Pignut and Nuncle

King Lear meeting Jane Eyre in a novel. And no, it's not a Jasper Fforde's creation:

Pignut and Nuncle
by Des Dillon

Sparsile Books Ltd

ISBN-13 : 978-1916457294

May 2021

In this extraordinary novel, Des Dillon mixes familiar with surreal to explore the dark side of humanity’s soul.   Jane Eyre, beloved heroine of Charlotte Bronte’s novel, finds herself alone and lost on a stormbound moor. Her only hope comes when she finally stumbles across two men trying to find shelter. There’s only one problem, they claim to be King Lear and his faithful fool.  

Thinking the old man insane, Jane tries to convince him that King Lear is a fictional character while, in turn, Lear thinks Jane is a madwoman. But there’s more to Fool than first appears. Using his powers, he catapults them through the play of King Lear at terrifying speed.  

Frightened and bewildered, Jane assumes she is caught up in some kind of nightmare or psychological fugue and sets about trying to avert the tragedy of Cordelia’s death. At every turn, their every plan goes horribly wrong causing Cordelia’s character to darken more and more so that she degenerates into the foulest of Shakespearean tyrants. 

Forget saving Cordelia’s life! Can Jane, Lear and the Fool find a way to save Cordelia’s soul and thus their own?