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Synopsis
Archaeologist Deian returns to the island of his childhood, where his mother disappeared without a trace. Sister Viv, closet heretic and host of the annual conference of hermits, has erected for her a gold memorial declaring her unofficial sainthood. Documentary-maker Leri, meanwhile, is pursuing a story she is keeping from her assistant and lover, Greta. This has less to do with birds and saints’ bones than with real bloodshed. During one hot August week, lives collide as Bardsey twirls once more for the cameras. A black comedy about finds, losses, secrets, privacy and intrusion... and how the most important things always happen off-camera. “The most compelling novel I’ve read in years; a love story, a thriller, and a profound meditation on language and identity.” — Peter Florence, Guardian Hay Festival “Wry, engaging and perceptive... a beautifully rendered story of multiple forms of... excavation – spiritual, linguistic, filmic and sexual.”— Owen Sheers
“Mischief and madness are found in all... places on the... Bardsey Island of this novel... Fflur Dafydd’s poetic narrative breathes life into her... characters... compel[ling] the reader to dig deeper. Twenty Thousand Saints is a dark, comedic thriller that explores intense bonds between people and their loved ones... a gripping read.”
Abi Rhodes
“The prose is luminous and Dafydd writes with a poet’s eye…a beautifully crafted piece of writing imbued with a strange power to hold the attention of the reader on the eternal questions of love, loss, communication, passion and what it is to be alive. Anyone with an interest in the human condition should have it on their shelves.” — Dai Blatchford
Dai Blatchford
“8.5 marks out of ten. Excellent work.”
“A wild, exhilarating read.”
Catherine Taylor
Dafydd is a magical writer and an acute observer of human nature— Jane Hoy, Diva magazine
Jane Hoy
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