As Ute and her husband Jerry travel to a
remote area on the west coast of South
America, they decide to visit a recently established
eco-retreat called Villa Pacifica.
The resort, run by a group of eccentric
expatriates, offers a luxuriant refuge – in
the middle of an arid and poverty-stricken
region – to an exotic menagerie of large
cats, monkeys, giant turtles and birds of
paradise which have been rescued from
traffickers.
When a huge storm descends on the coast,
travellers and locals are left to fend for
themselves. The hot-house world that
teems below the surface of Villa Pacifica
rises to engulf everyone. Madness begins to
take hold, and everybody starts questioning
themselves and their own sanity. Brilliantly
written, hauntingly atmospheric,
Villa Pacifica, Kapka Kassabova’s stunning
new novel, will leave a lasting impression in
the minds of its readers.
________
'Like Isabel Allende… Kassabova has
a gift for measured, eloquent, no-frills
storytelling.' –
Scotland on Sunday
'Like her poetry and memoir, Kassabova's fiction is taut and evocative.
Her writing conveys the dichotomy between the country's lush beauty and
the hotel's foreboding atmosphere. ... Inspired by the landscape of
Ecuador as well as the end of a personal relationship, Kassabova's
latest novel is a commentary on human strength. Elegant prose and
unusual plot lines will intrigue the reader to the finish.' -
Herald Scotland
‘This is a wonderfully intriguing story about relationship dynamics, our innermost fears, and a Lost-type plot that keeps building momentum with every page’ -
The Scottish Review of Books
'Intelligent, psychologically compelling... a truly mesmerising read.' -
The Scotsman
'Kassabova conjures up a convincing portrait of a tropical backwater battered by politics and weather… with a deliciously unexpected ending.' -
The Guardian
'Reminiscent of Maugham's
Borneo Stories and Bowles'
The Sheltering Sky... ultimately however, concerned with individual relationships.' –
Times Literary Supplement
'Kapka Kassabova's excellent
Villa Pacifica... well-written, psychologically intriguing with an exotic setting and a mystery plot.' -
The Guardian
'A remote South American hotel, an assortment of weird guests, a strange sense of time repeating itself, plus odd noises in the nights and loved ones behaving oddly: what's not to like about this highly beguiling and mysterious tale about a young female travel writer who stumbles into another world.' -
Lesley McDowell, Herald on Sunday
________
Read an excerpt from
Villa Pacifica
Read an
interview with the author
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