Susan Elderkin

Susan Elderkin is a British novelist and literary critic known for her novels Sunset Over Chocolate Mountains (2000) and The Voices (2003). She has gained recognition for exploring themes of isolation, identity, and human connection through richly atmospheric prose. As a member of the Royal Society of Literature, Elderkin has contributed significantly to literary discourse and criticism. Her work The Novel Cure: An A-Z of Literary Remedies (2013), co-authored with Ella Berthoud, uniquely prescribes specific books as remedies for various ailments and life situations. Elderkin's debut novel Sunset Over Chocolate Mountains won a Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for New Writers. Her writing often incorporates elements of magical realism while examining the relationships between landscape and human experience. The author's background in literary studies at Cambridge University and creative writing at the University of East Anglia has informed her work as both a novelist and critic. She has taught creative writing at Goldsmiths College and has served as a judge for various literary prizes.

Readers appreciate Elderkin's descriptive prose and her ability to capture landscapes, particularly in Sunset Over Chocolate Mountains. Many note her skill in portraying isolation and outsider perspectives. The Novel Cure receives praise for its creative concept and humor. A Goodreads reviewer wrote: "Perfect for dipping in and out of when you need a literary prescription." Several readers mention using it as a reference guide for book recommendations. Common criticisms include pacing issues in her novels and occasionally overwrought metaphors. Some readers found The Voices challenging to follow, with one Amazon reviewer noting "the narrative becomes too fragmented." Ratings across platforms: - Sunset Over Chocolate Mountains: 3.7/5 on Goodreads (200+ ratings) - The Voices: 3.4/5 on Goodreads (150+ ratings) - The Novel Cure: 3.9/5 on Goodreads (2,000+ ratings), 4.3/5 on Amazon (300+ ratings) The Novel Cure has generated more reader engagement than her novels, with many citing its practical value and accessibility.

Sunset Over Chocolate Mountains (2000) A tale set in the Arizona desert about an English ice-cream maker who flees his past to build a new life, interweaving themes of isolation and redemption.

The Voices (2003) A novel following a young girl in the Australian outback who develops a mysterious ability to hear voices in the landscape around her.

The Novel Cure: An A-Z of Literary Remedies (2013) A reference book co-authored with Ella Berthoud that matches specific books with various life situations and emotional states, structured as a medical dictionary.

Jeanette Winterson Her novels blend reality with magical elements while exploring identity and human relationships. Her work The Passion demonstrates similar themes of isolation and connection that appear in Elderkin's writing.

Angela Carter Carter's incorporation of magical realism and focus on landscape as character mirrors Elderkin's approach. Her novel The Magic Toyshop explores similar themes of isolation and transformation through rich prose.

A.S. Byatt Byatt combines academic knowledge with storytelling in works that examine human connection and identity. Her novel Possession parallels Elderkin's interest in connecting different narrative threads and exploring relationships through literary frameworks.

Ali Smith Smith's experimental approach to narrative structure and exploration of human connections echoes Elderkin's style. Her work How to be Both demonstrates similar interests in examining identity and relationships across time and space.

Helen Oyeyemi Oyeyemi writes about isolation and identity through magical realist elements similar to Elderkin's approach. Her novel White is for Witching shares Elderkin's focus on place as character and the exploration of human disconnection.