The Strength of the Sun: A Novel

"[Chidgey] has written an elegant, connect-the-dots novel, in which each step the characters make toward one another proves emotionally treacherous."--The New Yorker

When Colette receives a letter from The Friends of Patrick Mercer about a man lying unconscious in a hospital on the other side of the world, she has no idea who the man might be. Why is she being written to? Patrick Mercer lies hospitalized in England, attempting to reconstruct his life through memory, dreams, and the inspiration of his treasured illuminated manuscripts. And half a world away, Colette is adjusting to new classes, a new apartment, a new job, all while the mysterious "Patrick" letters that keep arriving.

"A wonderful new talent."--Nick Hornby, author of How to Be Good

"If novels were attics, The Strength of the Sun would be a small but overstuffed one, the sort of place you could spend hours browsing in.... Fascinating...Every one of the objects she has gathered plays a role in her intricate narrative plan."--Gary Krist, The New York Times Book Review

"[A] richly layered tale on a kaleidoscope of themes...Strength of the Sun shines brightly enough to make this worth a studied read."--The Seattle Times

"Deftly, in almost painterly fashion, Chidgey arranges her images and themes in a balanced, aesthetically pleasing composition.... The Strength of the Sun is a beautifully crafted, often poignant work."--Los Angeles Times

"Beautiful."--The Baltimore Sun

Catherine Chidgey's first novel, In a Fishbone Church, was nominated for the Orange Prize, while The Strength of the Sun was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Also the author of the novel The Transformation, Chidgey lives in Dunedin, New Zealand.