As usual with Unsung this is a gorgeously produced novella and one that has been written with care. I read Whitely’s The Beauty as an ARC a couple of years ago and fell in love with it. Therefore I’ve both looked forward to this second book and put off reading it. Because what if The Beauty was a one-off?
I’m glad to say that this is just as good, maybe even better, than The Beauty. It has the same lush prose and a weirdness that feels both real and meaningful. Shirley is a student who is determined to get into college and become a teacher so that she can return to her village and assist Mr Tiller with whom she is in love. Tiller has returned from the Great War as “less than a man” and is also several years her senior.
When Shirley approaches him and he reveals the missives of the title things take a weird turn.
This is a slim novel at 120 pages and easily readable in 1 sitting. I loved it.
Recommended
petewsutton 