The Childless Ones

Abstract

This book is both a novel and a collection of stories. More precisely, it is two interconnected collections of stories that each form a separate novel; those two novels, in turn, come together to form one, larger novel. All that said, and while the interconnectedness of fictional narratives is clearly one of the themes that the book explores, each individual story is written to provide a coherent, standalone reading experience. The two main narrative arcs of this book span two different genres of fiction. The first, is primarily literary, realistic fiction, and concerns itself with the lives of a troubled couple (Jack and Sarah Ampong) as they deal with the fallout of their failed marriage and try to move on with their lives. The second narrative, which is ostensibly being written by Jack, rotates through a large cast of character and is set in a vaguely medieval, fantasy world. Throughout the course of the book, additional connections between the two narratives slowly become apparent.