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Coronet lands first adult novel by ‘godfather of YA’ Burgess
Coronet has signed the first adult novel by Melvin Burgess, author of YA novels The Cry of the Wolf and Junk (Andersen Press), for which he won the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian’s Children’s Fiction Prize.
Publisher Hannah Black acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Loki, “a contemporary retelling of the Norse myths from the point of view of the trickster god”, from Millie Hoskins at United Agents, for publication in hardback, e-book and audio on 17th November 2022.
The publisher aid: “Loki cleverly re-tells famous Norse myths and makes a heartfelt plea to overthrow the old gods of power and authority and instigate a new era ruled by love and intelligence. It charts the course of Loki’s many loves and families, from his mothering of Odin’s famous horse to his intense, turbulent, and, eventually, fatal relationship with Baldr the Beautiful – a tender and moving story of love that goes wrong, jealousy and a transitioning that is forbidden by society.”
Burgess, whose latest YA book 3 Bullets was published by Andersen Press in July 2021, said: “I’ve always loved the Norse myths, and Loki has always been my favourite god. Somehow, he seems so much in accord with our own times that I felt he would be the ideal subject for my first adult book. It was the best fun to write.
“I felt that somehow, his words came almost unbidden to my fingertips. Now, after aeons of endless Asgard propaganda, Loki wants to set the record straight. He feels that his time has come and that the enlightened age we live in today will be more able to sympathise with his situation. For the first time, the God of Clever tells his side of the old stories.”
Black said: “We’re thrilled to be publishing Melvin Burgess’s first adult work of fiction. As the godfather of YA, he infused a visceral account of the way we live now with mythic power. This was controversial, sometimes shocking but always real. He is now bringing that same energy to Loki, offering a modern and relevant take on gender, sexuality and identity for an adult readership.”
