SIXTY LIGHTS

Set in the nineteenth century, this is a powerful tale of a young woman's emotional and physical journey, and a touching exploration of the legacy created by one's actions in life.

Description of book

'Photography has without doubt made her a seer; she is a woman of the future, someone leaning into time, beyond others, precarious, unafraid to fall...'
This is the story of Lucy Strange, a photographer, while the art is in its infancy, in the 1870s, who exists in an extraordinarily heightened state of seeing and imagining. Her tale is told in sixty illuminated parts - using candlelight, flames, lightning, gas-lamps, mirrors, magic lanterns and, most mysteriously, lit faces and bodies. In a contracted, almost modernist form, SIXTY LIGHTS tracks Lucy's life from her childhood in Australia, to her stormy adolescence in England and India and finally to her death in London at the age of twenty-three. It is a life abbreviated, but not a life diminished: she is a remarkable character, forthright, gifted, passionate and canny. SIXTY LIGHTS plays powerfully with Victorian tropes and texts - orphans, inheritances, Great Expectations - setting them against the technological revolution in seeing that is inspired by photography. Written with astute imagistic precision, the story is deeply layered, fluctuating between past, present and future. This is an impressive UK debut from a prize-winning Australian author.
Reviews

‘Wonderfully written passages... it’s when Jones’s ability as a stylist come together with her intelligent and intensely visual imagination that her fiction becomes truly illuminating.’ - Sydney Morning Herald

‘There is an intelligence and honesty to her writing that brings the characters powerfully to life.’ - The Age, Melbourne

‘A moving and captivating story... a feast for lovers of language.’ - Melbourne Times

‘Jones’s imagery is evocative... wonderful turns of phrase.’ - The Bulletin

• ENGLISH > English
• ENGLISH > Literature
• ENGLISH > Novels

Postage

Postage for all orders is $9.95.
We process orders every business day and most orders are sent as soon as we receive them. A tracking number will be sent via SMS and email once your order has been shipped so you can track your parcel.

Click & Collect

If your items are in stock, they will generally be ready for collection within 1 – 2 business days.
During peak periods, the processing time may be longer.

Product Availability

If an item is not currently in stock, it will automatically be placed on backorder and you will be notified via SMS and email once your order is ready for collection or has been shipped. If an item is discontinued or temporarily out of stock a customer service representative will contact you.

Tracking

All items are sent via Australia Post or Fastway Couriers. A tracking number will be sent via SMS or email once your order has been completed so you can track your parcel.