‘EXCELLENT…AN ENTIRELY UNSENTIMENTAL LOVE STORY WITH A MEMORABLE AND
ENGAGING HEROINE’ – The Times (Book of the Month) The Words in My Hand is
the reimagined true story of Helena Jans, a Dutch maid in 17th-century
Amsterdam, who works for Mr Sergeant the English bookseller. When a mysterious
and reclusive lodger arrives – the Monsieur – Mr Sergeant insists
everything must be just so. It transpires that the Monsieur is Rene Descartes.
This is Helena's story: the woman in front of Descartes, a young woman who
yearns for knowledge, who wants to write so badly she makes ink from beetroot
and writes in secret on her skin – only to be held back by her position in
society. Weaving together the story of Descartes' quest for reason with
Helena's struggle for literacy, their worlds overlap as their feelings deepen;
yet remain sharply divided. For all Descartes' learning, it is Helena he seeks
out as she reveals the surprise in the everyday world that surrounds him. When
reputation is everything and with so much to lose, some truths must remain
hidden. Helena and Descartes face a terrible tragedy and ultimately have to
decide if their love is possible at all.
Author Biography
Guinevere Glasfurd's short fiction has appeared in Mslexia, the Scotsman and in
a collection from The National Galleries of Scotland. The Words In My Hand, her
first novel, was written with the support of a grant from Arts Council England.
She manages the Words and Women Twitter feed, a voluntary organisation
representing women writers in the East of England and can be found online at
guinevereglasfurd.com and @guingb.
Shortlist, 2016 Costa First Novel Award