The Gradual Disappearance of Jane Ashland - Softcover

'Powerful, symmetrical and well-controlled' -- Irish Times

'A beautifully observed account of one woman's alienation, deep hurt and slow road to recovery... we are still haunted by this fine novel long after finishing it' -- The National

'A knockout blow at the end... this unpredictable narrative - both quirky and bleak - dishes up a dark chronicle of grief that gets under your skin' -- Daily Mail

'A character-based page turner... When you reach the end... you feel like you've come to understand something crucial and profound' -- Pendora Magazine

'Reading The Gradual Disappearance of Jane Ashland is like taking incremental doses of a drug without realising it's addictive... we simply need to keep reading this stunning novel to its end... a virtuoso performance in ensnaring the reader' -- Thriller Books Journal

'Meditative... witty... compelling... with a dark, mysterious undercurrent... a hugely enjoyable read' -- Nudge Books

'Cleverly-structured... inspiring... Despite it being fiction, it incites you to think about the deep and contemporary societal issue of self-image and confidence' -- CUB Magazine

'This gripping psychological thriller weaves a dramatic tale of suspense in elegant prose' -- The Lady

'Houm's writing packs a punch with very succinct writing... a haunting snapshot of the vulnerability we all have in the face of unexpected tragedy, and a welcome addition to Norwegian translated fiction on a topic that is surely universal' -- Culturefly

'A mature mix of severely bleak and heartwarmingly bright makes for a fine short novel' -- The Bookbag

'Short it may be, but there are enough ideas and literary gems included that no matter how short and how easy it is to read, you come away feeling like you've just finished an incredibly impressive tome' -- The Wormhole (blog)

'The evocation of grief is vivid and piercing... Haunting and deeply moving... A powerful and enthralling read' -- Never Imitate (blog)

'This was a beautifully short, sweet and melancholy novel... I loved it... Really wonderful. A beautiful looking book too' -- Liz Loves Books (blog)

'A compulsive read... This has the potential (and, I suspect, the cover) to be a best seller' -- 1st Reading (blog)

'Houm's novel is expertly constructed... Beautifully translated by Anna Paterson, Houm's writing is often striking... The characterisation is sharp and perceptive' -- A Life in Books (blog)

'Houm's writing in Paterson's translation is nuanced and perceptive' -- Annabookbel (blog)

'Jane is a sympathetic character right from the start' --Annethology (blog)

'Relentless grief is not the most alluring topic but in Nicolai Houm's hands Jane Ashland, and her gradual disappearance, become a darkly hilarious, deeply compelling, and utterly suspenseful story. I couldn't wait to find out what Jane would say or do next, how far she would go. A brilliant and fascinating novel' -- Margot Livesey, author of Mercury

'The Gradual Disappearance of Jane Ashland sounds the great echoing spaces of profound grief, grief that threatens to rob life of sense or direction. Nicolai Houm reminds us of what we don't want to know: that rehearsing disaster may not prevent it from happening. His prose is mordant, his heart compassionate, and he keeps his readers as tantalizingly off-kilter as his titular seeking soul' --Pamela Erens, author of Eleven Hours

'Compelling, tense and well-crafted. Like brushing away snow, Nicolai Houm slowly reveals the details of Jane's life; the narrative jumps around in time so that readers don't know the full story until the very end' -- Shelf Awareness (starred review)

'A virtuosic magic act... [Houm] deepens a tale of grief with a caustic comic tone... riveting' -- The Atlantic

'Nicolai Houm combines both surgically precise observations with the pace and attention to detail as the best TV series. The similarities with Don De Lillo and Jonathan Franzen cannot be denied' -- Dagens Næringsliv

'Very well told . . . Houm skilfully crafts a rising curve of excitement, not unlike that of a thriller. Although the content is at times sad, the author has luckily not lost his funny satirical wit. The book is full of astute and humorous observations' -- Adresseavisen

'Asking the big question without indulging in grandiosity . . . He has a talent for crafting small visual scenes that are very filmic. I can really see this as a film' -- NRK

'There are insightful observations, unsentimental depictions of nature, and such believable details that bring the settings and characters to life. Jane Ashland's journey away from evil is deftly portrayed. Houm shows us that after surviving such an ordeal, she must break down in order to rise again' -- Dagbladet

'An elegantly composed, well-written and psychologically credible crisis novel' --Stavanger Aftenblad

Born in Norway in 1974, Nicolai Houm is an exciting new talent and critics have described him as 'a Norwegian Don De Lillo' and Norway's 'most American author, in the very best sense'. One critic said the novel as 'combined surgically precise observations with the drive and ingenuity of the best television series'. He has published two novels which were both critically acclaimed in Norway, and this is the first English publication of his work. He works part-time as an editor in publishing house Cappelen Damm, and lives in Lier with his wife and daughter.