very apt to name this a companion piece for many reasons... i appreciated how the book repeatedly shows us how, even when we're isolated, we never really stand completely on our own. that being said, i didn't really care for the ebenezer scrooge "i just want to be left alone" aura of our main character, nor did i care about the family associated with that mood either. it's a captivating read in the quintessential ali smith fragmented puzzle way, but felt somewhat tame next to the other books in the series