No bastó con querer
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- Create Date：2021-04-09 03:51:03
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Loreto Sesma
- ISBN：8403522592
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Summary
No bastó con querer es un claroscuro de versos que hablan del poder que ejerce sobre nosotros el recuerdo， el olvido imposible， que nos destruye pero a la vez nos ha construido como lo que somos， en la resiliencia。
Loreto Sesma dibuja con profundidad y alma el perfil de la dulce derrota del que ya sabe perder， de la victoria amarga del que conoce que será finita。 Un conjunto de poemas sobre el dolor que llevamos en la maleta， el bagaje de las heridas del amor， pero también sobre la posibilidad de la luz。
«Llega el día。
Simplemente
recoges todos tus pedazos del silencio
y dices:
esto es querer，
pero ya no es amor»。
Loreto Sesma dibuja con profundidad y alma el perfil de la dulce derrota del que ya sabe perder， de la victoria amarga del que conoce que será finita。 Un conjunto de poemas sobre el dolor que llevamos en la maleta， el bagaje de las heridas del amor， pero también sobre la posibilidad de la luz。
«Llega el día。
Simplemente
recoges todos tus pedazos del silencio
y dices:
esto es querer，
pero ya no es amor»。
Reviews
Amy Sweet
，
Surreal， yet deeply familiar。 Dark and peculiar with sparkles of humour。I absolutely savoured each and every interconnected story。 I didn't know what to expect next with every turn of a page。 I let out more than one audible gasp as I read late into the night！Ash uses language so cleverly throughout this book that you linger on the sentence and appreciate it。 You know exactly what she's describing - and I got a real hankering for white finger biscuits for some reason！ If you're looking for some e Surreal， yet deeply familiar。 Dark and peculiar with sparkles of humour。I absolutely savoured each and every interconnected story。 I didn't know what to expect next with every turn of a page。 I let out more than one audible gasp as I read late into the night！Ash uses language so cleverly throughout this book that you linger on the sentence and appreciate it。 You know exactly what she's describing - and I got a real hankering for white finger biscuits for some reason！ If you're looking for some easy-to-pick-up surrealism rooted in reality， and you like a bit of an eerie， slightly off kilter setting and vibe - then this is the book for you！ 。。。more
Heather
，
I have been taking my time with this book， doling out these delicious little morsels of darkness as treats here and there， and now I'm pretty sure Paradise Block is permanently constructed in my mind。 Such an exciting debut！ I have been taking my time with this book， doling out these delicious little morsels of darkness as treats here and there， and now I'm pretty sure Paradise Block is permanently constructed in my mind。 Such an exciting debut！ 。。。more
Julie Bull
，
The short story collection is often a less than immersive reading experience。 You settle into the world of one story only to have to do the work all over again in a few pages。 This is not so with this collection， where thematic threads， the physical location of Paradise Block， and the overall tone of the writing provide a satisfying but subtly integrated sense of interwoven lives， shared despair， collective unease。 Together， the stories offer a fully rounded but startling reading experience。 The The short story collection is often a less than immersive reading experience。 You settle into the world of one story only to have to do the work all over again in a few pages。 This is not so with this collection， where thematic threads， the physical location of Paradise Block， and the overall tone of the writing provide a satisfying but subtly integrated sense of interwoven lives， shared despair， collective unease。 Together， the stories offer a fully rounded but startling reading experience。 There is great darkness here， but all done with extraordinary lightness and skill。 It is often a disturbing read。 At the level of each sentence， language is used with great precision， but delivers one jolt after another - horror， pathos， humour - but all without cliche or sentiment， all like you've never quite read it before。Paradise Block is genre stretching fiction- out of the ordinary but also recognisable; time and place tilt and shift with each story。 Unreal things happen alongside the grinding everyday in a seamless but unnerving way。 Characters recur so that you see their lives from different and refracted angles。 Like all great writing， it appears to be effortless， but is in reality so finely tuned， that you have to absorb each story before you can move on the next。 I cannot pick a favourite because each story earns its place。This is a unique collection that will linger in the mind from a very good writer and one we'll hear more about。 。。。more
