Book Review: Attrib & Other Stories, by Ely Williams

I want to be able to tell you that the petals are as light-heavy as full stops. I want to be able to tell you that I miss you, and the way you had with me, and the way you had with all the words that - at the time - I had for you. The Alphabet

As soon as I clapped eyes on the cover and read the blurb, I just knew I was in for good things from this absolutely breathtaking collection of short stories from Ely Williams.

Although this is her debut collection, there's a warm, sinking feeling of familiarity about her work - it's like returning to literature studies and falling in love with language all over again. For me it was a beautiful reminder of why I love reading. It took me back to my younger days, of starting to pick books for myself, learning new words and ideas, feeling the story through the language. Yes, the actual content of the story is important (and these are excellent stories) but the prose and style are equally important for the delivery and building of our engagement with them.

This is a lady who knows her English language and uses it to create, just wonderful stories, that capture your mind and heart. I couldn't put it down and have returned to couple of the stories for second and third helpings. This is the type of writing I aspire to.

Williams manages to capture perfectly what we have all often experienced, that inexplicable point in life when we can't quite communicate what we're feeling or experiencing, but we know there's something slightly profound about it to us as an individual. The first story 'The Alphabet' does this in a very practical way - the protagonist literally can't communicate what they're experiencing - and it makes for a fascinating read.

I don't, and won't, give too much away but I highly recommend this collection. For any language lovers out there, this is dreamy little romantic book to tuck up with on a Friday night and simply enjoy.

Williams is a refreshing, playful writer and I genuinely can't wait for her next work.

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Find more of what's on my reading list over on my Goodreads account.