Private Rites” by Julia Armfield is a haunting novel that follows three estranged sisters navigating a waterlogged city at the end of the world. Their recently deceased father, a famous architect who reshaped the world after constant rains eroded geography, leaves behind a floating architectural magnum opus called White Horse.
Main Character
The main characters in “Private Rites” are the three estranged sisters: Eva, Mae, and Lena.. Eva, the eldest, is a historian; Mae, the middle sister, is an artist; and Lena, the youngest, is a scientist. Their complex relationships and shared history drive the novel’s emotional core.
Plot
“Private Rites” by Julia Armfield is a haunting novel that follows three estranged sisters navigating a waterlogged city at the end of the world. Their recently deceased father, a famous architect who reshaped the world after constant rains eroded geography, leaves behind a floating architectural magnum opus called White Horse.
Setting
! “limate catastrophe.. Here are some details about the setting:
- City Infrastructure: The interminable climate disaster has reshaped the city. Ramshackle jetties and water taxis attempt to compensate for the fact that the outer edges of train lines are underwater.
- Power Outages: Power outages are commonplace, leaving residents in uncertainty.
- Alarms and Sirens: Alarms and sirens go off
Theme
Private Rites” by Julia Armfield combines an intimate unraveling of grief and relationships from fractured characters with an ecological disaster. The novel follows three queer sisters after their father’s death—
Conclusion
“Private Rites” by Julia Armfield concludes with a sense of eerie uncertainty. As the three estranged sisters—Isla, Irene, and Agnes—navigate their father’s legacy, they uncover sinister secrets related to their mother’s disappearance and their own chosen purpose.