Charlotte （charlsbookcorner）
，
Book review 4。5/5“In Paradise Block， mould grows as thick as fur along the walls， alarms ring out at unexpected hours and none of the neighbours are quite what they seem。”Brief summary: Ash’s debut short story collection features 13 surreal stories depicting the lives of the strange inhabitants of a grotty block of flats called Paradise Block。 Each story seems to sit on the threshold between grim reality and bizarre and even sinister fantasy。If anyone has read my previous reviews of short story Book review 4。5/5“In Paradise Block， mould grows as thick as fur along the walls， alarms ring out at unexpected hours and none of the neighbours are quite what they seem。”Brief summary: Ash’s debut short story collection features 13 surreal stories depicting the lives of the strange inhabitants of a grotty block of flats called Paradise Block。 Each story seems to sit on the threshold between grim reality and bizarre and even sinister fantasy。If anyone has read my previous reviews of short story collections they’ll know that I am not usually a big fan of them。 I find that very little interconnects the stories within many collections I’ve read besides recurring motifs and themes。 I hate how with a lot of short story collections you finish reading a story and then have to almost start all over again adjusting to a new setting and characters。 It creates quite a fragmented reading experience which I don’t really enjoy。 What I love so much about Paradise Block is the fact that each story in the collection interacts with another。 You get to know the characters who inhabit Paradise Block really well as Ash explores different facets of their quirky personalities in each story。 It makes the reading experience feel much more personal in some ways as you find yourself waiting for a character to pop up again。 My favourite story out of the whole collection has to be ‘The Sea God’ which recounts the lonely life of Min， an old lady， who attempts to forge a connection with a stranger on the beach by offering up her old jewellery and cutlery。 This story contrasts hugely with the image of Min we see in ‘Eggs’。 In ‘Eggs’， Min is seen as capable and resourceful whereas in ‘The Sea God’， the reader gets to see a much more sentimental， sensitive and emotional side to her。 In addition， the ending of this story feels hopeful and suggests the promise of friendship， contrasting with the ambiguous， disturbing and sometimes unsatisfying endings of some of the other stories。 Overall， I really recommend this short story collection even if short stories are not your thing。 The fact that characters reappear in stories throughout the collection and the recurring location of the block of flats/the town of Clutter creates a sense of continuity which I think most collections lack。 I love how a lot of Ash’s stories are written with such an ambiguous quality that it leaves the reader to either decide the stories’ outcomes or ponder over them for hours since they put the book down！ 。。。more
Nicole
，
enjoyed having a morning coffee with the short story narratives from Alice Ash's characters。Paradise Block is an old tower block on an estate。 Each tale a glimpse at the lives that are touched by it's shadow。 I was particularly touched by the narrators in Planes and Timespeak。 These first hand views give a sight from a young boys life & the other， an old man's。 Both are lonely in their own way， it is the way that glimpses of other lives you have gotten attached to that you find in other stories enjoyed having a morning coffee with the short story narratives from Alice Ash's characters。Paradise Block is an old tower block on an estate。 Each tale a glimpse at the lives that are touched by it's shadow。 I was particularly touched by the narrators in Planes and Timespeak。 These first hand views give a sight from a young boys life & the other， an old man's。 Both are lonely in their own way， it is the way that glimpses of other lives you have gotten attached to that you find in other stories that make it so special。 In between the mould & crumbling bricks， there is a wonderful melting pot of humanity that I will be returning to。 The last story， Note， left me with tears in my eyes。 Those were good words。 It made me happy。 A class act from Alice Ash， I'll be keeping my eyes out for future gems。 。。。more
Peter Vincent-Jones
，
