In 'OK, Mr. Field', Katharine Kilalea weaves a captivating tale centered around the life of a woman named Moth, who discovers a mysterious letter that leads her on an unexpected journey of self-exploration and emotional awakening. Set in an intriguing, almost dreamlike world, the story delves into themes of loneliness, connection, and the search for belonging. As Moth navigates the complexities of her past and present, she encounters a cast of eccentric characters that challenge her perceptions and choices. With wit and poignancy, Kilalea invites readers to reflect on the nature of human relationships and the paths we take. Will Moth uncover the truth behind the letter, and what will it mean for her future?
By Katharine Kilalea
Published: 2018
"In the quiet moments, we often find the loudest truths; it is in understanding the spaces between the words that we truly discover ourselves."
A mesmerizing debut novel about a concert pianist who fears he is losing his mind Mr. Field wants a new life, a life cleansed of the old one’s disappointments. A concert pianist on the London scene, his career is upended when the train he is travelling on crashes into the wall at the end of a tunnel. The accident splinters his left wrist, jeopardizing his musical ambitions. On a whim, he uses his compensation pay-out to buy a house he has seen only once in a newspaper photograph, a replica of Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye on a stretch of coast outside Cape Town. Together with his wife, Mim, Mr. Field sets out in the hope that the house will make him happier, or at least less unhappy. But as time passes, the house—which Le Corbusier designed as "a machine for living"—begins to have a disturbing effect on Mr. Field. Its narrow windows educate him in the pleasures of frustrated desire. Its sequence of spaces, which seem to lead toward and away from their destinations at once, mirror his sense of being increasingly cut off from the world and from other people. When his wife inexplicably leaves him, Mr. Field can barely summon the will to search for her. Alone in the decaying house, he finds himself unglued from reality and possessed by a longing for a perverse kind of intimacy. OK, Mr. Field is a strange and beguiling novel that dwells in the silences between words, in the gaps in conversation, and in the unbridgeable distance between any two people. Through her restless intelligence and precise, musical prose, Katharine Kilalea confidently guides us into new fictional territory.
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“In the quiet moments, we often find the loudest truths; it is in understanding the spaces between the words that we truly discover ourselves.”
OK, Mr. Field
By Katharine Kilalea
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Katharine Kilalea is a South African author known for her striking storytelling and evocative prose. Her work often explores complex themes of identity, belonging, and the human experience, drawing readers into richly crafted narratives. Kilalea's notable works include 'One Eye'd Leigh', a novel praised for its innovative structure and lyrical language, and 'OK, Mr. Field', which garnered critical acclaim for its insightful exploration of relationships and solitude. With a background that informs her unique perspective, Kilalea's writing style is characterized by its keen observations and emotional depth.
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