Hush, Little Baby

by Katharine Davies

“Katharine Davies casts such a spell with this mesmerizing novel of love and loss that I wished it would never end, so beautiful is her prose, so true are her revelations of the human heart.”—Elizabeth Nunez, author of Prospero's Daughter

Thirty-six years old, unmarried, and hopelessly in love with her married boss, Eira Morgan is desperate for a child but feels that her springtime has already passed. Then one day she discovers an abandoned baby. Taking the baby home, she fantasizes about being its mother. But the infant serves only to remind her of her empty existence.

And yet the baby's presence also unlocks the door to Eira's most poignant, painful memories, particularly of one life-changing summer. Alienated from her mysterious, moody older half-sister, the ten-year-old Eira seeks out the friendship of an eccentric librarian, whose tales of a nineteenth-century servant girl draw unnerving parallels to Eira's own life.

Praise for Hush, Little Baby

“Davies's whimsical tale . . . is grounded by gritty realism. . . . When complex, earthy reality enters the romance, [the novel] takes on a powerful authenticity.” — The Guardian  (London)

“A beautifully written story that will grow on you with the turn of each page.” —Sarah Willis, author of The Sound of Us

“Davies has written a novel full of surprises, and she pulls the reader forward with breakneck speed. Reading this book is like listening to strange and unforgettable music.” —Elizabeth Cox, author of The Slow Moon

Genres: Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2005

About the author

Katharine Davies was born on 1968, and she grew up in a village in Warwickshire, England. She read English and Drama at the University of London and taught English Language and Literature in secondary schools in the UK and also Sri Lanka. After doing an MA in Creative Writing, she moved to Wales to write, for her debut novel, A Good Voyage, she won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association sponsored by FosterGrant Reading Glasses. She currently lives in North London.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting enough to finish, but definitely felt like a slog.

[Grace52601 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really what I expected, and it took me a few chapters to really get into it. There are some subplots that are never fully developed which was disappointing as they could have tied in more with the main plot. Overall, it was pretty good, once I got to the middle-end.

[Suzanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, quite possibly the worst book i have ever read.

[Chrissi]

This book was okay, but took a long time for me to get into, and then it felt a bit rushed. Still, it was an okay read.

[Donnelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved that it avoided cliche.

[Alta Cloete · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heartbreaking story beautifully written. The shifting between the two story lines did not work for me, however. It slowed down the already very slow story.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rich with themes of childhood, womanhood, and powerful overtones of insecurities, or maybe even lust. The romance is established subtly but with effortless authenticity.