The Killing Jar - by Nicola Monaghan (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In her stunning debut, Nicola Monaghan lays bare the gritty underbelly of life in Nottingham, England.

Very early on, Kerrie-Ann begins to dream of the world beyond the rough council estate where she lives. Her father is nowhere to be found, her mother is a junkie, and she is left to care for her little brother. Clever, brave, and frighteningly independent, Kerrie-Ann has an unbreakable will to survive. She befriends her eccentric, elderly neighbor, who teaches her about butterflies, the Amazon, and life outside of her tough neighborhood. But even as Kerrie-Ann dreams of a better life she becomes further entangled in the cycles of violence and drugs that rule the estate.

Brilliant, brutal, and tender, The Killing Jar introduces a brave new voice in fiction. Nicola Monaghan's devastating prose tells an unforgettable story of violence, love, and hope.

Review Quotes

"A gripping, mile-a-minute British debut. Enthralling." -- "Kirkus Reviews" (starred)

"Monaghan's is a powerful, loving, and honest new voice." -- A. L. Kennedy, author of "Paradise" and "So I Am Glad"

"Monaghan's novel is direct and deceptively simple. In spite of suffering there are surprising touches of humour and tenderness that bloom like flowers on asphalt." -- "The Times" (London)

"Startling and potent . . . "The Killing Jar" is a vibrant, shocking blast of life from Broxtowe. [Monaghan's] convincing characters swing unpredictably between terrifying and tender, and the often violent encounters usually have a bleakly funny edge." -- "The Independent" (London)

"The thrills and horrors of life as a young drug dealer play out against a backdrop of suburban decay in Monaghan's sharp-edged debut. The stark material and unsentimental prose make for a wrenching look at devotion, crime, and violence." -- "Publishers Weekly" (starred)

"This is class writing and gripping narrative, a true talent. It is an excellent piece of storytelling in language that is fully alive." -- George Szirtes, author of "Reel", winner of the T. S. Eliot Prize

"Utterly gripping." -- "Booklist" (starred)

"When literature is at its best it transports us, takes us into the souls of people we might not otherwise know; it expands our humanity, and this is the extraordinary achievement of Nicola Monaghan's novel "The Killing Jar", which opened up a world I never knew existed." -- asha bandele, author of "The Prisoner's Wife" and "Daughter"