Colours in Her Hands
by Alice Zorn
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Pub Date Sep 03 2024 | Archive Date Sep 30 2024
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Description
A witty, layered and compelling novel about a woman with Down Syndrome, exploring textile art, sibling relationships, good intentions gone awry, and friendships.
What is intellectual disability? Ask Bruno, who is at his wits’ end trying to predict what his sister, Mina, will do next. Ask Iris, who is entranced by the wildly inventive embroidery Mina creates. Ask Gabriela, who loves Mina and disagrees when Bruno uses Mina’s constant demands as an excuse not to have a child.
Meet Mina in her overstuffed Montreal apartment, surrounded by her treasures. She knows she is the best paper sorter at the recycling plant where she works. She is proud to be diabetic but equally happy to cheat on her diet. The colours she stitches hum with life.
Colours in Her Hands is a nuanced and thought-provoking novel about family, about art, about questioning the way the world treats those who are different. With an unforgettable voice, Mina navigates the labyrinth that society sets for her with dignity, inventiveness, and aplomb.
A Note From the Publisher
Personal connection to people with disabilities: Alice Zorn was inspired to write this novel based on her 30-year relationship with her sister-in-law, Jo, who had Down Syndrome. Alice says, “Repeatedly I witnessed how people interacted with an individual whom they perceived to be intellectually deficient. I decided I wanted to address this in fiction.”
Fully-rounded central character with Down Syndrome: Mina doesn’t fall into the stereotypes of a character with Down Syndrome. Rather, she is wonderfully complex: mischievous and funny, difficult and frustrating, compelling and unforgettable.
Plot-driven novel that also grapples with big questions: What is the difference between Art and Artists? If the two conflict, where does our responsibility lie?
Fully-rounded central character with Down Syndrome: Mina doesn’t fall into the stereotypes of a character with Down Syndrome. Rather, she is wonderfully complex: mischievous and funny, difficult and frustrating, compelling and unforgettable.
Plot-driven novel that also grapples with big questions: What is the difference between Art and Artists? If the two conflict, where does our responsibility lie?
Advance Praise
Praise for Colours in Her Hands
“A moving meditation on love and art and the creative passions and impulses that are so much greater than anyone’s disabilities and make us our best selves. An achingly real, compassionate and at times hilarious read, Zorn’s novel shreds how we label people and art practices to show how deeply we and they are one. Heartbreaking, uplifting—brava!” CAROL BRUNEAU author of Brighten the Corner Where You Are: A Novel Inspired by the Life of Maud Lewis
“Alice Zorn has placed a singular woman at the heart of a vibrantly coloured world in this beautiful meditation on art and those who make it.” CLAIRE HOLDEN ROTHMAN author of Lear’s Shadow
“Mina is in my top-ten list of memorable fiction characters. It is fascinating to watch her make sense of the world through her embroidery and fairy tales. . . . a meticulously crafted novel.” H. NIGEL THOMAS author of Easily Fooled and The Voyage
Marketing Plan
- Author appearances: Montreal, Toronto
- National advertising
- National targeted review mailing
- Pitches to literary festivals
For more information contact
colby@freehand-books.com
- Author appearances: Montreal, Toronto
- National advertising
- National targeted review mailing
- Pitches to literary festivals
For more information contact
colby@freehand-books.com
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781990601774 |
| PRICE | $24.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 370 |
Available on NetGalley
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