‘A<\/b> joyously grim, open-eyed, adult fairy tale with the messiest of morals’ PAUL TREMBLAY<\/b>
\n‘A<\/b>n insidious and masterfully cast spell of a book . . . G<\/b>orgeous and dreadful, I devoured it’ MONA AWAD<\/b>
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\nTheir childhood was yours. They want it back . . .<\/b><\/p>\n
Guinevere’s late mother, Edith Sharpe, needs little introduction. Bestselling author of the unendingly successful Ninth City series, her books brought so much joy and inspired the imagination of countless children the world over. Guin’s childhood with her mother, brother Ennis and her actor father was a blissful, bohemian affair, filled with continuous laughter and surrounded by artistic types in their Vermont barnhouse. At least, this is the story Guin presents as she prepares for the press tour for her upcoming memoir about life in the Sharpe family.<\/p>\n
Now estranged from her brother and her parents long dead after a devastating fire, strange events threaten the veneer of serenity and familial harmony Guin is keen to project. Ennis, now a notorious artist with a troubled past, announces a new installation – his first since a disastrous last show one year prior – simply entitled Mother<\/i>. And Guin can’t help but worry that the truth behind their idyllic childhood is about to blow her world apart.<\/p>\n
Told in alternating narratives between 1990s Vermont and present-day New York, The Children<\/i> is a twisting narrative of family secrets and long-held resentments, which asks whether we can ever really exorcise the ghosts of a childhood forsaken in favour of a parent’s artistic vision.<\/b>
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\n‘A<\/b> poison apple of a book: glossy, sweet, and absolutely terrifying’ ALIX E. HARROW<\/b>
\n‘Twisty and strange in all the best ways’ HEATHER FAWCETT<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Signed Hardback | The Children<\/em> by Melissa Albert<\/p>\n Pre-order a signed copy of The Children<\/em>, the gripping new novel from the internationally bestselling author Melissa Albert.<\/p>\n Known for her dark, atmospheric storytelling, Albert returns with a powerful work of contemporary fiction that blends emotional depth with an unsettling edge. The Children<\/em> explores complex relationships, hidden pasts and the fragile boundaries between memory and truth, making it a compelling read for fans of literary fiction with a darker tone.<\/p>\n Publishing 4 June 2026<\/strong>, this signed hardback edition is expected to be highly sought after by both readers and collectors.<\/p>\n Secure your copy now to avoid missing out. All books are carefully packaged and shipped from an independent UK bookshop.<\/p>\n Their childhood was yours. They want it back . . .<\/p>\n Guinevere’s late mother, Edith Sharpe, needs little introduction. Bestselling author of the unendingly successful Ninth City series, her books brought so much joy and inspired the imagination of countless children the world over. Guin’s childhood with her mother, brother Ennis and her actor father was a blissful, bohemian affair, filled with continuous laughter and surrounded by artistic types in their Vermont barnhouse. At least, this is the story Guin presents as she prepares for the press tour for her upcoming memoir about life in the Sharpe family.<\/p>\n Now estranged from her brother and her parents long dead after a devastating fire, strange events threaten the veneer of serenity and familial harmony Guin is keen to project. Ennis, now a notorious artist with a troubled past, announces a new installation – his first since a disastrous last show one year prior – simply entitled Mother<\/i>. And Guin can’t help but worry that the truth behind their idyllic childhood is about to blow her world apart.<\/p>\n From the publishers who brought you Piranesi<\/i> and Circe<\/i> comes a singular novel about the intergenerational cost of making and consuming art<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[216,16428,26102],"product_tag":[26896],"class_list":{"0":"post-119030","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","5":"product_cat-fiction-hardback","6":"product_cat-pre-order-carousel","7":"product_cat-signed-and-special-editions","8":"product_tag-fiction-general-literary","9":"pa_book_author-albert-melissa","10":"pa_cover-hardback","11":"pa_dewey-813-6-edition23","12":"pa_edition-hardback-original","13":"pa_imprint-bloomsbury-circus","14":"pa_language-english","15":"pa_pages-8382","16":"pa_publisher-bloomsbury-circus","17":"pa_readership-general-trade-code-k","19":"first","20":"instock","21":"sold-individually","22":"taxable","23":"shipping-taxable","24":"purchasable","25":"product-type-simple"},"yoast_head":"\n