Dancing on Knives
“Memory, trauma, romance – and ghosts. Joanne Rush serves up a bewitching British-Balkan brew.”
Nicholas Royle
About this novel
Published by Honno Press
Longlisted for the Mslexia First Novel Award
Nominated for the Booker Prize.
Laura, a Bosnian war survivor and Cambridge University librarian, has long tried to forget the horrors of her past. But when she falls in love with Balkan languages student Adam, disturbing memories start to emerge.
As Adam's work leaves Laura increasingly isolated, she is visited by the ghosts of those murdered in the conflict. They don’t haunt her; instead they share stories, cook familiar meals and tell Bosnian folktales, reminding her of the home she once lost. However, when their longing for vengeance becomes clear, Laura must decide: are her guests a sign that she is unravelling, or can they help her confront the past she has fled for so long?
Dancing on Knives is available wherever you get your books. If you’re buying online, I can recommend Bookshop.org - an ethical store that supports independent bookshops.
Book Launch at Mr B’s Emporium, Bath
I’ve talked about this novel in a lot of places, but the best moment of all was launching it in my favourite bookshop.
