An Unremarkable Body

by Elisa Lodato Narrated by Emma Powell

Overview

When Katharine is found dead at the foot of her stairs, it is the mystery of her life which consumes daughter, Laura.

The medical examiner's report, in which precious parts of Katharine's body are weighed and categorized, motivates Laura to write her own version of events. To bear witness to the unbearable blank space between each itemized entry.

What emerges is a picture of life lived in the shadows, as well as an attempt to discover how and why her mother died. To make sense of her own grief Laura must piece her mother's body back together and in doing so, she is forced to confront a woman silenced by her own mother and wronged by her husband.

A woman who felt shackled by motherhood and unable to love freely.

With the heart of a memoir and the pace of a thriller, An Unremarkable Body reveals the overwhelming desire of those who mourn to protest that an unremarkable body does not mean an unremarkable life.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A beautifully told tale of love and loss, which ever so gently reaffirms that no life is indeed unremarkable . . . Lodato probes the secrets that are scattered through one character's life and draws us into her world . . . absorbing and compelling . . . startlingly bittersweet . . . I couldn't stop reading and now I'm done I wish I could read it all over again—Ronnie Turner, book blogger

This novel pulls you in and will have you racing to reach the end—GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

Lodato's skill is that of Katharine's pathologist; precise, delicate and thorough. A tender dissection of brutal truths—Dexter Petley, author of WHITE LIES

An uplifting story—GRAZIA

An intriguing tale of love, loss and missed opportunities . . . although infused with sadness, it is written with verve and delivers an amazing twist—Deirdre O'Brien, SUNDAY MIRROR

An incredibly moving story of maternal love, sacrifice, and how little we know about those closest to us. This beautifully-written novel had me gripped until the last page—Chloë Mayer, author of THE BOY MADE OF SNOW

AN UNREMARKABLE BODY is clever, evocative and sensitively written. There's so much to love about this book. These characters will creep into your thoughts—Polly Courtney, author of FERAL YOUTH

A haunting debut about grief, loss and motherhood - and a woman's identity beyond that role—THE POOL

An Unremarkable Body is infused with sadness but avoids being morbid or cloying. It is written with verve, pace and sensitivity. A fabulous debut that also delivers an amazing twist as a final flourish—THE PEOPLE

An Unremarkable Body is a well-crafted story of grief and loss. Beautiful, sensitive, and poignant—Clarissa Goenawan, author of RAINBIRDS

Tender and moving, this part-thriller, part-memoir will leave you floored—EMERALD STREET

Pleasingly distinct . . . the structuring of the chapters by means of an introductory extract from the autopsy report is a rather ingenious one . . . . this organizational quirkiness sets Lodato's work apart from the start . . . a novel that shows notable promise . . . . I'm already intrigued to see what Lodato writes next —INDEPENDENT

An elegant, haunting book with a flawed narrator, troubled relationships, and a mystery at the heart . . . Lodato's writing is spare, confident and affecting. A compelling read—Joanna Barnard, author of PRECOCIOUS and HUSH LITTLE BABY

A sensitive examination of a life frustrated by mores and circumstance—DAILY MAIL

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170352401
Publisher:	Octopus Books
Publication date:	12/14/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

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