Pig
Represented by Thérèse Coen
Pigs are Valentina’s safe space. When she’s feeling overwhelmed, she lists the breeds from A-Z until her mind becomes quiet again.
Valentina struggles to live life without order. Every morning, she reads the note that her flatmate Cara has pinned on the fridge, telling her what to wear and what to eat, before leaving for her job at an independent bookshop in London.
Sometimes Valentina is invited out to drinks with colleagues, but she never goes. She knows that Clara wouldn’t be happy if Vale socialised with anyone else. As Clara’s told her plenty of times – who else would put up with her weird pig facts? She’d be a laughing stock if anyone found out.
But a chance encounter at the bookshop leads to an exciting opportunity for Vale, whose extremely thorough knowledge of pigs impresses Marcus, an editor of new agricultural books. As Vale steps into the world of other people, Clara tightens her grip: she isn’t ready to let go of her favourite prey.
Pig is a razor-sharp, disturbing novel about toxic female friendship unlike any other you will ever read.
Reviews
‘I absolutely loved Pig, by talented debut author Matilde Pratesi. Exploring obsession, toxicity, and abuse in a bookshop setting, my heart hurt for Vale and her charming passion for pigs. Written with wit, heart and warmth, Pratesi’s approach is fresh, full of character and utterly addictive. I can’t wait for you all to pig out on Pig next year.’—Alice Slater, bestselling author of Death of a Bookseller
‘Heart wrenching and uplifting. In Valentina, Matilde Pratesi has created a character you will never forget – a shining innocent in the sty of the world.’—Neil Stewart (fellow Corsair author of Test Kitchen and The Glasgow Coma Scale)
‘Love is a mystery, but friendship could be ever more obscure. In her subtle novel, Pratesi enlightens the dark side of sisterhood.’—Veronica Raimo, author of Lost on Me
‘Toxic female friendships, obsessive compulsive disorders and the many, many varieties of pig, form the surprising central tenet of Pratesi’s assured debut, which ultimately proclaims a timely message of the importance of being yourself.’—Marie-Claire Chappet, Harper’s Bazaar’s ’20 absorbing fiction books to pick up in 2025’