The Four Marys: A Quartet of Contemporary Folk Tales - Softcover

Jean Rafferty

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1908643579 ISBN 13: 9781908643575

Publisher: Saraband, 2014

Synopsis

'A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world.' So said Agatha Christie, ambiguously; for the bond between mother and child is deep, but sometimes, motherhood does not come naturally. This is hinted at in references to the Four Marys ballad by Virginia Woolf and Joan Baez, both of whom feature here. Obsession, longing, deceit and even murder feature in this quartet of provocative novellas, which gives a modern twist to tales of women for whom all is not necessar- ily as it seems or as each woman would want her life to be. Drawing on universal themes of womanhood and on history, culture and lore, 'The Four Marys' is a riveting exploration of the complexities of motherhood: edgy and engrossing, moving, yet at times, disturbing.

About this title

About the Author

Jean Rafferty is an acclaimed award-winning journalist who has written on topics ranging from gritty human interest stories about prostitution, to celebrity interviews and humour pieces. Jean has written two non-fiction books about sport, and her first novel, 'Myra, Beyond Saddleworth' (2012), has been shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize. Jean is Chair of the Scottish PEN's Writers in Prison Committee.

Edition details

• Publisher: Saraband
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1908643579
• ISBN 13: 9781908643575
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 280