It is lovely to see that Unspeakable Beauty by Georgia Carys Williams has been picked a Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru / Books Council of Wales Book of the Month for February!
'Unspeakable Beauty is perfectly measured; reading this novel is often a breathtaking pleasure... A truly impressive achievement from a rising star of Welsh literature.' – Gosia Buzzanca, Buzz Magazine
'an elegant psychological exploration of obsessive behaviours, be that the physical and psychological demands placed on an aspiring ballerina; or the predatory tendencies of a man who comes to objectify a woman made vulnerable by her quiet nature... a lyrical, compelling and addictive read' – Sophie Buchaillard, Nation.Cymru
Growing up in a lonely house on the edge of a wild common, Violet Hart is a quiet and sheltered only child who has always dreamt of becoming something extraordinary: a ballet icon as famous as Margot Fonteyn.
Guarding her dream closely after suffering catastrophic loss, Violet falls further into quietness, learning to speak only with her feet as she pursues a path to a career in dance. On the cusp of adulthood, she finally starts to find her voice.
But when a secret, all consuming affair with her older lover Theo threatens to send her world into a tailspin, will Violet find herself? Or will she succumb to the silence she knows so well?
This beautiful, poetic debut novel warns of the dangers of being a quiet person in a loud world and letting magnetic strangers pull your strings. Set on the Welsh coast, Unspeakable Beauty is an unsettling coming-of-age tale about the importance of learning how to take the lead and be yourself, of finding hope in the shadows, of letting your dreams bloom.
Praise for Second-hand Rain:
‘Williams’ writing is at once uplifting and upsetting – I cried twice [...] From a lyrebird to a doomed fetus, each character is completely submerged in their own authentic world.’ – Mslexia
‘Touching, mature and imaginative, this is a wonderful debut collection from an author who looks set to make a significant contribution to the changing shape of Welsh writing as her career develops’ – Wales Arts Review
‘Intricate, touching and astonishingly imaginative...’ – Stevie Davies
‘Edgy and dark, psychologically needling and vigorously inventive, Second-hand Rain marks the arrival of a singular voice in fiction.’ – Jon Gower
Georgia Carys Williams lives in Swansea. Her short story collection Second-hand Rain was shortlisted for the Sabotage Short Story Award and longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize and the Frank O’Connor International Prize. She has a doctorate in creative writing from Swansea University. Unspeakable Beauty is her debut novel.
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