Resurrected reviews

Spill Simmer Falter Wither, by Sara Baume

The TBR Stack is premiering a new feature, where I dig up and revive a pre-TBR book review. For the opening post, I selected my review of one of the best-written books I have read, which I  finished on April 9, 2016.

I read this short book slowly. I wanted to savor its every word. It is beautifully written, with splendid  rhythms and word selection. It enhances the story like a blue-ink fountain pen complements cream-colored note paper.

But the plot itself? Meh.

It's a tales about a man and his dog, neither of whom is very likable. The man, unloved or scorned in his small Irish town because he's a fearful hermit, adopts a dog to keep him company after his father dies.

The dog can be vicious -- attacking smaller dogs and snapping at children -- so the pair take off and travel around Ireland to avoid the consequences. The story tells of their life on the road, struggling to survive and living out of his car for weeks on end.

Its title is a hint to the structure of the story, which revolves around the seasons of the year. It starts in the spring, a time of regrowth, and ends in the winter, when life tends to shut down.

The ending here, though, adds much to the story, and puts the human character in perspective.

The dog, not so much.