House of Books & Friends is thrilled to welcome Sheena Kalayil on Thursday 30th April at 6pm to discuss her book, ‘The Others’, recently longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction.

The evening will involve a discussion, a Q&A, and a chance to get your book signed by Sheena. The evening will be chaired by Isabelle Kenyon, owner of Fly on the Wall Press.

About the Book

Secrets, lies and love as the DDR collapses.

It is 1989, and in a small Baltic city in East Germany, the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, three young people from vastly different backgrounds become friends. Armando is a factory worker from Mozambique, Lolita is a medical student from India, and Theo is an East Berliner who dreams of being a writer.

When Armando and Lolita make a grisly discovery, they find themselves caught up in the politics of Theo’s homeland more than ever before. While a quiet revolution sweeps through Eastern Europe, and the Berlin Wall teeters, the three find themselves entangled in a poignant love triangle which threatens their futures.

As the world order shifts, their three lives are bound together in a web of love, lies and fears, leaving each irrevocably changed.

About the Author

Sheena Kalayil is a critically acclaimed Manchester-based author and teacher. ‘The Others’ is Kalayil’s fourth novel, continuing her profound examination of untold stories from the crossroads of history and human experience. Kalayil’s debut novel, ‘The Bureau of Second Chances’, announced her as a major new literary talent, winning the prestigious Writers’ Guild Award for Best First Novel and being shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Prize for Fiction with a Sense of Place. With a lifetime of experiences teaching around the world, from Nepal and Mozambique to Tunisia and Venezuela, Kalayil brings a truly global perspective to her writing. Since 2002, she has called the UK home, now teaching at the University of Manchester while penning rich, immersive narratives that transcend borders.