“Abbs has found a gripping and little-known story at the heart of one of the 20th century’s most astonishing creative moments, researched it deeply, and brought the extraordinary Joyce family and their circle in 1920s Paris to richly-imagined life.”—Emma Darwin, bestselling author of A Secret Alchemy and The Mathematics of Love
For readers who adored novels like The Paris Wife, Z, and Loving Frank, comes Annabel Abbs highly praised debut novel, where she spins the story of James Joyce’s fascinating, and tragic, daughter, Lucia.
“When she reaches her full capacity for rhythmic dancing, James Joyce may yet be known as his daughter’s father . . .”
The review in the Paris Times in November 1928 is rapturous in its praise of Lucia Joyce’s skill and artistry as a dancer. The family has made theirhome in Paris—where the latest ideas in art, music, and literature converge. Acolytes regularly visit the Joyce apartment to pay homage to Ireland’s exiled literary genius. Among them is a tall, thin young man named Samuel Beckett—a fellow Irish expat who idolizes Joyce and with whom Lucia becomes romantically involved.
Lucia is both gifted and motivated, training tirelessly with some of the finest teachers in the world. Though her father delights in his daughter’s talent, she clashes with her mother, Nora. And as her relationship with Beckett sours, Lucia’s dreams unravel, as does her hope of a life beyond her father’s shadow.
With Lucia’s behavior growing increasingly erratic, James Joyce sends her to pioneering psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Here, at last, she will tell her own story—a fascinating, heartbreaking account of thwarted ambition, passionate creativity, and the power of love to both inspire and destroy.
The Joyce Girl creates a compelling and moving account of the real-life Joyce Girl, of unrealized dreams and rejection, and of the destructive love of a father.
Genre: Historical
For readers who adored novels like The Paris Wife, Z, and Loving Frank, comes Annabel Abbs highly praised debut novel, where she spins the story of James Joyce’s fascinating, and tragic, daughter, Lucia.
“When she reaches her full capacity for rhythmic dancing, James Joyce may yet be known as his daughter’s father . . .”
The review in the Paris Times in November 1928 is rapturous in its praise of Lucia Joyce’s skill and artistry as a dancer. The family has made theirhome in Paris—where the latest ideas in art, music, and literature converge. Acolytes regularly visit the Joyce apartment to pay homage to Ireland’s exiled literary genius. Among them is a tall, thin young man named Samuel Beckett—a fellow Irish expat who idolizes Joyce and with whom Lucia becomes romantically involved.
Lucia is both gifted and motivated, training tirelessly with some of the finest teachers in the world. Though her father delights in his daughter’s talent, she clashes with her mother, Nora. And as her relationship with Beckett sours, Lucia’s dreams unravel, as does her hope of a life beyond her father’s shadow.
With Lucia’s behavior growing increasingly erratic, James Joyce sends her to pioneering psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Here, at last, she will tell her own story—a fascinating, heartbreaking account of thwarted ambition, passionate creativity, and the power of love to both inspire and destroy.
The Joyce Girl creates a compelling and moving account of the real-life Joyce Girl, of unrealized dreams and rejection, and of the destructive love of a father.
Genre: Historical
Praise for this book
"Abbs has found a gripping and little-known story at the heart of one of the 20th century’s most astonishing creative moments, researched it deeply, and brought the extraordinary Joyce family and their circle in 1920s Paris to richly-imagined life." - Emma Darwin
"Brings to life 1920s Paris excitingly and beautifully...I loved Lucia's character." - Natasha Lester
"Annabel Abb's novel about James Joyce's daughter is an unforgettable and daring look at a time and place when everything seems possible...This is a rich, gorgeous novel of the Jazz Age and a woman's struggle to escape the boundaries imposed by the men in her life. A must-read!" - Jeanne MacKin
"Annabel Abbs weaves a powerful, spellbinding and illuminating story of a woman who has been, until now, relegated to a historical footnote." - Clare Pooley
"A captivating debut about love, creativity, and living in the shadow of a genius. Abbs recreates the extraordinary story of Lucia—James Joyce’s daughter and gifted dancer in her own right—in language as sensuous and richly alive as Lucia’s dancing." - Louisa Treger
"Brings to life 1920s Paris excitingly and beautifully...I loved Lucia's character." - Natasha Lester
"Annabel Abb's novel about James Joyce's daughter is an unforgettable and daring look at a time and place when everything seems possible...This is a rich, gorgeous novel of the Jazz Age and a woman's struggle to escape the boundaries imposed by the men in her life. A must-read!" - Jeanne MacKin
"Annabel Abbs weaves a powerful, spellbinding and illuminating story of a woman who has been, until now, relegated to a historical footnote." - Clare Pooley
"A captivating debut about love, creativity, and living in the shadow of a genius. Abbs recreates the extraordinary story of Lucia—James Joyce’s daughter and gifted dancer in her own right—in language as sensuous and richly alive as Lucia’s dancing." - Louisa Treger
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