When Alis's parents reveal that she has been chosen to marry a man of forty, she is distraught - how can such an unnatural marriage be right? She abandons her life in the oppressive community where she has been brought up and flees to the city in search of freedom, only to find herself caught up in events beyond her control. Will Alis's decision to defy her parents have fatal consequences, not just for her, but for everyone who tries to help her, including the boy she loves?
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An enthralling love story . . . Alis is an impressively memorable debut. - Carousel
a novel of powerful undercurrents which Rich sketches in with a deft hand . . . an impressive debut with a strong authorial voice. - Books for Keeps
A stunning debut. Finely written . . . moves you breathlessly along to the final uplifting resolution - Write Away
A thoughtful novel, beautifully written - Northern Echo
a winner . . . Alis is a bridge between the sort of fantasy novel much loved by the younger teens and adult dystopian fiction. - Birmingham Post
Thoroughly engaging from the very first page . . . the kind of book that stays with you for a long time after you finish it. - Chicklish.co.uk
A lovely novel - unique and thought-provoking, a great read for adults too. (At times I couldn't help thinking of it as a YA version of The Handmaid's Tale!) - Vulpes Libris
Aimed at young adult readers, Alis is just as engrossing for adults, and it wouldn't be a surprise if a film company has optioned the rights. - New Zealand Herald
exciting and satisfying . . . a good choice for confident readers of ten and over. - School Librarian
Rich's sympathetic portrayal of Alis and her desperate struggle to exercise free will in a theocracy will have audiences firmly gripped. - Publishers' Weekly
Written in a clean, unadorned style, Alis's story is deftly plotted, twisting and turning in unexpected ways and meditating on feminist themes. - Kirkus Reviews
A story so action-packed and filled with twists that readers won't anticipate the ending. First-timers usually don't attempt such multi-layered stories, but Rich pulls it off. - Booklist
About the Author
Naomi Rich was awarded a BA in English Literature from Newnham College, Cambridge, and a PGCE from Manchester University. For many years, she taught English at St Paul's Girls' School in London. Alis is her first novel, although she has enjoyed writing from a young age. She is particularly interested in seventeenth century Puritanism, as well as nineteenth century novels and medicine.
