Bog Queen - 2

Praise for The Life and Death of Sophie Stark

Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Fiction

“I read The Life and Death of Sophie Stark with my heart in my mouth. Not only a dissection of genius and the havoc it can wreak, but also a thunderously good story.” —Emma Donoghue , New York Times bestselling author of Room and Learned by Heart

“North’s prose is as skillful as her protagonist’s shot list. Filled with ‘the sad fumbling of human love,’ Sophie’s story examines the relationship between art and suffering.” —Sarah Ferguson, The New York Times Book Review

“A gem full of complex personalities, tragic yet redeeming circumstances, and striking conversations and judgments . . . The Life and Death of Sophie Stark is utterly captivating, surprising, and rewarding. You won’t forget about it (or her) for a long time.” —PopMatters.com

“A completely compelling read that asks whether broken hearts and ruined relationships are prices worth paying in the name of creativity.” — Daily Express (UK)

“North is a natural, butter-smooth storyteller, and The Life and Death of Sophie Stark is an elegant, kaleidoscopic look at a challenging artist and at the way our lives are, in some respects, only silhouettes made from the perceptions of those who know us.” —Maggie Shipstead, New York Times bestselling author of Great Circle

“Anna North has woven a circle of longing and frustration around her commanding central character, the enigmatic Sophie Stark. This novel isn’t just a character study, though—it’s a story of art, manipulation, and dependence. And, in its unique and satisfying structure, it’s a narrative high wire act, deftly executed.” —Rebecca Makkai, New York Times bestselling author of I Have Some Questions for You

“Quietly powerful, beautifully written, with characters you can see and feel.” — BookRiot

“A fierce, page-turning expos é of a would-be/could-be bright star. ‘Friends,’ former flames, and critics paint a portrait of an elusive cult filmmaker and the bridges she burned along the way.” — Marie Claire

“An elegant, intimate portrait of an exceptionally talented woman and her rise to fame . . . Bold and enthralling, The Life and Death of Sophie Stark speaks to the costs of creating art and the sacrifices we must make in pursuit of artistic integrity.” — BuzzFeed

“A bold and graceful novel, executed with incredible artistry. The excellent writing aside, it’s worth a read just to meet Sophie, an unforgettable character who can’t quite manage to run away from herself.” —Michael Schaub, NPR.org

“ The Life and Death of Sophie Stark is your summer must-read . . . A compelling narrative structure that will engross you and leave you wanting more, all while being completely satisfying and delicious to read.” — HelloGiggles

“North’s engrossing second novel portrays with painful clarity the life of a flawed but highly talented artist. An essential choice for literary fiction readers.” — Library Journal (starred review)

“In this boldly conceived, superbly executed novel, Anna North explores the life of the brilliant, relentless Sophie Stark and the lives of those closest to her. The result is a portrait of a woman and her films so vivid and so painful that she leaps out of these pages into the reader’s imagination. A wonderful novel about art and passion and how we accommodate the other.” —Margot Livesey, author of The Road from Belhaven

“Anna North’s first novel, America Pacifica , was superb, and The Life and Death of Sophie Stark , her second, is even better: skillfully designed and deeply felt, of course, but also wholly and mysteriously alive, in a way that many books simply aren’t. It explores the way people can be startled and changed—and frequently damaged and betrayed—by a confrontation with art, and proceeds in a round-robin of voices, each entirely natural, entirely human, yet filled with vibrancy and intimacy.” —Kevin Brockmeier, author of The Illumination

“An incisive exploration of artistic integrity and ambition—and a haunting meditation on what it means to truly know another person.” —Jennifer duBois, author of A Partial History of Lost Causes and The Last Language

“ The Life and Death of Sophie Stark succeeds wildly at the almost impossible task of making an artist and her art come alive on the page. Anna North captures with fierce clarity the compulsions and ecstasies of creation, the spooky force it exerts on those drawn into a maker’s vision. Whether art is a gift or a curse is unflinchingly explored in this tight, suspenseful, and deeply empathic novel.” —Pamela Erens, author of Eleven Hours and The Virgins

“The novel builds slowly, and, though its denouement is promised by the book’s title, it unfolds with a surprising depth of feeling . . . An engaging exploration of what it takes to make art and, more importantly, what it takes to love those who make it.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The pinwheel structure of Anna North’s The Life and Death of Sophie Stark is a narrative triumph—destabilizing and enthralling—and its titular character is a beautiful, peculiar mystery. This novel should have special appeal to readers with an interest in film and filmmaking, but I’d expect anyone who enjoys a good story to like it.” —Owen King, author of The Curator

“As taut and artistically ambitious as its title character, North’s novel upends the trope of the lone, tortured genius, considering instead the deeply human consequences of one person’s uncompromising vision.” — Booklist

“North’s nuanced prose and emphasis on characterization result in a thoughtful, moving read that explores the creative process and its effects on relationships.” —Publishers Weekly