Kingfishers Catch Fire

A haunting tale . . . the whole book burns with the beauty and poetry of a matchless landscape, but the human side of it is wry, delicate and true - Daily Telegraph

[Godden has] a genius for storytelling - Evening Standard

Powerful adult themes underlie the novel's glimmering surface. I devoured them as a teenager, racing through the stories and revelling in the lush landscapes and exotic peoples in the (then) certainty that I would never see them for myself. It's hard to think that I appreciated any of their true qualities. They have repaid rereading as an adult, and they will continue to reward both returning readers and new ones: such is their narrative grip, subtlety and understanding of the human state - Guardian

The Novel Cure for extravagance . . . romanticises frugality in Godden's novel - in a way which is surprisingly contagious - Independent

Her craftsmanship is always sure; her understanding of character is compassionate and profound; her prose is pure, delicate, and gently witty - New York Times

Godden has never been out of print - Irish Times

Godden's 1953 novel of Colonial India depicts an independent but naive British widow living in a village in Kashmir polarized by conflicting Hindus and Muslims - Publishers Weekly

All [Godden's novels] have one important thing in common: They are beautifully and simply wrought by a woman of depth and sensitivity - Los Angeles Times