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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I thought this book was marvelous. First the voice is just right. Such a different use of language, but the author never shows off. It's the character's proper voice. Then, it's such an effective portrait of a stunningly isolated misfit. I kept trying to imagine how he might make a friend, find a place, but there is no way.
Once as he drives, he notices the various and sundry roadkill. Then he passes a traffic jam as everyone stops to mourn a dead swan in the road. Why don't we mourn for the rodents and jackdaws? It's one of the biggest failings of humans, I'd say, that we think size and appearance merit compassion.
Once as he drives, he notices the various and sundry roadkill. Then he passes a traffic jam as everyone stops to mourn a dead swan in the road. Why don't we mourn for the rodents and jackdaws? It's one of the biggest failings of humans, I'd say, that we think size and appearance merit compassion.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is the third time I've re-read ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ by Sara Baume, and it never loses its impact. I've ugly cried at the desolate beauty within this book every time I've read it ๐
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๐๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ซ. ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ก ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ฒ. ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ค ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ฐ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐. ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐. ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ค.
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The story follows Ray (๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ฌ, ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ. ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐'๐ฆ ๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ), an older man who is alone, lonely, and an outsider in his community. He adopts a rescue dog, who he affectionately names Oneeye (on account of him having only one surviving eye), and it's perhaps unsurprising that he opts for the grisliest looking dog in the shelter. Life has not been kind to either man or dog, yet they find some companionship in each other.
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๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐จ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐, ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐.
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Both Ray and Oneeye have been neglected and abused: Ray wasn't treated well by his Father, his only parent, and did not learn how to fit in to the 'norms' of society. He was told he was a strange boy from a young age, but in truth he wasn't, he was just never truly given a chance.
Oneeye was raised as a fighting dog, and he has been treated cruelly. He is missing parts of his ear, his lip, his tail, and his fighting instinct never leaves him.
Part of what makes the book so emotive is the fact that so many people grow up neglected and abused, and ostracised from society, when none if it is their fault.
So many parents raise their children as though they are pets, rather than people, and they do not help their children grow and develop in a healthy way. The impact of neglect and abuse never leaves you, even as an adult. It is hardwired into some of us based on the upbringing we had.
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๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฆ๐. ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐๐๐. ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐'๐ฏ๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐. ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ก, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐จ๐ . ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ . ๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฌ๐จ๐จ๐ญ. ๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐จ๐ฉ.
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Before he brought Oneeye home, Ray tells the reader that he has never been anywhere, and never seen anything of the world. This is in contrast to his Father who collected trinkets and decorative plates that adorn the house, and who himself led a relatively 'normal' life, holding down a job and having relationships with other people in the community.
Ray has been confined to the bounds of his 'Father's house' and the small seaside town in which they live, and he finds some degree of safety in the familiar clutter that he accumulates, noticing the small details within his small world.
Ray tries to carve out small and safe portions of the world for Oneeye too, taking him for walks along mostly deserted streets, and along solitary parts of the beach that are not frequented by tourists.
Oneeye doesn't mix well with other dogs or people, but Ray doesn't try to change him; he simply accepts Oneeye for who he is because he knows about his origins, and he tries to make some space for him in a world that has made him the way he is, yet shuns him for it.
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๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ. ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ.
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I'm not going to give any spoilers, but Ray and Oneeye find themselves somewhat forced into going on a journey. They are fleeing, but at the same time it is very freeing to be breaking out of the confines that they previously had. They both see more of the country than they ever thought they would.
The world itself is perhaps not a scary place, and Ray appreciates the beauty of nature and what it has to offer, but the people within the world do frighten him and Oneeye and threaten their sense of safety.
While Ray can appreciate the beauty of the world that they see, his sense of sadness sets in if he lingers too long in any one place.
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๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ'๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ. ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐'๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐จ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐จ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ .
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Baume's title for the book is very clever as it mirrors the shift in the seasons, both external and internal, as part of this journey, and there is such clever poeticism in Baume's choice of language throughout.
Spill, Simmer, Falter, Wither is a direct play on Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
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๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ฒ. ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ง๐จ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฆ๐, ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ.
