Story & Song
Press Release
Submitted by Mark Kaufman
September 17, 2021
To order tickets click here.
Acclaimed author Lauren Groff’s latest novel, Matrix, has already climbed to the #2 spot on the New York Times bestseller list after only a week in circulation. While on national tour, Lauren Groff will come to Story & Song Bookstore Bistro for a “Literary Luncheon” September 21st at 12:30 pm.
Matrix tells the story of Marie de France, a real-life figure who was the first woman to be published in French, dating back to the 12th century. Cast out of the royal court by Eleanor of Aquitaine, seventeen-year-old Marie is sent to England to be the new prioress of an impoverished abbey, its nuns on the brink of starvation and beset by disease. At first taken aback by the severity of her new life, Marie finds focus and love in collective life with her singular and mercurial sisters. Born the last in a long line of women warriors and crusaders, Marie is determined to chart a bold new course for the women she now leads and protects. The result is a female collective of astonishing industry, ingenuity, and strength in the face of oppressive patriarchy. LitHub has already proclaimed 2021 to be “The Year of the Nun.”
Though the story is set in the 12th century, Groff informs and deepens important questions around contemporary gender dynamics, misogyny, spirituality, sexual violence, and climate change—taking readers on an exhilarating ride to a faraway past. Already a National Book Award finalist for two previous books, Fates and Furies and the short story collection in Florida, Groff’s latest is a defiant and timely exploration of the raw power of female creativity in a corrupted world.
Tickets are $48, and include an autographed copy of the book, lunch, and beverage of choice ($30 without lunch). Seating is limited, and all attendees must be fully vaccinated. For more information or reservations, call (904) 601-2118.