This week's haul was six books, of which there was a clear and early winner. (I almost hate it when I read a fantastic book on a Sunday, knowing none will surpass it for the week. Almost.) CS Richardson's The End of the Alphabet was just such a book.
It's a tiny thing, but manages to pack a big emotional punch. Ambrose Zephyr has only a month to live and seeks refuge in his alphabet of places to visit in order to deal with the impending doom. Zipper Ashkenazi, his wife, uses her own alphabet to express her frustration and hopelessness.
Almost all the reviews use the term "poignant" not without cause, but that is too cliched for this charming, bittersweet tale. The author's prose is spare to the point of ambiguity, yet the story of the life and love of Ambrose and Zipper shines clearly.
This gracefully haunting story also explains my recent interest in alphabets.
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