A review by nvaynberggmailcom
Spill Simmer Falter Wither by Sara Baume

3.0

From the very first page, I knew this book would not be a "happy" read, and, unsurprisingly it wasn't. I was, however, surprised by just how difficult it was to slog through.

There is much to recommend Spill Simmer Falter Wither--the writing is lovely. It is simple, effective prose that you can turn over in your head, savoring the bittersweet meaning, connecting to your own experiences. There is feeling here that is universal and beautiful; the sadness, loneliness and yearning are almost there for you to touch.

But of course, it is also this very realness that makes this book so difficult to dive into. Even though it is not a long book, I could only handle 30-40 pages every day and, most of the time, had to force myself to pick it back up. The plot is quite simple, the possible outcomes very sparse, so this is not a book that is read for action or adventure. It is a reflection, a glance beneath the well-made bed to the unwanted "mess" underneath. It is a story of a man who has spent his entire life alone, unloved, forgotten; it's a story of a friendship borne out of necessity and the spark of hope that it inspires.

In the end, nothing spectacularly new or earth-shattering is revealed; this book does not offer lessons, only another perspective.