WINNER OF THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE 'Spellbinding' i 'Breathtaking' Elle 'Powerhouses of
feeling and depth' Mary Gaitskill 'Sharp and vital' Daisy Johnson 'Excellent' Margaret
Atwood on Twitter An ex-boxer turned nail salon worker falls for a pair of immaculate hands
a mother and daughter harvest earthworms in the middle of the night a country music-obsessed
housewife abandons her family for fantasy and a young girl's love for her father transcends
language. In this stunning debut Souvankham Thammavongsa captures the day-to-day lives of
immigrants and refugees in a nameless city illuminating hopes disappointments love affairs
and above all the pursuit of a place to belong. 'There is not a moment off in these
affecting stories' Sheila Heti