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There are times during the story when we have insight to Oneeye's perspective, as well as Ray's, whether through Ray's direct portrayal of Oneeye and his behaviour, or through Ray's dreams where he embodies Oneeye and sees the world through him.
I love the narrative device Baume deploys in the prologue and epilogue too, where we see Oneeye 'running, running, running'.
The way Oneeye's actions bookend the novel emphasise the fact that he surrounds Ray's whole existence, and is such a key part of his world.
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๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฒ๐. ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง. ๐๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ญ? ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ.
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There is a twist later in the book, and a significant revelation, which I won't give any spoilers for, but Baume does such an amazing job in the evolution of the narrative that I'd almost forgotten about this twist since my last reading.
So many books are either plot driven or character-driven, and very few manage to execute both confidently and effectively; usually I find that if there is a twist, there is less put into the characterisation, and so when the twist comes we may not always care about the impact on the character, and how this shapes what happens to them.
While there is a definite sense of tension, and a build to the end of the book, this ultimate twist/revelation is not the only focus of the story, and there is so much other content that is piercing and memorable throughout.
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๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ฌ ๐'๐ฏ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ค ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ. ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค, ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฐ. ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค, ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ.
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I started crying about this book again as I was writing this review, and definitely have a book hangover every time I read it because it moves me so much.
I absolutely love Spill, Simmer, Falter, Wither and will continue to reread it periodically until the end of my days ๐
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๐๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ซ. ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ก ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ฒ. ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ค ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ฐ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐. ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐. ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ค.
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The story follows Ray (๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ฌ, ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ. ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐'๐ฆ ๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ), an older man who is alone, lonely, and an outsider in his community. He adopts a rescue dog, who he affectionately names Oneeye (on account of him having only one surviving eye), and it's perhaps unsurprising that he opts for the grisliest looking dog in the shelter. Life has not been kind to either man or dog, yet they find some companionship in each other.
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๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐จ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐, ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐.
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Both Ray and Oneeye have been neglected and abused: Ray wasn't treated well by his Father, his only parent, and did not learn how to fit in to the 'norms' of society. He was told he was a strange boy from a young age, but in truth he wasn't, he was just never truly given a chance.
Oneeye was raised as a fighting dog, and he has been treated cruelly. He is missing parts of his ear, his lip, his tail, and his fighting instinct never leaves him.
Part of what makes the book so emotive is the fact that so many people grow up neglected and abused, and ostracised from society, when none if it is their fault.
So many parents raise their children as though they are pets, rather than people, and they do not help their children grow and develop in a healthy way. The impact of neglect and abuse never leaves you, even as an adult. It is hardwired into some of us based on the upbringing we had.
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๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฆ๐. ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐๐๐. ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐'๐ฏ๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐. ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ก, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐จ๐ . ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ . ๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฌ๐จ๐จ๐ญ. ๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐จ๐ฉ.
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Before he brought Oneeye home, Ray tells the reader that he has never been anywhere, and never seen anything of the world. This is in contrast to his Father who collected trinkets and decorative plates that adorn the house, and who himself led a relatively 'normal' life, holding down a job and having relationships with other people in the community.
Ray has been confined to the bounds of his 'Father's house' and the small seaside town in which they live, and he finds some degree of safety in the familiar clutter that he accumulates, noticing the small details within his small world.
Ray tries to carve out small and safe portions of the world for Oneeye too, taking him for walks along mostly deserted streets, and along solitary parts of the beach that are not frequented by tourists.
Oneeye doesn't mix well with other dogs or people, but Ray doesn't try to change him; he simply accepts Oneeye for who he is because he knows about his origins, and he tries to make some space for him in a world that has made him the way he is, yet shuns him for it.
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๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ. ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ.
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I'm not going to give any spoilers, but Ray and Oneeye find themselves somewhat forced into going on a journey. They are fleeing, but at the same time it is very freeing to be breaking out of the confines that they previously had. They both see more of the country than they ever thought they would.
The world itself is perhaps not a scary place, and Ray appreciates the beauty of nature and what it has to offer, but the people within the world do frighten him and Oneeye and threaten their sense of safety.
