When the World Was Steady

claire messud

In this highly acclaimed novel by the author of The Emperorâ s Children, life isnâ t all Emmy and Virginia Simpson might have hoped. When Emmyâ s marriage to an Australian man ends, she flees her home in Sydney for the tropical paradise of Bali to â find herselfâ â only to become embroiled with an eclectic crew of international misfits and smugglers. Her sister Virginia, meanwhile, has never wandered far outside of London. Prim and pious, Virginia is struggling to find meaning in her life and her aging mother thinks a visit to the Isle of Skye is just what she needs. On these two islands halfway around the world, the middle-aged sisters confront their lives and their destinies with unexpected consequences.

Genres fictionliterary fictionscotlandbritish literaturecontemporarybook clubaudiobooknovels

270 pages, Paperback

First published July 28,1994

Literary awards

pen/faulkner award for fiction,

Places

london england, bali,

This edition

Format: 270 pages, Paperback
Published: January 1, 1996 by Granta Books
ISBN: 9780964561137
ASIN: 0964561131
Language: English

About the author

claire messud

Claire Messud is an American novelist and literature and creative writing professor. She is best known as the author of the novel The Emperor's Children (2006).