'Weighty' debut to Atlantic

Atlantic Books is to publish a "weighty" debut by Ethel Rohan titled The Weight of Him.

Susannah Hamilton, editorial assistant at Atlantic Books, acquired UK and Commonwealth (excluding Canada) and audio rights to the title from Lorella Belli at the Lorella Belli Literary Agency on behalf of Folio Literary Management.

The Weight of Him follows morbidly obese Billy Brennan who masterminds a public weight-loss campaign in a plan to prevent suicide, after his son takes his own life. Billy's unprecedented crusade appalls his family, however, who just want to try to go on. Despite his detractors, and grief, guilt, and addiction, Billy persists, hoping to save lives and reignite hearts.

Hamilton said: "Well-crafted, poignant and inspiring, Rohan’s The Weight of Him achieves that rare combination of humour and tragedy that illuminates two extremely sensitive issues, and leaves the reader wiser and brighter at the end of it."

Novelist John Banville said of the novel: "Ethel Rohan shows herself to be one of those rare, courageous writers who dare to take on the ‘ordinary’ and show just how extraordinary it really is. A brave and moving book."

Atlantic will publish The Weight of Him in 2017.