Elizabeth Knox: The Political Force of Fantasy

In January 2020, an article appeared on Slate with the headline, 'This New Zealand Fantasy Masterpiece Needs to Be Published in America, Like, Now.' The article went viral with readers as they raced to order 'the majestic, brain-bending novel' from New Zealand’s Victoria University Press. It wasn’t long before writer Elizabeth Knox was fielding offers from international publishers, spurred by the chance to 'publish something this important, this beautiful, and this much fun.' A huge hit already in Knox’s New Zealand and Knox’s 13th novel, The Absolute Book is truly thrilling: a melting pot of genres that is matched in its size (600+ pages) as it is in its imagination and entertainment. This epic 21st century tale skips across Canada, Britain and New Zealand, weaving in real-world threats, including populist demagoguery, with more otherworldly, sinister forces. It is an awe-inspiring achievement that bursts with imagination. Knox joins us live from New Zealand to speak to writer Alice Tarbuck about the force of magic for good. 

This event was filmed at the 2021 Edinburgh International Book Festival. All participants took part remotely.