The Attic Child

Description

The Attic Child – A Haunting Tale of Secrets, Identity & Belonging

Longlisted for the Jhalak Prize 2023

Two children. One attic. A century apart. Bound by a secret that refuses to be forgotten.

1907: Twelve-year-old Celestine is trapped in an attic by the sea, taken from his African homeland and forced into servitude. As time passes, memories of his family fade—along with his true name.

Decades later, orphaned Lowra is banished to the same attic. Hidden beneath the floorboards, she finds a porcelain doll, a beaded claw necklace, and a cryptic message etched into the wall—clues that reveal she was not the first child imprisoned there.

A deeply moving, dual-timeline novel, The Attic Child by Lola Jaye explores family secrets, identity, loss, and Black British history in an unforgettable story of love and resilience.