The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht is narrated by Natalia, a young doctor who is visiting orphanages during the aftermath of a recent Balkan war. Her job is to “sanitise children orphaned by our own soldiers” in places where dark tensions linger over simple questions like how to spell your surname; such clues which might reveal whose side of the conflict you were on.
When she receives news of her beloved grandfather’s death in mysterious circumstances, she becomes determined to find out why he died; or, more precisely, what he was searching for when he passed away. An extraordinary debut novel — deservedly shortlisted for the current Orange Prize.
Don’t miss our event with Téa Obrect — one of only two in the country — when she comes over from America.