By Emma Leask, Molly Pearce and Niamh Parr
Acquisition News
Seven Dials acquires first ever cookbook
Peter Andre and Ben Smith, creators of #ItsFine, will be publishing their cookbook with Seven Dials, the non-fiction imprint of Orion. This will be the first ever cookbook served up by the imprint, and is inspired by the duo’s mission to end the toxicity associated with fad diets. The pair created #ItsFine as a result of facing pressure from the entertainment industry to lose weight. This pressure caused them to initially seek out mentally and physically harmful diets, which alerted them to the society-wide issue of people being made to think they need to lose weight. The book is full of delicious recipes that are designed to reshape the idea of dieting. The book will be published on 22 June 2023.
YA author Emily Critchley to debut adult fiction novel
Emily Critchley, author of the young adult and children’s books Notes On My Family and The Bear Who Sailed the Ocean on an Iceberg, is set to release her first adult fiction novel. The rights were acquired by Sophie Orme of Zaffre and Manilla Press, the adult fiction imprint of Bonnier Books UK. The novel, One Puzzling Afternoon, will follow eighty-four year-old Edie Green as she revisits the disappearance of her friend Lucy whilst also facing dementia. One Puzzling Afternoon will be published by Bonnier Books UK in May 2023, in the formats of hardback, eBook and audio. Sourcebooks have also acquired the US rights, where the book will be published in Autumn 2023.
From Book to Screen
What to watch?
Minchin’s Matilda: a must-watch
Roald Dahl’s classic novel was adapted into a West End musical in 2011 by Tim Minchin, and has now been developed for the screen. The film has the same plot as the book, following Matilda, a six-year-old girl with a passion for reading. The book is a lovely story about family, friendship and finding yourself, with some magic sprinkled in along the way. The film includes the songs that were written for the musical, and features renowned actors such as Stephen Graham, Emma Thompson and Sindhu Vee. It’s the perfect movie musical for any literature lover. The film is currently out in cinemas across the UK and will be released on Netflix this summer.
Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove
Originally published in 2012, Fredrik Backman’s heartfelt Swedish novel A Man Called Ove was first adapted into a Swedish language film in 2015. Now, for the first time, it is being adapted into English, with Tom Hanks as the lead. The film follows Ove (or Otto, as this version prefers), a reclusive widower who slowly finds friendship in his spirited, pregnant neighbour, Marisol (Mariana Treviño). Consequently, Otto learns that grief must not defeat him, and endeavours to find meaning in life. Director Marc Forster, known for his adaptations of The Kite Runner and Christopher Robin, will take on this comedic yet heartfelt tale of grief, love and companionship, bringing this beloved Swedish novel into the public eye once more. A Man Called Otto is currently out in cinemas across the UK.
Shadow and Bone season 2 on Netflix
The release of Season one of Shadow and Bone on Netflix saw great success back in 2021, and Netflix has announced the second season is in the works. Split into two, the second season will adapt the Siege and Storm story, which is part of the trilogy. The fantasy mystery based on the novels by Leigh Bardugo follows the story of a young orphan named Alina Starkov, part of the Ravka nation, who is attacked by the Shadow Fold, a darkness of monsters aiming for an attack, but Alina unleashes magic which she never knew she possessed. The recurring cast stars the likes of Jessie Mei Li, Archie Renaux, Freddy Carter, Ben Barnes and Amita Suman. The second season is expected to have more adventures and intense battles, and will be released on 16 March 2023.
In the Works
A Little Life stage adaptation
A slightly different adaptation to usual, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is going to be adapted into a West End play. Set to open in spring of this year, the show is already boasting a star-studded cast, with the four main characters being played by James Norton (Jude), Luke Thompson (Willem), Omari Douglas (JB), and Zach Wyatt (Malcolm). The show is to be directed by Ivo van Hove, who has previously worked on shows such as West Side Story. The show will follow the four main characters as they graduate college and move to New York City together. From there follows a story of love, friendship, trauma and grief that is guaranteed to be an emotional rollercoaster. The book is Yanagihara’s second novel, and has won prizes including the Kirkus Prize for Fiction in 2015. Fans of the book know exactly how life-changing and moving the story is, so are no doubt thrilled to see it being adapted into a play with such a brilliant cast.