Held

From internationally acclaimed author Anne Michaels comes Held, a beautifully crafted novel that explores love, memory, loss, and the enduring connections that echo across generations.

The story begins in 1917 on a battlefield near the River Aisne, where John lies wounded after an explosion, suspended between life and death as memories drift through his mind. Returning home to North Yorkshire after the war, physically alive but deeply scarred, he reunites with Helena, an artist, and attempts to rebuild his life. Yet the past refuses to remain buried, and mysterious presences begin to emerge, blurring the boundaries between memory, grief, and understanding.

Spanning four generations, Held follows a web of lives linked by moments of love, longing, creativity, and chance. Through luminous prose and unforgettable imagery, Michaels examines how emotions, actions, and desires ripple through time, shaping lives long after their origins have been forgotten.

Rich with historical detail, including references to early photography, science, folklore, and the aftermath of war, Held is a profound meditation on mortality, human connection, and the search for meaning. Deeply moving and exquisitely written, it is a novel that lingers long after the final page.

Hardcover, Like New