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jemmacot's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Exquisite exploration of grief, longing and power.
After the death of her husband, J.B. Blackwood is thrown back into her intense life whilst grappling with her confusion, numbness and shaky sense of reality.
The narration pulls you into the mind of the main character so intricately that I felt so connected to her physical experience, her emotions, her unstable mind. We see a slow unfurling of the picture of a marriage: the secrets untold and sacrifices made from pursuits of passion.
The most arresting part of the story for me was Bishop’s evocation of writing as a craft. I could feel into the narrator’s intense subconscious need to write down a story that is moving through her, calling out from within. This has stayed with me, in part from the shocking ending - highly recommended.
After the death of her husband, J.B. Blackwood is thrown back into her intense life whilst grappling with her confusion, numbness and shaky sense of reality.
The narration pulls you into the mind of the main character so intricately that I felt so connected to her physical experience, her emotions, her unstable mind. We see a slow unfurling of the picture of a marriage: the secrets untold and sacrifices made from pursuits of passion.
The most arresting part of the story for me was Bishop’s evocation of writing as a craft. I could feel into the narrator’s intense subconscious need to write down a story that is moving through her, calling out from within. This has stayed with me, in part from the shocking ending - highly recommended.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual assault