A review by alzo79
Original Bliss by A.L. Kennedy

4.0

I'm rating this purely on the 160 page novel at the end of this book. The short stories prior were all rather forgettable, samey. Those kind of short stories (as is often the case with me) where I just don't see the point of them. I think A.L Kennedy works better for me on the longer form, where she has the space to bring her complex characters to life, and in the novel Original Bliss there are two very complex characters that really held my interest. A middle-aged women, having something of an existential crisis, seeks the help of a professor/psychologist she sees on TV. The professor has some problems of his own. This is a novel where the characters and the story really get room to breathe and develop. I get the sense as always with A.L Kennedy of a meticulously planned out novel, but at the same time her characters surprise her along the way.