This extraordinary collection of inter-linked short stories explores a range of themes of contemporary urban malaise， focusing on an eccentric cast of socially disadvantaged characters living in Paradise Block and in similarly dilapidated properties in the environs of Clutter and Plum Regis。 In one sense， the book is more like a novel than a collection of shorts， due to the way in which the stories overlap and characters reappear throughout。 The stories are cleverly seeded with seemingly minor d This extraordinary collection of inter-linked short stories explores a range of themes of contemporary urban malaise， focusing on an eccentric cast of socially disadvantaged characters living in Paradise Block and in similarly dilapidated properties in the environs of Clutter and Plum Regis。 In one sense， the book is more like a novel than a collection of shorts， due to the way in which the stories overlap and characters reappear throughout。 The stories are cleverly seeded with seemingly minor details whose significance becomes apparent as the narrative develops。 So while the thirteen stories can be read and enjoyed individually， they are best appreciated as parts of a greater whole。 The strange and uncanny tone of Ash’s writing has unsurprisingly led some reviewers to remark on its surreal quality。 However， the combination of the unreal/strange with the all-too-real and mundane in Paradise Block is arguably more typical of magical realism than surrealism。 In this narrative style， ‘impossible’ occurrences are woven into otherwise realistic storytelling in such a way that they are accepted as normal and unremarkable。 Examples include the double metamorphosis （in ‘Eggs’）， in which the daughter and mother exchange not only roles but also age and physical characteristics; the underwater shadow （in ‘Black， Dark Hill’） which takes on a life of its own and controls events; and the weight of a human body on the floor of one of the flats （in ‘John’s Bride’）， thrashing so violently that it makes cracks appear on the walls and all over the ceiling。 To the extent that such occurrences are part of the narrators’ reality and not simply dreams or hallucinations （and there is nothing to suggest they are）， the writing bears at least some of the hallmarks of magical realism。 The writing style is deceptively simple， with relatively little explicit description of the flats themselves or the other key locations （The Brass Cross pub， the department stores in Clutter and Plum Regis， and the seaside launderette）。 While the stories are easy to read and highly accessible， the sense of strangeness and mystery is enhanced by what is left to the reader’s imagination。 As well as being casualties of urban decay， many of the characters in the book suffer the effects of unemployment and physical and mental ill-health。 We also witness misogyny and relationship breakdown， domestic abuse and coercive control， sexual harassment in the workplace （in the department stores which are the main employer in the region）， and predatory commercial exploitation by unscrupulous big business （the insurance and funeral industries in ‘Timespeak’）。 Some of the stories are quite grim and disturbing， and do not end well for the protagonists （although the latter usually get what they deserve）。 Other stories offer a more positive and optimistic vision of human survival against all the odds， despite cruel social and personal misfortune。 The writing here is surprisingly tender and compassionate。 So Benny （in ‘Planes’） is ultimately reconciled with his mother， having previously blamed her for the difficult family circumstances involving his parents’ separation。 In ‘Bad Elastic’， love of a sort triumphs between the two flatmates， despite Marie’s resentment at what she perceives as Shell’s controlling behaviour。 In ‘Sea God’， a lonely resident of Paradise Block strikes an unlikely but moving friendship with a metal detectorist in regular visits to the seaside。 And in ‘Ball’， we feel at least some sympathy for John Dodd who spends the morning obsessively planning to visit his son Benny on his birthday， but fails to catch the bus having drunk too many ‘special whiskies。’ A distinctive feature of the collection is the way in which the stories are voiced through the personalities and idiosyncratic perspectives of the narrators。 Indeed it is these voices that convey， in different ways， the magical and mysterious nature of seemingly ordinary reality: ‘My body is inconvenient because I have stripy scars and a few large blemishes: some moles that have faces inside them， and hairs that twist away from my skin and stand there， bristling chattily’ （Rose in ‘Doctor Sharpe，’ 141）; ‘I am Annie， a good wife and woman with skills in cooking and cleaning， and in sensuality … This is my story of the broken heart’ （in ‘John’s Bride’， 203）。 Humour is deployed throughout the book to lighten the otherwise rather claustrophobic atmosphere。 