The Lovely Dark

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now €{{ price }} Send as a gift
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

When 12-year-old Eleanor Newton dies in an accident, she finds herself journeying down a mysterious river that takes her to The Underworld. She apprehensively embarks on her "afterlife" at The Great House, a boarding school of sorts for children who have died.

The Underworld is captivating: always sunny and warm but also fractured, possibly by the sadness of the untimely deaths of its young inhabitants. Sstrange things have been happening to Ellie since she arrived: she knows something isn't right, and she doesn't want to be there. She desperately wants to get back to the world of The Living to meet her new baby brother, even if it means being a ghost.

Can Ellie find a way out of the Underworld? And who - or what - will she be if she does?

The Lovely Dark is another breathtakingly original story from Matthew Fox, author of The Sky Over Rebecca.

Critics Review

Fox is a beguiling writer, whose prose cocoons us through the unusual adventures that follow ... [the twist] left this not-so-young reader close to tears
The Telegraph, 5-star review
A beautiful, reassuring, exciting, middle grade story of what might happen to us after we die. While it doesn't shy away from the pain of grief, The Lovely Dark isn't nearly as dark as it is lovely.
Tia Fisher, author of Crossing the Line
Wow. Just wow. If you love atmospheric, mysterious middle grade with a magical edge, poetic writing, and a nod to Greek myth, you have to read this.
Claire Fayers, author of The Accidental Pirates
Drawing on Greek myth, particularly the story of Orpheus, Fox's second novel sees 12-year-old Ellie die in an accident and travel to the Underworld. Her struggle to return to the land of the living forms the backbone of this tautly written ... story about friendship and loss.
Financial Times, Best Books of 2023
A beautiful, elegiac story for 10+, based on Greek mythology ... Definitely worth picking up!
Bags of Books, Lewes independent bookshop

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag

Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.