Fly on the Wall Press signs Sheena Kalayil's 'rare' novel

Fly on the Wall Press has signed Sheena Kalayil’s "extraordinary" novel, The Others, an exploration of love and migration. 

World rights were acquired by managing director Isabelle Kenyon from Mark Stanton at The North Literary Agency. The novel is scheduled for publication in October 2025. 

The Others follows Armando from Mozambique, Lolita from India, and east German national Theo who find themselves "drawn together in a poignant love triangle in a small Baltic city as the [German Democratic Republic] begins to collapse around them".

The synopsis continues: "While a quiet revolution sweeps Eastern Europe in 1989, their intertwined lives and cultures collide in messy, beautiful ways." 

Kenyon said of the acquisition: "The Others is that rare novel that feels both wildly entertaining and profoundly important. Kalayil deftly balances an engrossing, complicated love story with powerful themes of migration, political upheaval, and the fundamental connectedness of people across the world." 

Kalayil added: "I have never had a love affair that was not impacted by questions of borders, nationality and permits. In researching this novel, I was indebted to writers such as Maxim Leo, Anna Funder and professor Tanja Müller who brought the lived experiences of the [German Democratic Republic] to life for me."