There are numerous funny scenes， for example （in ‘The Flea-Trap’） involving the archaic faux-aristocratic mannerisms of the couple in their ‘folie-a-deux’ （‘The baby shall take his tea at four-o-clock’）。 Presented with the choice between attending their howling baby and playing with the kittens who have come in through the window， they opt for the latter （‘We have to pick the kittens; we just have to’）。 Their irresponsibility is comically portrayed （‘We are not children’）， as is their refusal to take life seriously （‘We just can’t be solemn for long！’， 45）。 And Annie （in ‘John’s Bride’） tries hard to give John （‘my sweet babylove’） the benefit of the doubt， magnanimously excusing his cruelty towards her （their life together might have been so much better ‘if he had not had to go to The Brass Cross every day’， 225）。 A further distinctive quality is the striking use of figurative language， which reinforces the idiosyncratic nature of the visions of the world seen through the eyes of the protagonists。 Some of Ash’s similes are brilliant and evocative in a quite conventional sense。 White kittens tumble through an upper window （in ‘The Flea Trap’）， ‘dropping through space like little furry asteroids’ （42）。 Benny （in ‘Planes’） accidentally drops one of his models into his mother’s laundry， imagining the passengers screaming as the plane dissolves into a pile of plum-coloured knickers， blouses and jumpers ‘that look like a volcanic landscape’ （19）; at the end of this story Benny is given a baby kitten for Christmas， ‘pale pink beans in the bottom of her paws’ （37）。 Other similes are much more ambitious， and should not work in strict terms， but somehow do。 So （again in ‘The Flea Trap’） the couple’s bedroom in the basement of Paradise Block is in an underground corridor where no other people live， ‘only machines that chug and groan， like monsters or strange friends’ （41）。 Rose （in ‘Doctor Sharpe’）， who is surreptitiously viewing pornographic images on the doctor’s computer while he is out of the room， is taken by surprise by his sudden return: ‘I leapt backwards and the chair skittered across the floor like an octopus’ （142）。 In ‘Eggs’， pans on the hob ‘are chattering and bouncing as they boil over and spill their contents … I hear the pans banging， like intruders running up and down the stairs’ （11）。 And in ‘John’s Bride’， Annie’s account of her relationship with John begins: ‘We were married on a Tuesday， when John was in full health and the sky was murky， white and pink， like the soft belly of a speckled rodent。’ （203） The reason this figurative language succeeds is that in each case we accept it as part of the character’s perspective – an accurate albeit distorted reflection of their view of the world （Rose is suffering from a debilitating delusion， and Annie is attempting to express her feelings in an alien culture and in a language that is not her own）。 Imagery and symbolism also feature strongly in the narrative。 The colours pink （dresses， laundry， an apron， chewing gum） and white （white kittens， White Fingerbiscuits） recur throughout the book。 Annie’s ‘broken heart’ （in ‘John’s Bride’） is compared to John’s diseased heart， which is itself related to the remains of the exotic meat and squid dish which Annie has cooked specially for him， but had to throw in the bin because he came home drunk and had already eaten （‘I slammed the red mixture， and the little white bodies all together and into a ball， the legs spurting out at some strange angles， red still inside。 I looked at this shape， red and white， fatty and like it would be living， surrounded by old rubbish in the pedal bin， and I realised … this mess looks so very much alike to my John’s human heart’， 218）。 Mystery surrounds the ‘dark fox’ （in ‘The Flea Trap’）， which could be a figment of the couple’s collective imagination， or a reflection of one of them in the mirror: ‘You look very dark and handsome， standing in the shadow of the curtain … I see your eyes and teeth sparkling， my dark fox’） （51）Paradise Block is a gripping read and a major achievement for a book debut。 Somewhere between a novel and a collection of short stories， Ash’s writing succeeds magnificently in its magical real yet compassionate portrayal of the seedier side of contemporary urban living。 The thirteen stories can be read individually or as parts of a greater whole。 Either way， this is an outstanding book that merits reading and re-reading。 Peter Vincent-Jones founded the Facebook Magical Realism Group in March 2020。 The group provides a platform for discussion and debate on all aspects of magic（al） realism （literary and artistic）， focusing on the intersection of art， film and fiction。 https://www。facebook。com/groups/35814。。。 。。。more
MDenn
，
