Augustine, a brilliant, ageing scientist, is consumed by the stars. For years he has scanned the
universe, trying to quantify infinity, to look back at the beginning of time itself. When news of a catastrophic event arrives at the remote research centre in the Arctic circle where he works and the researchers are evacuated, he insists on staying behind. But shortly after the last airlift departs, Augustine discovers a mysterious child - Iris. As time wears on, Augustine is unable to establish contact with the outside world. They are alone.
Time means very little in deep space. Mission Specialist Sullivan, a divorced astronaut and mother, is aboard the Aether, on its return flight from Jupiter. They are the first human beings to delve this deep into space and it has changed the crew. At last Sully feels at peace with the sacrifices she has made - the daughter she's left behind, the marriage she couldn't save. But suddenly, inexplicably, the Aether loses all contact with Mission Control.
Faced with the cold, barren sweep of the Arctic and the vast silence of space, how will they live? What will they be living for?
Ambitious . . . Brooks-Dalton's prose lights up the page in great swathes, her dialogue sharp and insightful, and the high-concept plot drives a story of place, elusive love, and the inexorable yearning for human contact . . . Memorable characters explore complex questions that resonate with the urgency of a glimpse into the void (Publishers Weekly)
Beautiful descriptions create a sense of wonder and evoke feelings of desolation while Brooks-Dalton's heartfelt debut novel unfolds at a perfect pace as it asks readers what will be left when everything in the world is gone (Booklist)
What does it mean to be isolated from the ordinariness of the everyday world, yet to find the extraordinariness of being close to another human being? . . . Lily Brooks-Dalton takes us on an emotional journey in this beautiful debut (Yiyun Li, author of THE VAGRANTS)
A truly original novel, otherworldly and profoundly human . . . This beautiful story reminds us of our deep longing for connection-with those we love, with strangers, with ourselves (Keith Scribner)
Good Morning, Midnight is a remarkable and gifted debut novel. Lily Brooks-Dalton is an uncanny chronicler of desolate spaces, whether it's the cold expanse of the universe or the deepest recesses of the human heart (Colson Whitehead, author of THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD)
