Product Description

We are all victims of the same incurable disease. the illness that is love. Hayleigh, a barmaid/singer at the infamous nightclub + brothel, The Magenta Lounge, thinks she's got it ll - a steady job, a handsome boyfriend, a home of her own. what more could a girl ask for? However, with the arrival of Marcus Camille, a mysterious and intriguing oddity of a man, who has journeyed down from Liverpool to London to start a new life with his boyfriend, Bobby, Hayleigh begins to notice a change in her so-called 'perfect' life. After the violent death of Bobby, Marcus turns to hedonism to drown his sorrows in drugs, drink and sexual promiscuity, which is fine for a while - but with everything comes a price. A mysterious gay "illness" is reported on the news, and soon it seems that the friends Marcus once had weren't as trustworthy as he thought. When it is revealed that Marcus too has AIDS, his friends and followers scurry away from him like sewer rats, and the only person left for him to turn to is Hayleigh. much to the anger of her boyfriend, Peter. Rose Petal Tea is the debut novel from Cally Highfield, set to a backdrop of Soho's neon lights and dirty decadence. Illustrated with the authors comic-book influenced artwork, and complete with a detailed afterword, this book is a guaranteed trip - watch your step.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4082603 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 216 pages

Customer Reviews

incredible.
i was lucky enough to read some of the rough draft for this book, and i was absolutely floored.

the finished product exceeded my expectations. when you take into account that this was written by someone so young (the bulk of it was completed when the author was 16), it's astounding. the understanding of human emotion and the feel for the time period is flawless. this is one of my favourite books, and i recommended it to countless people.

if you are interested in a heartfelt story about the human heart and the unsettling reality of group mentality- get this. you will NOT be disappointed.

Rose Petal Tea
Rose Petal Tea is a moving book- not only in the depth of the characters, but the reality of the plotline. You can't help but empathize with Marcus and Hayleigh as if they were your own friends, or perhaps just people you watch live their lives, helpless to change their minds no matter what you see coming in their future. This book will stir your emotions, and perhaps open your eyes to an aspect of life that so often is just swept into the shadows. The artist's own illustrations bring an extra dimension of depth to the characters and well worth taking the time to look through.

LOVELY read
I greatly enjoyed every page of this book. The narration is flawless. Rose Petal Tea is told in a deeply personal and intimate way, as if Hayleigh is sitting beside you on your couch relaying her story herself. Miss Highfield has a marvelous command of the English language and manages to weave a beautiful, at times eerie tale that grabs you by the heart and holds tight. I HIGHLY recomend this for anyone who enjoys a good story.