Cecile Pin

A Novel

Wandering Souls

One of Vogue’s Best Books of 2026 A beautiful, heartbreaking novel about ambition, love, and space from the award-winning author of Wandering Souls January 28, 1986: Soon after launch, the Challenger shuttle falls out of the sky and into the sea. At the same time, Oliver Ines is born. Celestial Lights is his story. Ollie spends his childhood in an English village where his bedroom is covered in glow-in-the-dark wallpaper bearing the planets and stars. Decades later, he has become one of the most renowned astronauts of his time. When an enterprising billionaire taps him to lead a landmark mission to the distant moon Europa, Ollie makes a choice that will send his whole world spinning. As the mission advances deeper into unchartered territory, Ollie finds himself retreating into the past: his university days in London and years in the navy, relationships found and lost, becoming a husband and father. But will the world he remembers still be waiting for him ten years later when he returns? A portrait of a complicated man and a breathtaking tale of memory, personal choices, and the relationships that define us, Celestial Lights is an unforgettable story that questions what we owe ourselves and our loved ones when our ambitions and loyalties collide.

Celestial Lights

'Exquisite and deeply felt' VOGUE 'Beautifully rendered' GRAZIA 'Magnificent ... melds sharp insight with great heart' NICOLA DINAN 'Thoughtful and beautifully compelling' ALICE WINN A beautiful, heartbreaking novel about ambition, love and space from the award-winning author of the Women's Prize longlisted Wandering Souls. 28 January, 1986: Moments after launch, the Challenger shuttle falls from the sky. At the same time, in a small English village, Oliver Ines is born. Ollie spends his childhood in a bedroom covered in glow-in-the-dark wallpaper, bearing the planets and stars. Decades later, he has become one of the most renowned astronauts of his time. When an enterprising billionaire approaches him to lead a landmark, ten-year mission to the distant moon Europa, Ollie cannot resist the call of history. As the mission advances deeper into uncharted territory, Ollie finds himself retreating into the past: his school days and years in the Navy, relationships found and lost, becoming a husband and father. But will the world he remembers still be waiting for him when he returns? Celestial Lights is a breathtaking story of fate, love, and sacrifice that questions what we owe ourselves and our loved ones, when our ambitions and loyalties collide. 'Truly lovely ... the scope of an epic' JO HAMYA, author of The Hypocrite 'A wonderful and singular reading experience' JENNY MUSTARD, author of What A Time To Be Alive 'Incredible ... stayed with me long after the page' RED MAGAZINE 'Atmospheric, original, and beautiful' ELA LEE, author of Minbak 'Masterful ... I was totally absorbed from start to finish' JYOTI PATEL, author of The Things That We Lost 'A moving story that stays with you' ROMALYN ANTE, author of Agimat 'Stunning, exhilarating and unforgettable' ELIANA RAMAGE, author of To the Moon and Back

Celestial Lights Hb

När de sista amerikanska soldaterna har lämnat Vietnam inleder syskonen Anh, Thanh och Minh en riskabel resa till Hong Kong. Deras föräldrar och yngre syskon ska snart komma efter, men tragedin slår till och de tre syskonen står med ens föräldralösa. Barnen hamnar i England, först i överfyllda flyktingläger och förläggningar och därefter i ett kokande London. Margaret Thatcher är premiärminister och vill hellre ta emot vita flyktingar från Rhodesia, staden slits sönder av sociala orättvisor och växande främlingshat. I sin kamp att finna en identitet får de tre allt svårare att hålla ihop. Cecile Pin berättar omväxlande poetiskt och sakligt, dokumentärt och meditativt om en familj som krossas av krig och förlust men där hoppet om ett värdigt liv lever kvar i spillrorna. Cecile Pin växte upp i Paris och New York. Som artonåring flyttade hon till London för att studera filosofi och senare arbeta på bokförlag. Vandrande själar, hennes första roman, är på väg ut i ett flertal länder.

Cecile Pin

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