Magpie pre-empts Silvia Park's 'highly distinctive' début novel

Magpie, an imprint of Oneworld, has pre-empted Luminous, the début novel from Silvia Park. 

Publisher Juliet Mabey acquired UK and British Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Caspian Dennis at Abner Stein, on behalf of Lucy Carson at The Friedrich Agency. Film rights were pre-empted by Media Res, who will adapt the novel for television. Simon & Schuster will publish in the US. Magpie will release Luminous as a lead fiction title in March 2025. 

"Juliet Mabey has built an exquisite list of literary fiction, and Oneworld has the awards and accolades to prove it," said Carson. "We’re delighted and honoured to have Luminous join this list of provocative and ambitious literature."

Set in a recently reunified Korea where "very-nearly-human" robots have been integrated into society, Luminous follows three estranged siblings. Jun and Morgan have barely spoken since their brother, Yoyo’s, disappearance. "But when Jun, a police officer, becomes embroiled in an investigation that reconnects him with Morgan, both are forced to confront deeper mysteries about their family, their lost brother, and humanity."

Mabey commented: "I couldn’t be more excited to be working with Silvia on this highly distinctive, imaginative and gorgeously written novel. The scope and ambition of her début is remarkable, marrying speculative elements with an addictive mystery, and we can’t wait to share Luminous with readers next year."

Silvia added: "I’m very excited for Luminous to be a part of Oneworld, joining an incredible literary legacy of my most admired authors. This book ended up a bit of a monster, mixing and matching genres, from science fiction to the police procedural, and my personal favourite, the Shakespearean family drama, but I’d like the message that shines through at the end to be one of hope."