A Strange World: A Novel. Volume 1 (of 3)

A quiet meadow on the outskirts of the cathedral town of Eborsham frames the opening of this lyrical tale. Amid the wild buttercups and hawthorn, a seventeen‑year‑old girl and the man she calls father sit on a threadbare blanket, their clothes as faded as the world they inhabit. The girl, Justina, is bright‑eyed and full of lofty day‑dreams about soaring above the stone towers, while her father offers a blunt, world‑worn counterpoint, dismissing romance and the allure of the city’s grand buildings.

Their conversation hints at a deeper yearning for a life beyond the poverty that clings to their heels. As Justina’s imagination flutters toward the theater and the promise of a different future, the narrative begins to trace the fragile hopes of a struggling troupe of “poor players” in a society that prizes wealth over art. Listeners will be drawn into a vivid portrait of Victorian‑era England, where ambition, love, and the harsh realities of class collide in a world both beautiful and unforgiving.