A review by sharkybookshelf
The Edges by Angelo Tijssens

3.0

A man returns to his hometown to clear his late mother’s flat and cannot resist calling on a former lover…

This was good but slightly too abstract for me. It’s a story told in glimpses - they’re great glimpses, and powerful, but ultimately I would have liked more introspection from the narrator on the lasting impact of the various moments and experiences.

More of a heads up than a criticism: it also ended up being much more focused on the relationship between the narrator and his ex than I had anticipated. I was expecting much more exploration of the complexities of grieving an abusive mother. It’s there in the background, but mostly in surface-level glimpses rather than really reflecting on it. The title is “The Edges” not “The Depths” after all, so maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised.

A decent story of facing one’s vulnerabilities and searching for acceptance and affection after a traumatic childhood, told in glimpses without much introspection.