Antarctica

The stunning debut story collection from the author of Foster and the Booker Prize shortlised Small Things Like These

'A beautiful, tender work of great clarity.' Sebastian Barry
'Simply put, Claire Keegan is one of the greatest fiction writers in the world.' George Saunders
'Among the finest contemporary stories written recently in English.' Observer

A secret one-night tryst in the city. A sister's revenge. A love-struck doctor. A missing girl. In Antarctica, an astonishing sequence of stories, one of our most gifted writers illuminates human longing and fallibility in all its variety.


Simply put, Claire Keegan is one of the greatest fiction writers in the world. -- George Saunders

Every line seems to be a lesson in the perfect deployment of both style and emotion. -- Hilary Mantel

Amongst the greatest practitioners of the short story form -- Joseph O'Connor

The beautifully crafted stories are like chilling, adult versions of fairy tales - albeit with echoes of Raymond Carver and William Trevor. ― Sunday Telegraph

Keegan has a remarkably poetic vision and she treats hurt and laughter, love and hate, with the same calm, almost ethereal style. ― Sunday Tribute

An exciting first book of deliberate, contemplative short stories. ― Observer

Keegan writes with such grace and accuracy that it is impossible not to be drawn into each world she creates. ― Big Issue

A writer already touched by greatness. -- Declan Kiberd

A genuine one-in-a-generation writer. ― The Times