Susannah Wise
Writer
Photograph: Faye Thomas
Books
Books
Susannah Wise is an actor and writer who grew up in London and the Midlands. A childhood spent outdoors inspired her love of nature and tree climbing.
The death of her father three years ago was the catalyst for her first novel. His preoccupation with astronomy and the beauty of the night sky formed the jumping-off point for the story.
Susannah studied at the Faber Academy, graduating in September 2018, during which time she wrote a second, more peculiar novel. Both books have been longlisted for the Mslexia Prize.
She lives in London with her partner and son.
Current publication
OKAY THEN THAT'S GREAT - Gollancz - 21st July 2022
For several months Marnie, a middle-aged poet and mother, has experienced sightings of her long-dead identical twin sister, Perdita, across London. As a consequence, and due to her crippling writer's block, she has sought the help of octogenarian Harley Street shrink, Schlap, to work through her problems. Not least her repeated dreams of being a man.
Schlap has problems of his own though, having recently suffered a silent stroke which has affected his memory. Or is he more aware of reality than Marnie herself?
Marnie's long-suffering partner and their three teenage kids are not helping matters, either. Neither is Marnie's bohemian Alpha-course attending mum, her diabetic chef dad, nor the inquisitive family dog. Perhaps Marnie's encounter and blossoming friendship with a woman who she thinks is the living embodiment of long-dead author Katherine Mansfield will provide the key to unlock her mind.Will Marnie's writing be liberated from its prison? Is she losing her mind? Will the price she has to pay be bigger than the sum of its parts? And does the previous sentence even make sense? All will be revealed...
Praise:
'A brilliant, touching read' - Women's Own Magazine
'A really entertaining, funny, heartfelt read. I loved every bonkers minute' - Sophie Ward
'It is magical, nostalgic, current, imaginative, tragic and very funny. I devoured it in two sittings. I saw nothing coming and was surprised and thrilled by the outcome' - Maureen Lipman
'It made me cry and laugh. The relationships and dialogue are brilliant. Hilarious - a wild and moving menopausal Alice in Wonderland' - Indira Varma
'The first book about psychoanalysis to be laugh-out-loud funny; a charming, hilarious tangle of art, grief, memory and the mundane details of everyday life. Wise's Marnie will win your heart - whether or not she wants it is another matter entirely' - Emma Szewczak, author of THE OFFSET
'An exploration of grief and what it means to loose ones grip on reality wrapped around a hilarious portrait of a vivid and dysfunctional family. I ripped through this unusual, interesting and delightfully off-kilter novel' - Kate Sawyer, author of THE STRANDING
'A runaway train of a novel, taking the reader on a grand tragi-comic ride.' - Rose Tremain
'I love Susannah's writing. Her understanding of human behaviour in all its complexities, humour, and tragedy is second to none. Loved it' - Tracey-Ann Oberman
'Hilarious, moving, original, and relevant. I hoovered it up. Wise has triumphed with this glorious second novel' - Katherine Parkinson
'Absolutely raced through it. Funny, emotional, sad, and so, so honest. It’s about love, family, grief, longing, and the crazy turmoil of living with all of them. Highly recommended.’ - Bethany Clift, author of LAST ONE AT THE PARTY and LOVE AND OTHER HUMAN ERRORS
'A brilliant, imaginative exploration of the madness of grief. Witty observations and quirky characterisation pull you along for the ride, but at its core, it’s a story about losing a sense of self when death makes reality incomprehensible. Totally unique.' - Chloe Timms
Previous publication:
THIS FRAGILE EARTH - Gollancz - 24th June 2021
Praise:
“This is an intense, engaging and beautifully written first novel.” - the Guardian
'Hugely impressive work from a new writer' - David Nicholls
"A very British disaster epic. Echoes of John Wyndham. Resonances for today. " - Stephan Baxter
"I absolutely DEVOURED this book in two days. It has everything I love - great characters, intrigue, action, heart, drama and hope. Cannot recommend it enough. It was so nice to read something so gripping it got me off my phone for two days. " Aisling Bea
'Truly gripping' - Kristin Scott Thomas
'A compulsive page-turner, with a depth of feeling not always found in genre fiction. The science behind the author’s dystopian vision of the future is impressive, but it's the movements of the heart that mark this book as a standout.’ - Elspeth Sandys
‘A gripping, moving, story that shines with emotion, of love, courage, of a mother and child against the world as everything crumbles, of the quest for survival and how far you will go for love’ – Kate Williams, historian and author of THE STORMS OF WAR
'A remarkably original first novel, beautifully written, about a future that could be just around the corner.’ - Julie Christie
'Susannah Wise’s first novel is a dystopian triumph: dark, compelling and all too believable, like an extended episode of Black Mirror, it reminds us of the power of love.' - Saul David
'Poignant and perfect. This Fragile Earth shows us exactly how breakable—and reparable—our world is. Not to be missed!' - Christina Dalcher, author of VOX
Fiction
| Publication Details | Notes |
|---|---|
THIS FRAGILE EARTH 2021 Gollancz | Not long from now, in a recognisable yet changed London, Signy and Matthew lead a dull, difficult life. They've only really stayed together for the sake of their six year old son, Jed. But they're surviving, just about. Until the day the technology that runs their world stops working. Unable to use their phones, pay for anything, even open the smart door to their flat, Matthew assumes that this is just a momentary glitch in the computers that now run the world. |