Juliet in August

by Dianne Warren

for $ 9.99

In her luminous debut novel, acclaimed writer Dianne Warren captures the honesty of the human spirit and the quest for companionship…

Juliet is a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of town—a dusty oasis on the edge of a vast stretch of sand. It’s easy to believe nothing of consequence happens here, but the hills vibrate with the rich stories of its people: Lee, a rancher afraid to accept responsibility for the land his adoptive parents left him; Norval, the bank manager forced to foreclose on his neighbors; Willard and Marian, a shy couple beyond middle age, fumbling with the recognition of their feelings for each other; Vicki, a mother of six struggling to keep her chaotic household afloat. And somewhere, lost in the sand, a camel named Antoinette.

Juliet in August unfolds over the course of just one night and day in the lives of its characters. Their stories intersect and overlap as the entire spectrum of human comedy and heartbreak is refracted through their little struggles and deeper concerns. With wit, thoughtfulness, and unforgettable characters, Juliet in August confirms Dianne Warren as a powerful new talent.

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Fiction Literary American and Canadian literature

Interviews

I felt as though I were juggling, or perhaps writing music, and trying to achieve a certain rhythm throughout (July 27, 2012)
Interview of Dianne Warren by Bernard Strainchamps

Dianne Warren is a Canadian dramatist and short story writer. Her first novel, Cool Water, was published in 2010 in Canada. It was released in the US in 2012 under the title Juliet in August. The novel won the Governor General’s Award in the bio on the site for American readers.

Editorial reviews (3 reviews)

Kirkus Reviews : Juliet in August (July 15, 2012)

Warren gives [small town life] her own twist with humor as dry as the sand dunes of the Little Snake Hills that border Juliet and with gentle compassion for her characters...

Boston Globe : Juliet in August’ by Dianne Warren (July 06, 2012)

Wry and beautiful book about ordinary people with intricate lives and complex relationships trying to navigate their way through a landscape that keeps shifting and reinventing itself.

Publishers Weekly : Juliet in August (May 14, 2012)

Warren clearly has an intimate understanding of smalltown life, and infuses Juliet with plenty of heart.