In four short stories - fusions of poetry - Ali Smith pays tribute to the sources, the people and the places which produce and nurture life and art. In an opening, up of norths and souths, she traces unexpected conduits between Cambridge and the north of Scotland. Like all of Ali Smith's work, here spot-lit by Sarah Wood's delicate art, this is a book that will blow fresh air through the mind and set readers' pulses racing.
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[I had been having difficulty breathing so I went to the doctor (THE BEHOLDER)] ***(Full Circle Editions, 31 May 2013, hardback, 125 pages, borrowed from my library)
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I really enjoyed the stories in this collection. I've grown to be a bit of a fan of smith's after loving Autumn and Winter. I enjoyed the first story, The Beholden the most with its mythical elements (woman turning into a sort of tree-creature). The story is very unusual, well-written and held my attention. Two of the stories are more autographical and again, I enjoyed reading them. I especially liked the poetry scattered through The Poet. I haven't read all of Smith's work so will probably seek out more. I hated The Accidental and it put me off her work but I'm slowly changing my mind.
