\”Sola pushes past the limits of human experience to tell a story of instinct and earth-time that is irresistible in its jagged glory.\” – C Pam Zhang, author of How Much of These Hills is Gold
When Domenec – mountain-dweller, father, poet, dreamer – dies suddenly, struck by lightning, he leaves behind two small children, Mia and Hilari, to grow up wild among the looming summits of the Pyrenees and the ghosts of the Spanish civil war.
But then Hilari dies too, and his sister is forced to face life’s struggles and joys alone. As the years tumble by, the inhabitants of the mountain – human, animal and other – come together in a chorus of voices to bear witness to the sorrows of one family, and to the savage beauty of the landscape. This remarkable English-language debut is lyrical, mythical, elemental, and ferociously imaginative.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 208
Imprint: Granta Books
Publication date: 04/05/2023
When I Sing, Mountains Dance
By Irene Sola
Review by Jack
Every so often, I find novels that don’t demand reading. Instead, I can simply let the magic wash over me – this was one such novel. It’s a lyrical and peculiar celebration of the symbiosis between nature and people, narrated by humans, sprites, deer and even the Pyrenees Mountains. It’s a beautiful and surreal read, provided that you can let go and enjoy it.
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