HULL – A Hull venue is set to welcome one of the country’s most talked-about new literary voices later this month, as Marcia Hutchinson brings her acclaimed debut novel to Union Mash Up.
Marcia, recently named by The Observer as one of the UK’s best debut novelists of 2024, will appear at the Princes Avenue venue on Wednesday, 31 July, to discuss her first novel, The Mercy Step, a powerful and darkly comic coming-of-age story set in 1970s Leeds.
The event, which is free and open to all, will begin at 7.30pm and feature Marcia in conversation with Hull writer Russ Litten. The evening will include readings from the book, an audience Q&A, and opportunities to purchase signed copies.
Born in Huddersfield to Jamaican parents, Marcia trained as a solicitor before founding a diversity education company. She was awarded an MBE for services to cultural diversity. The Mercy Step, published earlier this year by Cassava Republic Press, draws on her own experience growing up in a West Indian household in the North of England, and has won widespread praise for its emotional honesty and razor-sharp humour.
“This book is the story I never saw growing up. It’s raw, it’s personal, and I’m proud to be sharing it with an audience in Hull a city that knows what it means to be overlooked and to fight for its identity.”
The novel centres on Mercy, a 16-year-old girl navigating faith, family, and identity against a backdrop of social tension and racism in 1979. Reviewers have described the novel as “funny, brutal and beautifully written” and a “much-needed perspective in contemporary British fiction.”
As first reported by The Hull Story, the event is expected to draw a wide audience of readers, writers, and cultural commentators. The publication described Marcia’s visit as “a significant moment for Hull’s literary scene,” and praised her debut as “bold, arresting and vitally important.”
Union Mash Up, located in the heart of Hull’s Avenues, is an independent venue known for championing grassroots creative events, from spoken word nights to intimate music performances.
Speaking ahead of her appearance, Marcia said: “This book is the story I never saw growing up. It’s raw, it’s personal, and I’m proud to be sharing it with an audience in Hull a city that knows what it means to be overlooked and to fight for its identity.”
No booking is required, and all are welcome to attend.
Further details can be found at The Hull Story, who first broke news of the event and continue to champion underrepresented voices in the region’s arts and culture landscape.