This book was not what I was expecting， but in a good way。 Ash creates some stunning characters and stories。 I'm going to add this book into our queue for my bookclub。 I think they'll all like it just as much。 The writing is really beautiful。 It lagged in a few spots but not too badly。 The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 This book was not what I was expecting， but in a good way。 Ash creates some stunning characters and stories。 I'm going to add this book into our queue for my bookclub。 I think they'll all like it just as much。 The writing is really beautiful。 It lagged in a few spots but not too badly。 The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 。。。more
Katie Oldham
，
I actually can't remember the last time I sat with a book and utterly consumed the entire thing in one go。 With Paradise Block， every spin of the roulette wheel takes you on a haunting and addictive journey into the sticky inner world of whichever resident you land upon， whisking you into a mysterious yet eerily familiar tale that winds， weaves and intersects with itself like the creeping ivy you imagine adorns the exterior of the crumbling concrete tower block。 Each tale is tinged with an achin I actually can't remember the last time I sat with a book and utterly consumed the entire thing in one go。 With Paradise Block， every spin of the roulette wheel takes you on a haunting and addictive journey into the sticky inner world of whichever resident you land upon， whisking you into a mysterious yet eerily familiar tale that winds， weaves and intersects with itself like the creeping ivy you imagine adorns the exterior of the crumbling concrete tower block。 Each tale is tinged with an aching sense of ordinary that never becomes tiresome， rather acts as an anchor which binds these very different characters and their very different lives， all played out between the same four walls endlessly replicated atop one another。 Not simply just a collection of stories， Paradise Block is a jarring and visceral snapshot of life in working class Britain， relatable to the point it could almost be discomforting if it wasn't for strange comfort that comes from being seen。 Certainly one you want to immediately re-read the moment it comes to an end。 。。。more
Rachel
，
3。5*a collection of surrealist short stories that follow a cast of unusual characters who inhabit a decrepit block of flats in a run-down area of town where local shops are being abandoned as gentrification and industrialised living starts to settle in。 half dystopian， half social commentary on life in the twenty-first century， ash’s debut collection is a disturbingly prescient piece of writing that speaks to how the typically overlooked and admonished in society are treated by others and themse 3。5*a collection of surrealist short stories that follow a cast of unusual characters who inhabit a decrepit block of flats in a run-down area of town where local shops are being abandoned as gentrification and industrialised living starts to settle in。 half dystopian， half social commentary on life in the twenty-first century， ash’s debut collection is a disturbingly prescient piece of writing that speaks to how the typically overlooked and admonished in society are treated by others and themselves。there are clearly established themes that run concurrently throughout each story; the impact of substance abuse and alcoholism on familial relationships; parentification and casual misogyny as a result of the patriarchal social structure on young girls and women; the mysteries of ageing and how loneliness can isolate some of the most vulnerable in society。 Each story introduces another character into the threads of the omnipresent paradise block， who is almost the creepiest and most well-written character of all。 What I really loved is how each character developed and blossomed from the perspective of another。 I was particularly taken the bizarre and eccentric Min， who is recently widowed and deals with her loneliness by over-compensating her affections towards others no matter how much they try to distance themselves。 The stories are easy to follow and the directly establish who each character is even if their role in the wider sphere of the stories isn’t quite clear。 I didn’t find it confusing at all to follow and in fact rejoiced when another character showed up in a different story。 Ash has found a niche and way of writing that works for her， you can see her abilities flourish with each tale。 My favourites were Eggs， Sea God， You （which made me cry） and Doctor Sharpe （which disturbed me so much I had to put the book down for the rest of the night） This wonderful debut comes out tomorrow - if short but impactful stories are your favourite type of read， I would urge you to get your hands on a copy。 A huge big thank you to serpents tail and Alice ash for my ARC！ ✨ 。。。more
