Amélie Skoda
Amélie Skoda is a writer and editor. She was born in London to French and Malaysian parents and grew up in Kent. She studied English at University College London and has an MA in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway. Her debut novel, Bethnal Green, was shortlisted for the 2021 Mo Siewcharran Prize and was published by Manilla Press in January 2025.
Photo by Marita Upeniece
A STYLIST TOP 10 DEBUT FICTION BY WOMEN FOR 2025
A COSMOPOLITAN TOP 25 BEST HISTORICAL FICTION NOVEL
‘Amélie Skoda captures with grace and profundity the experience of immigrants and health workers – the sacrifices as well as the joys of self-determination. A searching, immersive debut’ Tash Aw
‘A beautifully immersive coming-of-age tale set amongst the brilliance and bleakness of 1970s London’ Louise Hare
Penang, 1971. When Suyin Lim is offered the opportunity of a lifetime - a place as a trainee nurse in London's Bethnal Green Hospital - she jumps at the chance to leave her job as a seamstress and unite with her sister, who left for the same path a year before.
However, without warning her sister returns to Penang, a shadow of her former self and Suyin is forced to leave without any answers. Suyin soon finds herself starting a new life in London, falling in love with the vibrant city and its people and as she immerses herself in the gruelling but rewarding work of caring for her patients, she begins to understand what she really wants out of life . . .
BETHNAL GREEN explores the themes of sacrifice and heartbreak, the power of using your voice and the will to build a life of one's own against the odds. It is also a powerful love letter to dedicated NHS workers from around the world, whose work touches countless lives every day.
‘A thought-provoking and touching tale of one woman’s journey to find her place in the world’ Sarah Turner
‘Bethnal Green is a gorgeous homage to East London and Suyin’s is a voice so often unheard in storytelling. I felt deeply connected to her journey’ Eva Verde
‘Tender, searing, the untold story of a Malaysian nurse, navigating the pitfalls and opportunities of 1970s Britain’
Ella King
‘Amélie Skoda’s writing so gently drew me into Suyin’s world. I felt the pull and confusion of the clashing cultures she faced as well as the conflict between love and loyalty, duty and self discovery’ Pam Williams
‘I was hooked from the first page’ Lauren Ho
‘A tender, original read with a slow burn mystery and love story that kept the pages turning’ Elaine Chiew
‘A love letter to NHS workers from across the globe’ Service 95
Contact
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