Jim Crace's acclaimed debut novel explores an imaginary continent, subtly different from any in the world we know. Its landscapes, wildlife, customs and communities are alien, even frightening - but the continent's inhabitants are nonetheless disarmingly familiar, known to us through their loves, their hopes, and their struggles to make sense of life. On its first publication over 20 years ago, this captivating novel marked the arrival of one of the most imaginative minds at work: a writer capable of transporting his readers to a strange and wonderful landscape while revealing the humanity within the mirage.