The Paper Lovers

Gerard Woodward

31 May 2018
9781509847976
224 pages

Synopsis

'Hugely enjoyable, a unique love story that’s both witty and poignant.' John Boyne, author of The Heart's Invisible Furies

Arnold Proctor’s quiet life is thrown off balance when he falls obsessively in love with Vera, a religious woman and one of his wife’s friends. Vera seems untroubled by her wrongdoing, yet faithless Arnold is wracked with guilt. He has never believed in God, but now he wonders if he truly believes in anything at all?

Polly makes handcrafted paper, and even though the age of paper is dead, she runs a successful shop selling her exquisite products. Polly is secure and happy in her life, until the day her husband Arnold makes a very uncharacteristic declaration.

Gerard Woodward's The Paper Lovers is a devastating story of sexual, religious and artistic obsession. It is about love and betrayal, and what becomes of us after our greatest certainties have been shattered.

Beautifully written novel about marital infidelity from a Booker-shortlistee
The pages all but turn themselves. This is contemporary family drama at its most compelling, and with a brutally exquisite ending.
Hugely enjoyable, a unique love story that’s both witty and poignant.