Who was Sophie Kinsella? Shopaholic series author passes away at 55
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Who was Sophie Kinsella? Shopaholic series author passes away at 55")
Sophie Kinsella Photograph: (Instagram)
The literary world is devastated by the death of Sophie Kinsella, who was a globally celebrated author. She was best known for her Shopaholic series. Read on to know more.
Sophie Kinsella, best known for the globally favourite Shopaholic series, passed away at the age of 55. The beloved author who brought comfort to readers with her witty, warm, and deeply relatable novels was battling brain cancer.
The news was made public by her family on Wednesday through a social media post. Paying tribute to Kinsella, whose real name was Madeleine Sophie Wickham, the post read, "We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy)." It further said, "She died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy."
What happened to Sophie Kinsella?
The author has been battling glioblastoma since 2022, which is said to be the most aggressive form of brain cancer. However, Kinsella did not make the illness public till April last year. Revealing in a candid post, she said, she had undergone surgery, then radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
"Despite her illness, which she bored with unimaginable bravery, Sophie counted herself truly blessed - to have such wonderful family and friends, and to have had the extraordinary success of her writing career," her family said in the statement.
Who was Sophie Kinsella?
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Sophie Kinsella was born in London in 1969, and she studied music at Oxford before taking up philosophy, politics, and economics. Her first novel, The Tennis Party, was published when she was just 24, and she used to work as a financial journalist.
Her debut and six more novels were published under her married name, Madeleine Wickham. But she got recognition across the world as Sophie Kinsella. Her career breakthrough came with The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (also published as Confessions of a Shopaholic), which brought Becky Bloomwood, a charming, chaotic, compulsive shopper, to life. The character's escapades were loved across generations. The book later became a hit series and a 2009 Hollywood adaptation featuring Isla Fisher.
Kinsella has published 34 novels in total across adult, YA, and children’s fiction, and has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide in more than 40 languages. The last work was What Does It Feel Like?, which she wrote after her diagnosis.
Tributes pour in
Fans and writers across the world pay tribute to Kinsella. Jill Mansell said, "This is the saddest news. Maddy was a brilliant writer but more importantly, a truly lovely person… Sending love to her family and all who will miss her so much." While author Adele Parks wrote, "What a wonderful warm woman. Maddy brought so much joy to the world… Sending love and deepest condolences to her family and friends."
Sophie Kinsella survived by her husband, Henry Wickham, and their five children.
