This is the first Ali Smith that I’ve read and it is a very interesting book. The narrative switches, primarily, between the voices of four family members, husband, wife, teenage son and 12 year old daughter. Each voice is very clearly distinct and believable, although as has been mentioned in other reviews the voice of Astrid the 12 year old girl is particularly finely drawn. The protagonists are, at the start of the story, caught up in their own little worlds, giving very little thought to other family members and communicating with them sparsely and with difficulty.

This enables, Amber, a mysterious outsider to infiltrate the family holiday with everyone initially assuming that she was there at the behest of someone else. Having found that they all enjoy her company she serves to highlight and accentuate the divisions between the family members. Amber offers each of the family something that they need and there is a slight whiff of magical realism about this outsider, whose background and motives are ambiguous. The style veers from standard narrative to experimental use of poetry and layout to accentuate the themes and the plot. I personally struggle with this a little, but that may well be a deficiency on my part as a reader. The aftermath of Amber’s intervention in the family dynamic are wide ranging and largely convincing, other than perhaps in the case of the Mother (Eve), in particular towards the end of the novel.

There are some laugh out loud moments, some wonderful imagery, and some lovely musings on everything from everyday life to the meaning of life. My only real reservation was about the end of the novel which just stretched my ability to go along for the ride. I think the temptation for authors to wrap things up neatly is generally best avoided and always risks the risking credulity.

Having said that, this is a fine book that is definitely worth reading and I will look out some more Ali Smith in the future.