Sarah Perry

Enlightenment

Thomas and Grace are a couple of worshippers at the Baptist chapel in the small town of Aldleigh. Though separated in age by three decades, they are kindred spirits – torn between their religion and the desire for more. But their friendship is threatened by the arrival of love. Thomas falls for James Bower, who runs the local museum. They become obsessed with the vanished nineteenth-century female astronomer Maria Veduva, who haunts a nearby manor. Inspired by Maria, and the dawning realisation James may not reciprocate his love, Thomas finds solace studying the night skies. Meanwhile Grace meets Nathan, a fellow sixth former who lives a wilder kind of life. They are drawn together, but quickly pull apart, casting Grace into the wider world and far away from Thomas. In time, the mysteries of Aldleigh are revealed, bringing Thomas and Grace back to each other and to a richer understanding of love, the nature of the world, and the miracle of being alive.

Hardcover: 400 Pages

Language: English

Format: Kindle Edition, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback

4.5/5
Reviewed By Reviewed By Violeta Nedkova
“This is a tale of ghosts, hidden stories, packaged in a neat genre-bending package that combines science and religion. Intelligent and moving, it looks at not just the people, but the whole universe they inhabit. Truly a masterpiece of prose and creative inspiration.”