Red Heaven

Red Heaven is a captivating literary journey that explores a child's path to adulthood amidst the stunning backdrop of late 1960s Switzerland. This poignant novel, penned by the acclaimed author Nicolas Rothwell, delves into themes of memory, loss, and the indelible influence of family. Each character, particularly the boy's two formidable aunts, offers complex perspectives that shape his identity and values. Readers will be drawn into the aristocratic world of the alpine grand hotel, where love, obligation, and nostalgia collide. Serghiana, the artistic 'red princess', and Ady, the cynical ex-actress, challenge and nurture the boy, providing a rich narrative tapestry woven with emotional depth. With its profound insights into the people who define our lives, Red Heaven invites readers to contemplate the shadows of the past and their impact on the present. This trade paperback edition is perfect for fans of literary fiction and those seeking books that explore the intricate connections between memory and identity. Ideal for anyone searching for thought-provoking stories that resonate on multiple levels, Red Heaven is a must-have for your personal library. Grab your copy today and experience the finest work of Nicolas Rothwell, now available at Smartfox NZ, your destination for literary treasures.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781922458049
Format: Trade paperback (UK)
Year: 2021
Publisher: The Text Publishing Company
Pages: 400


Description:
Red Heaven is the story of a child's journey to adulthood, his loss of those he loves and his fixing of them in memory. It begins in the late 1960s in Switzerland, as the boy's ideas about life are being shaped by two rival influences.

These are his so-called aunts-imperious, strong-willed, ambitious-both exiles, at the mercy of outside political events; both determined to make the boy into their own heir, an inheritor of their values. In self-contained episodes, each set in an alpine grand hotel, we see one aunt and then the other educate their protege.

Serghiana, the 'red princess', is the daughter of a Soviet general, a producer of films and worshipper of art, a true believer. Ady, a former actress and singer, is a dilettante and cynic, Viennese, married to a great conductor- in her eyes, all is surface, truth a mere illusion.

Memory and nostalgia-the aunts' gifts to the boy, gifts of obligation-are the purest expression of love allowed them. Gradually he comes to understand the shadows in their past. Their stories stay with him, guiding his path through adolescence, until he can absorb the influences of the wider world.

Red Heaven is about the people who make us what we are- how they come into our lives, affect us, then depart the stage. This fiction, alive to the elusive beauties and sadnesses of the world, is Nicolas Rothwell's finest achievement.