While Ray can appreciate the beauty of the world that they see, his sense of sadness sets in if he lingers too long in any one place.
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๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ'๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ. ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐'๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐จ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐จ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ .
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Baume's title for the book is very clever as it mirrors the shift in the seasons, both external and internal, as part of this journey, and there is such clever poeticism in Baume's choice of language throughout.
Spill, Simmer, Falter, Wither is a direct play on Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
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๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ฒ. ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ง๐จ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฆ๐, ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ.
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There are times during the story when we have insight to Oneeye's perspective, as well as Ray's, whether through Ray's direct portrayal of Oneeye and his behaviour, or through Ray's dreams where he embodies Oneeye and sees the world through him.
I love the narrative device Baume deploys in the prologue and epilogue too, where we see Oneeye 'running, running, running'.
The way Oneeye's actions bookend the novel emphasise the fact that he surrounds Ray's whole existence, and is such a key part of his world.
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๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฒ๐. ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง. ๐๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ญ? ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ.
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There is a twist later in the book, and a significant revelation, which I won't give any spoilers for, but Baume does such an amazing job in the evolution of the narrative that I'd almost forgotten about this twist since my last reading.
So many books are either plot driven or character-driven, and very few manage to execute both confidently and effectively; usually I find that if there is a twist, there is less put into the characterisation, and so when the twist comes we may not always care about the impact on the character, and how this shapes what happens to them.
While there is a definite sense of tension, and a build to the end of the book, this ultimate twist/revelation is not the only focus of the story, and there is so much other content that is piercing and memorable throughout.
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๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ฌ ๐'๐ฏ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ค ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ. ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค, ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฐ. ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค, ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ.
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I started crying about this book again as I was writing this review, and definitely have a book hangover every time I read it because it moves me so much.
I absolutely love Spill, Simmer, Falter, Wither and will continue to reread it periodically until the end of my days ๐
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this book but it lost momentum towards the end and I was left feeling a bit... Oh. But maybe that was the intention. No sparks just a fizzle perhaps.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is an incredibly clever and well written book but I just did not enjoy it at all
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the writing, the meandering story with an ambiguous ending not so much so.
Such a heartwarming and heartbreaking story at the same time. It shows such a sweet bond between a man and his adopted dog, and the man is a wonderfully well-written character. Tears.
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Sometimes I see the sadness in you, the same sadness thatโs in me. Itโs in the way you sigh and stare and hang your head. Itโs in the way you never wholly let you guard down and take the world Iโve given you for granted. My sadness isnโt a way I feel but a thing trapped inside the walls of my flesh, like a smog. It takes the sheen off everything. It rolls the world in soot. It saps the power from my limbs and presses my back into a stoop. (47)
Ray, a man who is โtoo old for starting over, too young for giving up,โ adopts a one-eyed dog appropriately called One-Eye, and this novel follows their relationship over the course of four seasons. In the first section, I thought I knew how their story would go, but goodness, I was wrong.
This isnโt a feel-good tale about an isolated older man who gains a renewed vitality and joie de vivre from caring for an animal. Ray gets out of his house, yes, and travels with One-Eye, yes, but he remains at a remove from the world, trapped inside his own paranoia, distrust, and dark past. In many ways I felt sad for him, and also afraid, unsettled.
But the writing! This is absolutely a language book, beautifully composed and begging to be savored. Itโs written in second person, from Ray to the โyouโ of One-Eye. The descriptions of Rayโs world, his thoughts, what he sees in front of him, and what he remembers, are all gorgeous, even when the content is off-putting. And there are a few glimmering moments of hope in all the discomfort and tension:
I realise that your were not born with a predetermined capacity for wonder, as Iโd believed. I realise that you fed it up yourself from tiny pieces of the world. I realise itโs up to me to follow your example and nurture my own wonder, morsel by morsel by morsel. (148)
Despite covering all four seasons, this story felt solidly cold, and a bit lonely, and perfect for reading in winter. Iโll be thinking about Ray and One-Eye for quite a while and looking forward to more of Sara Baumeโs work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment