The Second Bell

The Second Bell
Gabriela Houston
RRP:
NZ$ 30.00
Our Price:
NZ$ 24.00
Trade Paperback
h216 x 135mm - 304pg
9 Mar 2021 UK
International import eta 7-19 days
9780857668905
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
To the world you are an abomination; a monster with unholy abilities. You' re shunned and left to fend for yourself. Your only chance of survival is to tap into that dark potential - would you do it? In an isolated mountain community, sometimes a child is born with two hearts. Such a child - a striga - is considered a dangerous demon, which must be abandoned on the edge of the forest to protect the community. The only choice the child' s mother can make is whether to leave her home with her infant, or stay behind and try to forget. Miriat made her choice. She and her nineteen-year-old striga daughter, Salka, now live a life of deprivation and hardship in a remote village, where to follow the impulses of the other heart is forbidden. But Salka is headstrong and young, and when threatened with losing everything, she is forced to explore the depths of her true nature, testing the bonds between mother and child. File Under: Fantasy [ Breaking Taboos | Hidden Shadows | Hungry Like the Wolf | Slavic Story ]
"Captivating, provocative and poignant - not to be missed. " "This is well worth your time!" "a very personal story you won' t be able to stop thinking about long after the tale is told. " "enchanting fairy tale with real-world themes. " "Houston has gifted us with a folktale that is both mythically resonant and all too human. " "This intimate fantasy offers a heartfelt reflection on what it means to be human that is sure to please. " "a coming-of-age tale set in a lavishly detailed backdrop drawn from the writer' s native Slavic mythology" "A fresh and provocative spin on the Slavic Stiga mythology, The Second Bell is a smart and complex journey into the meaning of family, community, nature and possibility. A gripping read and full of heart. " "Fans of mythical yarns and medieval fantasies will enjoy this easy-to-read fable. " "A masterful tale. " "A claustrophobic but very human tale of bad decisions rather than (totally) bad people. "
Gabriela was born and raised in Poland, brought up on a diet of mythologies and fairy tales. She spent her summers exploring the woods, foraging and animal tracking with her family. At 19, Gabriela moved to London to study English Literature and obtained a Masters degree in Literatures of Modernity. She has worked as an assistant editor and as a freelance writer. Gabriela' s short stories have been selected for the Editor' s Choice Review by Bewildering Stories and have been featured on the Ladies of Horror Fiction podcast. She lives in London with her husband and two children.

In stock - for items in stock we aim to dispatch the next business day. For delivery in NZ allow 2-5 business days, with rural taking a wee bit longer.

Locally sourced in NZ - stock comes from a NZ supplier with an approximate delivery of 7-15 business days.

International Imports - stock is imported into NZ, depending on air or sea shipping option from the international supplier stock can take 10-30 working days to arrive into NZ. 

Pre-order Titles - delivery will vary depending on where the title is published, if local stock is available in NZ then 5-7 business days, for international imports it can be 10-30 business days. In all cases we will access the quickest supply option.

Delivery Packaging - we ship all items in cardboard sleeves or by box with either packing paper or corn starch chips. (We avoid using plastics bubble bags)

Tracking - Orders are delivered by track and trace courier and are fully insured, tracking information will be sent by email once dispatched.

View our full Order & Delivery information

Details of the product above will be automatically included with your enquiry.