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Spring by Ali Smith - not sure

Oh dear, I read about half of this, caught Covid, couldn't read for 3 days (couldn't stand to wear my glasses) and then read the rest with Covid brain fog. Now it's just over a week since I finished it and I can't remember a single thing! I'm going to have to flick through it to try and remind myself.

Well, we're still in post Brexit Britain and Ali Smith is still very angry. This seems to have two threads:

The first section we meet Richard, a TV director and Paddy his collaborator and script writer. When I say we meet Paddy, she has passed away and we are meeting her through Richards memories and grief. He's really struggling and, for no apparent reason, gets on a train and ends up at Kingussie Station in the Highlands. All through this journey he's dealing with a terrible script that he's supposed to be directing and hearing Paddy in his mind telling him how to deal with it. Lots of memories swirling around.

In the other thread we meet Brit who is working at a detention centre for Immigrants. If any of what the author details about the conditions and treatment is even partially true we should be ashamed of ourselves and the way we treat other human beings whatever their motives. I knew things would be shocking, but this? Well it opened my eyes wider.

There's a mythical girl the staff are all talking about. She seems to be able to just walk into places, force change and walk away unscathed. Is she real? No one is really sure but then Brit meets the Florence one morning and ends up on a train to the Highlands with her.

Of course, everyone is going to meet up and there's going to be some sort of denouement but I'm not going to spoil it.

I can't say I particularly enjoyed this, but I'm glad I read it.

#review

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Thanks for all the wishlist books (and the bonus extra!)

I really like the way Ali Smith writes. She’s a bit of a Marmite author I think. I can really relate to her anger about awful things that have been done by the Tory governments. I read this then wanted to read Summer immediately but had to read a book club book instead.

Going to Sparkish with a few other books.

Join UK Bookcrossers at the BCUK Durham Unconvention from 20-22 September 2024

Received today with lots of other books. Thank you so much for being so generous!