Openings, Lucy Caldwell - Helen
From kittens, a creepy doll, and holidays, to a lamenting love story set in blitz-time London, Lucy Caldwell takes on the perspectives of various individuals while keeping her strong style and craftful use of language in these 13 short stories. Rich in symbolism, the writer articulates feelings that arise from everyday occurrences that might otherwise go unnoticed and we are drawn to observe the deeper impact of small incidences, as well as clearly life-changing events.
The first story involves a cat and her kitten whose storyline runs parallel to the feelings of the kitten’s owner to her own mother and sister who are far away in Australia. This is a great opening for the meandering journey through various other ‘lives’ in the other stories, all unconnected in terms of characters and storyline, while simultaneously linked by recurring themes. The final narrative is aptly called ‘Mother’s Day’, as motherhood is certainly one of the themes explored most in the book.
In addition to motherhood, the stories navigate themes of family, romantic relationships, grief, and love amongst others, always with great empathy, often pensively, and with a dose of interesting observations and perspectives. Lucy Caldwell also touches upon the impacts of the pandemic, and rewilding in the form of a grandma who is moved by the demise of a murmuration of starlings which encourages her to make her garden more wildlife-friendly.
A well-crafted and enjoyable read that is perfect for when free time for reading is limited and bitesize stories, without needing to make long-term commitments to characters and plots, are ideal.
Helen
