Portrait of Carol Davis

“Writing Restoration felt like wandering the labyrinthine streets of an old city.”

CAROL DAVIS · AUTHOR OF RESTORATION

The Novel

About Restoration

In 1984, American architect Risa Meier travels from San Francisco to rural England to restore a crumbling centuries-old barn on a remote family estate. Fresh from a devastating loss and eager for distance from her life back home, she throws herself into the work—studying the structure’s aging beams, hidden foundations, and long-forgotten spaces. But as the restoration begins, so does the uncovering. Dreams that merge into reality. Stories whispered by villagers. Fragments of a family history she was never meant to know.
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Restoration book cover

Early acclaim

“An intimate, vivid, and deeply felt novel.”
DAVE EGGERS
Author of Contrapposto

“Carol Davis provides an authentic and unwavering portrayal of the depths between mothers and daughters, lovers and friends. A beautifully written story, told with the keenest, fondest eye for architecture, for San Francisco, and for what it means to love someone no matter what.”

AMANDA UHLE
Author of Destroy This House
“Restoration beautifully, movingly reminds us that we may have to go backward before we can move forward; and that even our oldest, most formative beliefs about ourselves may not contain the full truth. A lyrical debut novel of uncommon emotional depth, power, and wisdom.”
ANN PACKER
NYT bestselling author of Some Bright Nowhere
“In this luminous debut novel, Carol Davis uses the language of historic preservation to explore family trauma, memory, and healing. With a nuanced understanding of how building materials embody layers of memory and meaning, she reveals the act of repair as a powerful model for mending what has been broken in ourselves and those we love.”
Rosa Lowinger
Author of Dwell Time
All Reviews
THE AUTHOR

Meet Carol

Carol holds a BA in Art and Architectural History and an MFA in Writing and Literature. Her work as a researcher, archivist, teacher, and writer has taken her into close collaboration with architects and art conservators in New York City, Los Angeles, and London. She lives between New York City and the Berkshires. Restoration is her first novel.
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Carol Davis author portrait

EVENTS

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Sept 29
Book Launch
New York City, NY
DETAILS COMING SOON
Oct 3
Reading & Signing
Chicago, IL
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Oct 8
Reading & Signing
Los Angeles, CA
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Oct 28
Reading & Signing
Washington, DC
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Nov 00
Reading & Signing
Miami, FL
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Nov 00
Reading & Signing
Seattle, WA
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Nov 00
Reading & Signing
Boston, MA
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Dec 00
Reading & Signing
Paris, France
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Jan 00
Reading & Signing
London, England
DETAILS COMING SOON

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Book updates, tour dates, and notes from Carol.