Rousseau's Lost Children

Smart, formally playful, and psychologically astute, Rousseau’s Lost Children is a novel of ideas with moral insight and real emotional power – Ferdia Lennon, author of GLORIOUS EXPLOITSA masterful work of imagination, intellect and empathy that further cements McCrea as a singular voice in literature. This is a formally inventive fusion of historical and contemporary fiction that succeeds in illuminating both the past and the present with profound vision and grace – Helen Cullen, author of THE TRUTH MUST DAZZLE GRADUALLYA hugely inventive and rich novel from a major storytelling talent – Joseph O’Connor, author of THE GHOSTS OF ROMERosseau’s Lost Children is such an original, absorbing, illuminating novel; an exploration of life’s big themes - love, loyalty and truth - from a writer of tremendous skill and brilliance – Sara Baume, author of SEVEN STEEPLESA novel quite unlike anything else. McCrea is an astonishingly talented writer, the breadth of his ability matched only by the magnitude of his ambition. His formal risks pay off in spades. This is an astounding narrative achievement. I loved every page – Donal Ryan, author of THE QUEEN OF DIRT ISLANDRousseau’s Lost Children pulls off the admirable feat of being as fun to read as it is creatively daring and rich with ideas. The glare of Enlightenment philosophy and the moral murk of contemporary sexual politics collide in the strange prism of Gavin McCrea’s imagination – Robert Doyle, author of THRESHOLDPraise for Cells * : *‘Flayingly authentic and sensationally compelling … One of the best books of the year’ * Observer *Cells is a raw, throbbing thing; the literary equivalent of an open wound, but one that’s been cauterised by a highly skilled surgeon … the story of the making of an acutely talented writer … One of the very best, most authentic, beautiful, and brutal depictions of a deep and abiding, albeit imperfect love between a son and his mother * The Telegraph *‘Raw and deeply affecting’ * Guardian *‘A heart-stopping excavation of the self … Cells will heighten the capacity for empathy in all who read it. Not least of all, empathy for the self’ * Irish Times *‘Beautifully written, fearless, vulnerable, self-aware … Cells will comfortably sit alongside other great Irish memoirs by Nuala O’Faolain and John McGahern’ – Colum McCann

Gavin McCrea’s first novel, Mrs Engels (2015), was shortlisted for the Desmond Elliot Prize and the Walter Scott Prize, and longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award. His second novel, The Sisters Mao (2021), received high acclaim internationally. His first work of non-fiction, Cells (2022), was chosen as a book of the year by The Observer, The Irish Times and the Irish Independent. His articles have appeared in The Paris Review, The Guardian, The Irish Times, The Dublin Review, Lithub and Catapult.