Little Island signs debut about the consequences of everyday sexism
Little Island Books announces the acquisition of debut YA novel from UK author Louise Finch.
The Eternal Return of Clara Hart joins the dots between everyday sexism and toxic masculinity.
The novel employs the device of a repeating day familiar from Netflix series Russian Doll and Groundhog Day.
Provocative
With a powerful message about the importance of boys calling out their friends’ casual misogynistic behaviour, this timely book, reminiscent of recent hit movie Promising Young Woman, will provoke important conversations among teens when it comes out in August 2022.
Little Island Publisher Matthew Parkinson-Bennett acquired world rights in all languages from agent Becky Bagnell of the Lindsay Literary Agency, who says that she has always been fascinated by time-loop stories: “This novel came from wanting to use that structure to explore the harm of toxic masculinity and the cyclical nature of grief and trauma.”
The Eternal Return of Clara Hart
Spence and Anthony have been friends for years, but it’s only when he witnesses a classmate die in what looks like a tragic accident at a house party that a flicker in the fabric of time helps Spence ‘see’ Anthony for the first time.
When Spence wakes up to the same day again and sees Clara, the girl who died, alive and well, it’s clear he’s been granted a second chance. And a third. And a fourth…
Caught in a loop, condemned to experience the same 24 hours over and over, Spence tries to prevent the terrible events of the party.
To break the spell he has to re-evaluate everything he previously took for granted and find the courage to call out his own and others complicity in events that marked the life and death of Clara Hart.
Sensational
Parkinson-Bennet said that external readers were blown away: “This is a sensational debut and it’s our privilege to launch the career of a writer who we’re sure will be read widely for years to come.”
