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Odette Rising
- Author
- Julianne Edwards
- Narrator
- Sarah Slimani
- Publisher
- Orion
- Publish Date
- 13 August 2026
- Run Time
- 10 hours 1 minute
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
It's 1896 in Sèvres, France and, from her bedroom window, Odette Huré watches a funeral bier carry her father's coffin away. She is twenty-one and she has not left the house for ten years, soothing herself with books and food.
Odette's only joy is found in the extravagant menus she dreams up and which the housekeeper reluctantly prepares for her. With the sudden death of her father, the walls she has built around herself begin to crumble. Forced into society, she discovers she is now responsible for a fortune and a stockings factory - renowned for its exquisite designs which adorn the slender ankles of Parisian femmes célèbres.
Now Odette must try and navigate a world she has hidden from for so long. In doing so she must excavate the secrets her father left behind, face the dark truth about her own identity - and with the help of her unconventional, self-made family, blossom to discover all that she is capable of.
Melding a beautifully researched historical setting and sharp portrayal of an unconventional woman fighting against the limitations of her society, Odette Rising is an unforgettable tale of darkness and light, secrets and lies, friendship and betrayal.
'Absorbing, stirring and vividly drawn, Odette Rising is a triumph of storytelling' CLARE LESLIE HALL, author of BROKEN COUNTRY
'Reads like a subverted fairytale, steeped in wonder and daring . . . Masterful' FLORENCE KNAPP, author of THE NAMES
Critics Review
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I adored this moving and fiercely clever novel about a young reclusive woman's rebirth into 19th-century Parisian society. Absorbing, stirring and vividly drawn, Odette Rising is a triumph of storytelling
CLARE LESLIE HALL, internationally bestselling author of BROKEN COUNTRY
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Odette Rising reads like a subverted fairytale, steeped in wonder and daring, while gently upending traditional notions of beauty and propriety along the way. Edwards writes with compassion and insight, guiding her characters toward wholeness, while never demanding they conform. Masterful
FLORENCE KNAPP, New York Times bestselling author of THE NAMES
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This evocative coming-of-age tale masterfully explores identity and body image as Odette discovers dark family secrets and challenges societal limitations. A heartfelt, beautifully researched story about confronting self-limiting beliefs and finding light
WOMAN & HOME
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Julianne Edwards
- Narrator
- Sarah Slimani
- Duration
- 10 hours 1 minute
- Release Date
- 13 August 2026
- ISBN
- 9781399633581
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Orion
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Fiction: literary and general non-genre, Narrative theme: coming of age, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Comfort food and food nostalgia
Synopsis
When the dressmakers had gone, she wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed tightly. Their visit had been awful; they had seen her pink and blue flesh, its hairs, dents and ripples. Her poor body, made to endure such scrutiny. But if she were really to go into the world, there was a price to pay. She must offer herself for scorn in order to feed her starving mind and imagination. And if she didn't, she would sit here for what would feel like eternity. She called for tea and eclairs.It's 1896 in Sèvres, France and, from her bedroom window, Odette Huré watches a funeral bier carry her father's coffin away. She is twenty-one and she has not left the house for ten years, soothing herself with books and food. Odette's only joy is found in the extravagant menus she dreams up and which the housekeeper reluctantly prepares for her. With the sudden death of her father, the walls she has built around herself begin to crumble. Forced into society, she discovers she is now responsible for a fortune and a stockings factory - renowned for its exquisite designs which adorn the slender ankles of Parisian femmes célèbres. Now Odette must try and navigate a world she has hidden from for so long. In doing so she must excavate the secrets her father left behind, face the dark truth about her own identity - and with the help of her unconventional, self-made family, blossom to discover all that she is capable of. Melding a beautifully researched historical setting and sharp portrayal of an unconventional woman fighting against the limitations of her society, Odette Rising is an unforgettable tale of darkness and light, secrets and lies, friendship and betrayal.'Absorbing, stirring and vividly drawn, Odette Rising is a triumph of storytelling' CLARE LESLIE HALL, author of BROKEN COUNTRY'Reads like a subverted fairytale, steeped in wonder and daring . . . Masterful' FLORENCE KNAPP, author of THE NAMES
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