Echo, Breathtakingly, Through Time. As The White Rock Bears Witness To The Truth That We Are Not The First To Face Days Of Reckoning, Is There Still A Chance We Might Not Be The Last? 'i Loved It. I Became Invested In Each Of The Different Eras And Was Struck By The Sense Of Unknowable Forces Outliving Us All. It Is Full Of Wisdom, Intricate And Emotional, And It Will Linger In My Head For A Long Time.' Dave Haslam, Author Of Sonic Youth Slept On My Floor A minibus journeys through rural Mexico. Inside it are twelve strangers on a pilgrimage to the White Rock, which stands, ancient and sacred, off the Pacific coast. Like many before them, over centuries and from across continents, they find themselves irresistibly drawn here, for answers, to give thanks, to seek protection. One of them is a writer. She is travelling with her husband and young daughter, as her faith in her marriage, and the future itself, is foundering. She has come to the White Rock in the hope of excavating a beginning from the rubble of many different endings. Here she will find the echoes of many stories: of conquest and resistance, of betrayal and belief, of the many different forms of violence and love. Stories that have already unravelled, and stories that might yet illuminate a passage through these uncertain times ...