Early reviews of Lena Gaunt ahead of UK publication

The official UK publication date of The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt (Aardvark Bureau) is 9 January 2016, but – thanks largely to advance copies made available by Gallic Books for Aardvark Bureau via NetGalley – there’s been a steady stream of early reviews appearing on NetGalley, GoodReads and blogs.

Thanks so much to everyone who’s taken the time to read the book, and to post and tweet such warm reviews ahead of publication day. Here’s a taste of some of those early reviews.

…a stunning example of writing that touches the soul, beautiful and haunting in its resonance…The writing is as close to a beautiful piece of music as I have encountered. — Jackie Law @followthehens

Read Jackie’s review on her blog

Tracy Farr’s delightful, fascinating debut novel is the fictional memoir of Dame Lena Gaunt: musician, octogenarian, puffer of exotic substances. It was one of my Top 5 Fiction Reads of 2015…a standout read for me. — Claire McAlpine @clairewords

Read Claire’s review on her Word by Word blog

Claire picked The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt as one of her top 5 reads of 2015

A potent story of passion, love and loss mixed with stunning prose. Tracy Farr’s stunning mesmerizing language will captivate your attention. Clearly an author telling a story masterfully, her words a tactile experience. — @mybookself

Read @mybookself review on My Book Self blog

And some lovely reviews on NetGalley – here are a few that stand out:

What a thing of beauty this novel is, especially impressive for a debut…Lovely book. Highly recommended. ★★★★★ — Mia D, Reviewer, NetGalley
A quiet gem of a novel…Farr is a vivid, evocative writer, with a gift for creating imagery from words. She brings Lena Gaunt to life. ★★★★ — Sarah R, Educator, NetGalley
Beautiful and engaging book about a musician looking back on her life. ★★★★★ — Amanda P, Educator, NetGalley
This was really engaging; unusual and original…The mood overall was elegiac and the writing deft, Farr doesn’t do sentimental, but I was left with that satisfying sadness you get at the end of a weepie. Her way with visuals is also really impressive; I would definitely try another by this author. ★★★★ — Jane P, Librarian, NetGalley