My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent

My Absolute Darling

Gabriel Tallent

This book delivers the impact of a serious assault - be warned. In saying that - it's one of the most powerful, tense and pacy books I have read this year. Expect extreme levels of violence and sexual abuse - and little, if no duty of care for the two girls at the centre of the story. The descriptions of the natural world are vivid, sensuous and so alive. Complex characterisation completes a very impressive debut. Steel yourself and read it!

Extract
Turtle does a pull-up, places her chin on the splintery beam and hangs while Martin stands below her, his face stripped of all warmth and kindness, seemingly fixed in some reverie of hatred. The knife bites in the the blue denim of her jeans and Turtle feels the cool steel though her panties.

Turtle sits with her hands flat on the table looking at the gun. He says, 'Don't be a little bitch, kibble.' He stands perfectly still. 'You're being a little bitch. Are you trying to be a little bitch, kibble.
Parallels
  • A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
  • The Goldfish by Donna Tartt
  • Anything by Cormac McCarthy
Borrow this book
Violence
Explicit sexual content

Bad luck and trouble