One for Sorrow (novel)
Encyclopedia
One for Sorrow is a coming-of-age novel
by the American
writer Christopher Barzak
.
It tells the story of Adam McCormick, age fifteen, and his relationship to Jamie Marks, a boy found murdered in the woods, but does not follow the traditional suspense or mystery novel's convention of tracking down the murderer. Instead, the book explores the nature of relationships between young adults and their families, communities (a somewhat hard-scrabble rural working class small town outside of Youngstown
, Ohio
), and the search for hope or redemption.
The novel makes use of fantastical elements (in this case, ghosts) situated in a mostly realistic, recognizable setting.
One for Sorrow won the Crawford Award
for Best First Fantasy in 2008. It was also nominated for the Great Lakes Book Award, The Logo Channel's
New Now Next Award, and The Locus Award for Best First Novel. The novel was praised as "lovely, melancholy, offbeat" in a Village Voice review of 2007.
The Washington Post
called One for Sorrow a "remarkable first novel."
Barzak's second novel, The Love We Share without Knowing, also released by Bantam, is due to be released November 25, 2008.
A review of One for Sorrow in the San Francisco Chronicle: Thursday's back in latest Jasper Fforde comic novel
A short interview with Christopher Barzak:
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer Christopher Barzak
Christopher Barzak
Christopher Barzak is an American author. He has published many short stories, beginning with "A Mad Tea Party" in Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet in 1999. In 2007 he published his debut novel, One for Sorrow, which has won the 2008 Crawford Award, and was a nominee for the 2008 Great Lakes Book...
.
It tells the story of Adam McCormick, age fifteen, and his relationship to Jamie Marks, a boy found murdered in the woods, but does not follow the traditional suspense or mystery novel's convention of tracking down the murderer. Instead, the book explores the nature of relationships between young adults and their families, communities (a somewhat hard-scrabble rural working class small town outside of Youngstown
Youngstown
Youngstown may refer to:A place*Canada**Britannia Youngstown, Edmonton, Alberta**Youngstown, Alberta*United States**Youngstown, Florida**Youngstown, Indiana**Youngstown, New York**Youngstown, Ohio***Youngstown State University...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
), and the search for hope or redemption.
The novel makes use of fantastical elements (in this case, ghosts) situated in a mostly realistic, recognizable setting.
One for Sorrow won the Crawford Award
Crawford Award
The IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award is a literary award given to a writer whose first fantasy book was published during the preceding 18 months. It's one of several awards presented by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts , and is presented at the conference each...
for Best First Fantasy in 2008. It was also nominated for the Great Lakes Book Award, The Logo Channel's
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
New Now Next Award, and The Locus Award for Best First Novel. The novel was praised as "lovely, melancholy, offbeat" in a Village Voice review of 2007.
The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
called One for Sorrow a "remarkable first novel."
Barzak's second novel, The Love We Share without Knowing, also released by Bantam, is due to be released November 25, 2008.
External links
A review of One for Sorrow in the San Francisco Chronicle: Thursday's back in latest Jasper Fforde comic novel
A short interview with Christopher Barzak: