The Coiled Serpent

"One of the most startlingly original writers we've got." —A K Blakemore, Guardian A little girl throws up Gloria-Jean's teeth after an explosion at the custard factory; Pax, Alexander, and Angelo are hypnotically enthralled by a book that promises them enlightenment if they keep their semen inside their bodies; Victoria is sent to a cursed hotel for ailing girls when her period mysteriously stops. In a damp, putrid spa, the exploitative drudgery of work sparks revolt; in a Margate museum, the new Director curates a venomous garden for public consumption. In Grudova's unforgettably surreal style, these stories expose the absurdities behind contemporary ideas of work, Britishness and art-making, to conjure a singular, startling strangeness that proves the deft skill of a writer at the top of her game. A custard factory explosion has shocking ramifications for a small community; a book promises three young men enlightenment if they restrain from their most primal of urges; a cursed hotel for ailing girls welcomes a new guest whose period has mysteriously stopped; the exploitative drudgery of work sparks revolt in a damp, putrid spa; and at the Margate museum, the new director curates a venomous garden for public consumption. In her U.S. debut, Grudova channels Angela Carter, Lemony Snicket, and Ottessa Moshfegh with dreamlike subversiveness and humorously surreal results. The Coiled Serpent excavates the crumbling old-world toxicity of Britain and the sputtering absurdities of late-stage capitalism, all while bringing to life a cast of characters who will haunt you well into the night.