A review by lexiww
Half a Creature from the Sea: A Life in Stories by David Almond

3.0

“Can this be real?” That’s what we’re left wondering as each new story in Half a Creature from the Sea teasingly unfolds. British author Almond blurs the lines between the supernatural and reality with aplomb in his latest collection of short fiction. Satisfyingly, each story is preceded by an autobiographical foreword, as Almond weaves elements of his own provincial childhood into each tale, accompanied by Taylor’s stylish gray-scale illustrations, which clatter around the edges of the pages. This only heightens the allure of the fantastical circumstances his characters find themselves in: a father descends from heaven to console his grieving son. God—or an imposter?—visits a young girl’s garden and grants wishes that seem implausible. A boy summons a poltergeist he only half fears. Almond’s dialogue crackles with Briticisms and youthful English dialect. His scenes center on unsuspecting young adults making sense of mystical situations they unwittingly encounter. With each story, Almond cements his prolific, beloved place among writers of magic realism for today’s young readers.— Lexi Walters Wright, First published September 15, 2015 (Booklist).