The bold, conversational language and the force of the narrative compel and intrigue from the start. This is a short novel with an epic personality, encompassing themes of slavery, race, love and immortality...Wonderful' Scotland on Sunday

Faith is a black slave; Christy is her white lover, the son of a plantation owner. Their son - our narrator - tells their story, and the story of Tom and Stella, slaves escaping to Canada. Condemned to immortality, to remember their plights until the races become equal, he speaks to us, from our own time, of the quest for freedom and love.

'A tour de force...In Bloodlines, D'Aguiar has created that rare work, a compelling, urgent story which is both sensual and lyrical. This is a poem that lingers on details, on the fleeting perceptions and sensations that make up what we think of as history. The language is rich, complex, playful, sensual...Marvellous' John Burnside, Sunday Herald

'D'Aguiar's lithe poetic prose has the deft focus of a camera lens...A beautiful and engaging novel in verse' Metro --