Viking signs Nell Zink’s latest ‘triumph’

Viking has signed Nell Zink’s Sister Europe, a “sexy and exquistely moving” novel. 

Edward Kirke, editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Peggy Boulos Smith on behalf of Susan Golomb at Writers House for publication in 2025. US rights were sold to Daniel Halpern at Knopf. 

Set during one “wild” night in Berlin at the Hotel Interconti where a “ragtag” group meets to celebrate an elderly author’s career, Sister Europe  is a “vivid tale of a scene all at sea, and a too-old continent whorled with pain, charm and outrageous caprice”.

Kirke said: “Nell Zink is one of my very favourite writers and Sister Europe is a triumph. It is thrilling, hilarious and pinned down in prose that shines with the absolute enjoyment of the act of writing, all while slinking toward profound questions about Europe’s place in the world and its relationship to its history. It is an essential read by an exceptional author and I’m beyond excited to bring it to the Viking list.”

Zink added: “In Sister Europe, I’ve tried to show how even – and maybe especially – the deepest emotions can be rooted in accident and circumstance, when a world-historical moment meets individuals trying to navigate social situations on autopilot. Often, that’s where the waves break highest.”