Madame Sosostris & the Festival for the Broken-Hearted 💔

By Ben Okri.

Madame Sosostris and the Festival for the Broken-Hearted is a captivating modern fable filled with wit and wonder reminiscent of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The Booker Prize-winning author crafts a delightful yet insightful tale about love, identity, and the secret selves we hide, set against the backdrop of a masquerade that promises magic but delivers something far more revealing.

The story follows Viv, who, on the 20th anniversary of her first husband’s departure, decides to throw an unusual party for those scorched by love. Joined by her hesitant second husband, Alan, and their friends Beatrice and Stephen, Viv invites Madame Sosostris, a famed clairvoyant and rumoured confidante to five prime ministers, to add a mystical twist to the night.

The masquerade unfolds in a sacred wood in the south of France, where hidden faces give way to hidden truths as the couples hope for guidance from the mysterious fortune-teller.

However, as the night progresses, events spiral in unexpected, humorous directions, forcing each character to confront the state of their relationships and aspirations. Madame Sosostris’s presence adds a layer of enchantment and unease, making the evening both an escape and a reckoning for the guests.

This enchanting book blends comedy and depth, exploring how our past loves shape us and how easily we hide from ourselves. Madame Sosostris and the Festival for the Broken-Hearted is a wise and magical reflection on love, heartbreak, and the many masks we wear. It’s a thoroughly engaging read for anyone who enjoys tales where romance, introspection, and the supernatural intertwine.

Thank you so much to the author - Ben Okri, as well as Shannon and the team at Head of Zeus, for sending out an ARC.

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