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Happiness Forever

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What to expect

‘I wanted to pass it on to all my friends’ SHEILA HETI

‘Remarkable clarity and humour’ VOGUE

‘Funny and tender’ PANDORA SYKES

‘Sticks with you forever’ MADELINE CASH

A tragicomic and utterly original debut novel following a woman trying to make sense of her life and herself as she falls in love with her therapist.

Sylvie is only happy when she is at therapy. This is because Sylvie is in love with her therapist.

She wants to kiss her and roll around on the floor with her. She thinks about her every second they’re not together (roughly 167 hours and 10 minutes per week). Outside therapy, Sylvie has a quiet life: a job as a veterinary nurse, a tattoo artist friend and seaside walks with her brain-damaged dog, Curtains.

When her therapist delivers some devastating news, Sylvie finds she must imagine new and lasting ways of coping (that don't include being adopted by the therapist). As her world begins to open up, Sylvie wonders, is she finally ready for a bravery of feeling?

‘Funny and thoughtful … a meditative balm to all who worry’ SUNDAY TIMES STYLE

‘Jaw-dropping, exhilarating, completely original’ JESSICA STANLEY, author of Consider Yourself Kissed

‘Disarmingly sweet’ NICOLA DINAN, author of Disappoint Me

‘A humorous portrait of trauma and obsession’ ANOTHER

‘A book full of wisdom … Clever and funny’ DAILY MAIL

‘Had me hopelessly charmed from its opening sentence’ AMY KEY, author of Arrangements in Blue

‘A fever dream of a novel … For fans of Sayaka Murata's Convenience Store Woman’ SHARLENE TEO, author of Ponti

Readers love Happiness Forever ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐:

‘Utterly beguiling … a truly memorable read’

‘Quite honestly couldn’t put it down’

‘An utter joy to read! I loved it from start to finish. For fans of Big Swiss!’

‘A beautifully crafted debut, filled with heart, wit and a deep understanding of what it means to be human’

‘Humorous, bizarre and touching’

‘So charged and insightful and provocative … I recommend it highly’

Critics Review

n Praise for Happiness Forever:n
‘Funny and thoughtful … a meditative balm to all who worry’ Sunday Times Style
n ‘A humorous portrait of trauma and obsession’ n AnOther n
‘A tragicomic portrait of a mind in the process of healing: No small feat’ The Cut
n ‘A spare, associative novel of projection and self-acceptance’ n New Yorkern
‘This accomplished debut tackles complex topics – obsession, grief, and abuse among them – with remarkable clarity and humour’ Vogue
‘An unusual modern fable … lays out the bizarre nature of modern talk therapy’ Interview
‘Full of wisdom about desire and how difficult but life-changing vulnerability can be. Clever and funny’ Daily Mail
‘I was mesmerized by Happiness Forever …There is so much rare humour and insight and sweetness and humanity in its pages’ Sheila Heiti, author of Pure Colour
‘Tenderness, wit and disarming honesty … sticks with you forever’ Madeline Cash, author of Lost Lambs
‘Reminds us that the most meaningful choices can be the small, everyday things that simply string a life together’ Pandora Sykes, author of How Do We Know We're Doing It Right?
‘My favourite kind of novel. As vulnerable as it is funny. As endearing as it is entrancing’ Emma Gannon, author of Table for One
‘Happiness Forever had me hopelessly charmed from its opening sentence … I loved it!’ Amy Key, author of Arrangements in Blue
‘Faith examines that eternal gap between who we are and what we most wish for with lucidity and tender precision’ Elle Nash, author of Deliver Me
‘A fever dream of a novel that captures contemporary isolation and therapy culture in a fresh and delirious voice’ Sharlene Teo, author of Ponti
‘Explores what happens when we let ourselves be truly transformed by obsession and longing’ Chelsea Hodson, author of Tonight I'm Someone Else
Author Adelaide Faith
Narrator Hanako Footman
Duration 5 hours and 53 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9780008749040
Format x-book®
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Genre Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: animals, Narrative theme: health and illness, Narrative theme: Interior life, Narrative theme: Love and relationships
Availability AU, GB, IE

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