Rosie Garland as part of Gothic Manchester Festival at John Rylands Library

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor
Poet Rosie Garland. Credit Absolut Queer Photography.
Poet Rosie Garland. Credit Absolut Queer Photography.

Rosie Garland – The Night Brother at John Rylands Research Institute and Library, City Centre 27 October 2017 Tickets from £0.00 — Book now

Take a pew in the suitably atmosphere-sodden Historic Reading Room of John Rylands Library and prepare for some spooky goings-on courtesy Rosie Garland’s latest novel, The Night Brother, out now on HarperCollins.

The award-winning author, poet, singer with post-punksters The March Violets and one half of The Time-Travelling Suffragettes will be reading from the book and chatting about gothic style as part of this year’s Gothic Manchester Festival, “the strange offspring of The Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies at Manchester Met”.

Set in late nineteenth-century Manchester, and with echoes of Orlando and Jekyll & HydeThe Night Brother explores questions of identity and follows the fates of sister and brother Edie and Gnome. Says the blurb: “Gnome […] revels in the night-time, while Edie wakes exhausted each morning, unable to quell a sickening sense of unease, with only a dim memory of the dark hours.”

Says The Times: “A rich and ambitious tale set in late Victorian Manchester… Garland’s prose is a delight: playful and exuberant. There are shades of Angela Carter in the mad world she creates… Full marks.”

Mslexia Novel Competition winner Rosie’s earlier novels, The Palace of Curiosities and Vixen, and her poetry collections, including As In Judy, released earlier this year on Flapjack Press, have all met with critical acclaim, and she’s been nominated for the respected Green Carnation, Desmond Elliott and the Polari First Book Prizes. Well worth catching!

Rosie Garland – The Night Brother at John Rylands Research Institute and Library, City Centre 27 October 2017 Tickets from £0.00 Book now

Where to go near Rosie Garland as part of Gothic Manchester Festival at John Rylands Library

City Centre
Restaurant
Gusto

Gusto Manchester is a lavish Italian restaurant just off Deansgate, with 1920s décor and an extensive menu.

Manchester
Restaurant
MUSU Restaurant & Bar

Musu is a modern Japanese restaurant and bar in Manchester City Centre, specialising in awe-inspiring food. We take an advance look at their festive menu. 

Qbic Manchester
Manchester
Hotel
Qbic Manchester

Qbic Manchester is a luxury hotel in the very heart of Manchester, set to open its doors on the 9th of April.

What's on: Literature

LIVEwire
Until
LiteratureManchester
LIVEwire at The Edge

Following sold-out shows in 2019 and 2021, LIVEwire is back at The Edge this March, and again in June, with an electric line-up.

from £13.00
Poet Joe Williams
LiteratureLeeds
Chemistry at The Chemic

Leeds’ live literature regular Chemistry offers an exciting mix of open mic acts and invited headliners, this month poets Dean Wilson and Sarah-Clare Conlon.

free entry
Image of Armistead Maupin looking to thier side, wearing a navy blue cardigan and magenta scarf
LiteratureManchester
Armistead Maupin at Aviva Studios

It’s your chance to catch one of the most influential writers of the last century as Armistead Maupin heads out on the road for a UK tour.

from £25.00

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in Manchester and the North

Affecting contemporary performances and fresh, relevant takes on enduring classics, we pick out shows that help us scrutinise the world we live in.

Teenage Dads
Music in Manchester and the North

Fresh concert seasons, forward-thinking festivals and a revolving door of amazing gigs. Things are looking bright as spring comes into view.