Fallout - by Eleanor Anstruther (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A runaway daughter sparks a darkly funny family reckoning in Thatcher's Britain--perfect for fans of Fleabag, Bad Sisters, and sharp, politically charged women's fiction.

From the author of A Perfect Explanation, aTimes' Best Books of the Year, Fallout is a darkly funny, fearless novel about family, identity, and political awakening.

"A quiet but powerful stand against tyranny." --Publishers Weekly, Editors' Pick

"Astute, funny, and informed by a wealth of human experience."--Bestselling Author, Patrick Gale

Set at the unlikely intersection of nuclear disarmament and personal awakening, FALLOUT is a fearless, darkly funny exploration of identity, family, and midlife reinvention. With an irreverent bite that evokes Fleabag, the emotional complexity of Bad Sisters, and the political urgency of Milkman, Eleanor Anstruther has written a novel that is "gutsy, urgent, and heartfelt" (Emma Forrest), full of "wit, fire, and serious truths" (Joanna Pocock).

In the winter of 1982, fifteen-year-old Bridget has had enough of Thatcher's Britain, enough of family secrets, and enough of being invisible. Armed with a fierce sense of justice and a sharper tongue, she runs away from home to join the women of the Greenham Common Peace Camp, one of the most iconic protest movements in British history.

But Bridget's disappearance shakes more than her own life. It cracks open the fragile world of the parents she left behind: a conservative mother on the brink of an unexpected love affair, and a father who has spent a lifetime hiding who he truly is. As the three collide on the protest lines--armed with placards, secrets, and unlikely hope--they must face the truths they've spent years avoiding.

Perfect for readers of Meg Mason, Ali Smith, and Nina Stibbe.

Review Quotes

"...Fizzing with detail, energy, and purpose."--Viv Groskop, Acclaimed author of How to Own the Room.

"Astute, funny, and informed by a wealth of human experience..."--Patrick Gale

"A quiet but powerful stand against tyranny."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Eleanor Anstruther is a distinctive voice in contemporary literature who writes with intelligence, dry wit, and emotional precision. Born in London, she was educated at Westminster School before taking up the study of History of Art at Manchester University--only to be delightfully waylaid by a life-altering trip to India. She spent the next twelve years tracing her own path: building a commune, erecting a stone circle, and wandering across Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas--before finally anchoring herself in the life she was meant to write.

Her debut novel, A Perfect Explanation (Salt Books), received notable acclaim, spending time on the longlists for both the Desmond Elliott Prize and the 2019 Not the Booker Prize. Since then, Eleanor has built a fervent following via The Literary Obsessive on Substack, where she serializes novels ahead of print, champions independent literary voices, and hosts the popular "8 Questions" interview series.

Now a literary trailblazer, Eleanor lives on a tranquil farm in Surrey with her twin boys, continuing to write novels that shimmer with wit, empathy, and a clear-eyed view of life's bewildering contradictions.