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      O Caledonia

      by Elspeth Barker
      Published
      Sep 1992
      Main Genre
      Literary Literary
      Rating
      Pages
      208
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      About This Book

      In the tradition of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle, a darkly humorous modern classic of Scottish literature about a doomed adolescent growing up in the mid-19th century—featuring a new introduction by Maggie O'Farrell, award-winning author of Hamnet.

      Janet lies murdered beneath the castle stairs, attired in her mother's black lace wedding dress, lamented only by her pet jackdaw…

      ​Author Elspeth Barker masterfully evokes the harsh climate of Scotland in this atmospheric gothic tale that has been compared to the works of the Brontës, Edgar Allan Poe, and Edward Gorey. Immersed in a world of isolation and loneliness, Barker's ill-fated young heroine Janet turns to literature, nature, and her Aunt Lila, who offers brief flashes of respite in an otherwise foreboding life. People, birds, and beasts move through the background in a tale that is as rich and atmospheric as it is witty and mordant. The family's motto—Moriens sed Invictus (Dying but Unconquered)—is a well-suited epitaph for wild and courageous Janet, whose fierce determination to remain steadfastly herself makes her one of the most unforgettable protagonists in contemporary literature.

      Genres & Themes

      Genres

      General Fiction Romance

      Subgenres

      Contemporary Romance Literary

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      Formats & Editions

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      Paperback

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      Trade Paperback
      Sep 2022 Scribner ISBN13 9781668004616 ISBN10 1668004615
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      Hardcover

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      Hardcover
      First Edition Sep 1992 Harcourt ISBN13 9780151677740 ISBN10 0151677743
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      eBook

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      eBook
      Nov 2014 Galley Beggar Press ISBN13 9781910296349 ISBN10 1910296341
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      Nov 2014 Galley Beggar Press ISBN10 B00PB3JBE2
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      eBook
      Nov 2014 Weidenfeld & Nicolson ISBN13 9781474620529 ISBN10 1474620523
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      eBook
      Jun 2022 Scribner ISBN13 9781668004623 ISBN10 1668004623
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      Audio

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      Audible
      Sep 2021 Weidenfeld & Nicolson ISBN10 B0996WVTC1
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      Audio CD
      Sep 2022 Simon & Schuster Audio ISBN13 9781797148366 ISBN10 1797148362
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