The Alternatives

 EQUAL PARTS HILARIOUS AND PROFOUND, THE ALTERNATIVES IS A POWERFUL NEW NOVEL ABOUT FOUR GIFTED IRISH SISTERS, FROM A MAJOR LITERARY VOICE. PERFECT FOR FANS OF JONATHAN FRANZEN, MAGGIE O'FARRELL AND CLAIRE VAYE WATKINS.Olwen, Nell, Maeve and Rhona were plunged prematurely into adulthood when their parents died in tragic circumstances. Now in their thirties, they have each carved out impressive careers – living distant lives, fighting separate battles. But Olwen's disappearance is about to change everything. A geologist haunted by the weight of the earth's past and a crushing awareness of its volatile future, Olwen abruptly vanishes from her home without a trace. Her sisters track her down to a remote bungalow in rural Ireland, with little electricity and patchy connection to the outside world. Together for the first time in years, the sisters vie to confront old wounds and diagnose new ills – most urgently, Olwen's.Fiercely witty and unexpectedly hopeful, The Alternatives is an unforgettable portrait of a family perched on our collective precipice, told by one of Ireland's most gifted storytellers. ‘The Alternatives is both a book of ideas and a gripping read, formally audacious yet deeply humane. Superb.’ Rumaan Alam, author of Leave the World BehindA New Statesman 'Book to Look Forward to in 2024'