When the Floods Came

In a world prone to violent flooding, Britain, ravaged 20 years earlier by a deadly virus, has been largely cut off from the rest of the world. Survivors are few and far between, most of them infertile. Children, the only hope for the future, are a rare commodity.

For 22-year-old Roza Polanski, life with her family in their isolated tower block is relatively comfortable. She's safe, happy enough. But when a stranger called Aashay Kent arrives, everything changes. At first he's a welcome addition, his magnetism drawing the Polanskis out of their shells, promising an alternative to a lonely existence. But Roza can't shake the feeling that there's more to Aashay than he's letting on. Is there more to life beyond their isolated bubble? Is it true that children are being kidnapped? And what will it cost to find out?

Clare Morrall, author of the Man Booker Prize-shortlisted ASTONISHING SPLASHES OF COLOUR, creates a startling vision of the future in a world not so very far from our own, and a thrilling story of suspense.

“Morrall's superb imagination makes When the Floods Came hugely entertaining but the real power lies in the warmth of her writing and the charm of her characters.”

Morrall's superb imagination makes When the Floods Came hugely entertaining but the real power lies in the warmth of her writing and the charm of her characters. - The Times

Astute and vigorously imagined . . . frequently wise and deeply humane . . . After her Booker-shortlisted debut, and two historical novels, Morrall's accomplished move into speculative fiction marks her out as one of our most dependable writers. - Spectator

Superbly imagined . . . A wonderful book by a terrific writer - Daily Mail

Morrall envisions an all too believable dystopian future in a novel that charms and appals in equal measure. - Irish Independent

The measured pace of the story is mesmeric; the wilfulness of adolescence excruciatingly well drawn - Guardian

Clare Morrall's first novel, Astonishing Splashes of Colour, was published in 2003 and shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize that year. She has since published the novels Natural Flights of the Human Mind, The Language of Others, The Man Who Disappeared, which was a TV Book Club Summer Read in 2010, The Roundabout Man and After the Bombing.

Born in Exeter, Clare Morrall now lives in Birmingham. She works as a music teacher, and has two daughters.

In a world prone to violent flooding, Britain, ravaged 20 years earlier by a deadly virus, has been largely cut off from the rest of the world. Survivors are few and far between, most of them infertile. Children, the only hope for the future, are a rare commodity. For 22-year-old Roza Polanski, life with her family in their isolated tower block is relatively comfortable. She's safe, happy enough. But when a stranger called Aashay Kent arrives, everything changes. At first he's a welcome addition, his magnetism drawing the Polanskis out of their shells, promising an alternative to a lonely existence. But Roza can't shake the feeling that there's more to Aashay than he's letting on. Is there more to life beyond their isolated bubble? Is it true that children are being kidnapped? And what will it cost to find out? Clare Morrall, author of the Man Booker Prize-shortlisted ASTONISHING SPLASHES OF COLOUR, creates a startling vision of the future in a world not so very far from our own, and a thrilling story of suspense.

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