Description

Inspired by true historical events in the Caribbean, River Sing Me Home will break your heart and then lift you up. A soaring story of courage and sacrifice, this novel reminds us of the remarkable strength of hope. A Good Morning America Book Club Pick. Soon to be adapted as a feature film by AL Films and BBC Film.

‘Every once in a while, a book comes along that is so assured and so powerful you can’t believe it’s a debut…. Eleanor Shearer is a remarkable writer and she brings this story of a mother’s courage to the page with compassion and tenderness’ Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author

‘I was riveted by Rachel’s story. Like the River of its title, this novel sings. A beautiful debut’ Cherie Jones, author of How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House, shortlisted for The Women’s Prize for Fiction

‘A searing debut full of love and loss… Heartbreaking, hopeful, and unforgettable… this is the kind of book that will stay with readers for years to come’ Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author

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Rachel is searching for her children. For Mary Grace, Micah, Thomas Augustus, Cherry Jane and Mercy. These are the five who were sold to other plantations; the faces she cannot forget. It is 1834, and the law says her people are now free. But for Rachel freedom means finding her children.

With fear snapping at her heels, Rachel keeps moving. From sunrise to sunset, through the cane fields of Barbados to the forests of British Guiana, then on to Trinidad, up the dangerous river and to the open sea. Only once she knows their stories can she rest. Only then can she finally find home…

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‘A top contender for my book of the year. I beg you to read it’ Real reader review

‘Powerful . . . certainly my best read of the year’ Real reader review

‘An astounding debut’ Real reader review

‘One of the most incredibly moving books I have ever read that will stay with me for a long time’ Real reader review

‘Incredibly moving’ Real reader review

‘I adored this novel’ Real reader review

Publisher Review

Every once in a while, a book comes along that is so assured and so powerful you can’t believe it’s a debut novel. RIVER SING ME HOME is just such a book . . . Eleanor Shearer is a remarkable writer and she brings this story of a mother’s courage to the page with compassion, tenderness and pitch-perfect prose — Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Riviera House An extraordinary odyssey of pain, love, and homecoming . . . RIVER SING ME HOME is a haunting and powerful debut — Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye A strong and beautiful novel that stares into the face of brutality and the heart of love — Jeanette Winterson Epic and lyrical, a story about love and the power it brings us — Frank Cottrell-Boyce A searing debut full of love, loss, and the shadows of the past . . . Heartbreaking, hopeful, and unforgettable. Both a powerful ode to the endless depths of a mother’s love and an important meditation on what freedom really means, this is the kind of book that will stay with readers for years to come — Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author An extraordinary and gripping debut. Rachel’s love for her children resonates through each page as she fights for her freedom and theirs. A must-read! — Chanel Cleeton A powerful story, beautifully told. Shearer skilfully depicts the cruelty of the British slave trade, contrasted with one mother’s indomitable love for her children, and her burning will to live. An empathic, elegantly rendered and deeply humane novel — Jessica Moor A powerful novel that explores how freedom and family are truly defined — Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Personal Librarian RIVER SING ME HOME is a masterclass in how to speak of unspeakable things. A beautiful read — Meg Clothier RIVER SING ME HOME slices you open . . . and knits you back up again. A powerful account of love, loss, defiance and the lengths to which a mother will go in order to make herself and her family whole again. Breathtaking — Chikodili Emelumadu Lyrical, heartbreaking, thought-provoking . . . A book about love, motherhood and survival that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it’ — Costanza Casati I absolutely loved this book and Eleanor Shearer’s lyrical prose kept me gripped as the story moved from Barbados to Demerara and Trinidad . . . a beautifully written debut — Stacey Thomas Propulsive . . . This compelling premise of a mother in search of her children powers a moving and dynamic novel. The pacing is swift, and Shearer writes in clear, energetic prose. There is an accessibility to the language that is refreshing; it buoys the narrative, giving us intimate access to a complex period in history * Guardian * An immersive debut . . . the heart of the novel lies in its celebration of motherhood and female resilience. A tender exploration of one woman’s courage in the face of unbelievable cruelty * Observer * The beautifully written depiction of a mother longing for her children makes this transcendent * Publishers Weekly (starred review) * Early readers of RIVER SING ME HOME are evangelical about this story . . . Full of love and compassion, this will be everywhere next year * Stylist * A powerful, gripping and poetic novel about the strength of a mother’s love — Sarra Manning * Red * Such a glorious and compelling story * Prima * A cracking debut * Belfast Telegraph * Hugely profound, hopeful and emotive this is written in lyrical prose that demonstrates Shearer’s mastery of language * Glamour * Action-packed, emotionally demanding, richly described, the novel paints an extraordinary portrait of motherly love and hope . . . a thoroughly compelling read * Daily Mail * An intense and absorbing debut * The Times * River Sing Me Home is a fine testament to the women who inspired this debut * The Sunday Times * Lyrical, heart-wrenching and so well crafted — Goodreads Reviewer A triumph of tragedy and hope — Goodreads Reviewer An extraordinary tale of fearlessness, passion, motherly love and hope — NetGalley Reviewer This debut novel does exactly what I want historic fiction to do – teach me something while telling me a good story — Goodreads Reviewer The most moving, beautiful, heart-breaking yet hopeful book I’ve read this year. — Goodreads Reviewer A novel which explored, with courage, care and capability, the illusory nature of freedom at a critical point in West Indian history. I was riveted by Rachel’s story and it is a testament to Eleanor’s craft that I felt every fraught element of Rachel’s journey to finding her children right along with her. Like the River of its title, this novel sings . . . a beautiful debut — Cherie Jones, Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted author of How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House