Sadhbh O'Sullivan
，
Unsettling， weird， absorbing short stories that are surreal and intertwined。 I found it a bit hard to get into at first but found it more inviting as I went on。 Timespeak， Ball and Doctor Sharpe hit me the most。 And Sea God actually。 Excited to read what she writes next！
Possibly in Michigan， London
，
The title refers to the decaying， distinctly non-paradisiacal block of flats occupied by many of the characters in this weird， disturbing and sometimes brilliant collection。 Alice Ash's writing is so textured and absorbing that you can absolutely see and hear and even sniff what she's describing all the time。 Her third person feels like the visual first person you get in Peep Show or maybe Psycho （can't think of any good examples） - disorienting and constantly shifting。 Aesthetically， I felt tra The title refers to the decaying， distinctly non-paradisiacal block of flats occupied by many of the characters in this weird， disturbing and sometimes brilliant collection。 Alice Ash's writing is so textured and absorbing that you can absolutely see and hear and even sniff what she's describing all the time。 Her third person feels like the visual first person you get in Peep Show or maybe Psycho （can't think of any good examples） - disorienting and constantly shifting。 Aesthetically， I felt trapped in some bizarre 1970s British domestic horror in a very good way （I've also just realised that no one seems to have any modern technology or rather it's not used in a way that is obliquely commenting on 'the internet' or super-connectedness）。 I loved the little world she created， full of decaying old department stores， and people selling coffins over landlines， and going on disappointing holidays。 The stories convincingly touch on poverty and dependency， but at an angle which makes them supremely weird and devoid of cliche。 The standouts for me were Planes， Timespeak， Ball， Bad Elastic and Sea God。 If I had to isolate what they had in common， it would be that they all possessed an emotional depth that lifted them above the （often dazzling） stylistic experimentation of the other stories in the collection。 Everyone in 'Paradise Block' is pretty venal and/or sad， but there was an urgency to the situations - a sense of impending danger or real stakes - in these particular tales that made them really absorbing and memorable。 。。。more
Paul Fulcher
，
Paradise Block is the debut collection of connected short stories by author Alice Ash。When her two-book deal with Serpent Tail was announced （the second book a novel planned for 2023）， Ash said， regarding this collection， “I wanted to play with the boundaries of reality， with the uneven nature of perspective and place， as well as with the form of the short story itself。”The stories certainly provide an uneven and unsettling perspective。 They are， in one sense， rooted in a very down-to-earth plac Paradise Block is the debut collection of connected short stories by author Alice Ash。When her two-book deal with Serpent Tail was announced （the second book a novel planned for 2023）， Ash said， regarding this collection， “I wanted to play with the boundaries of reality， with the uneven nature of perspective and place， as well as with the form of the short story itself。”The stories certainly provide an uneven and unsettling perspective。 They are， in one sense， rooted in a very down-to-earth place， a tower block called Paradise Block in the fictitious town of Clutter， itself near to the more upmarket coastal town of Plum Regis， where the residents of Paradise Block can only aspire to live。[Paradise Block] was built very cheaply， with windows that will fall out， and damp and mould as thick as fur， a cat ghost creature that would slink into each and every flat。Yet in another sense many of the stories are surreal， people living on the margins and somehow dislocated from everyday life， looking at experience with a bizarre slant。Is this （from the opening story Eggs which ws longlisted for the 2019 Galley Beggar Prize: https://www。galleybeggar。co。uk/2019-s。。。） some form of supernatural phenomenon or just unrecognised varicose veins？But that evening， I find something strange。 It is just a cluster of lines behind the knee。 At first， I think that Little David has used a felt tip to draw on me while I was sleeping， but the lines are very fine and faint， and they won’t disappear when I rub them with spit。 They are light green， like the threads in the wrist， and when it has been a few days， I realise that this is something from inside， something coming to the surface。 I tell the lines to go away， go back inside， but soon they get darker， and then they come undone; they begin to spool around to the front of the calf。 Now the threads appear like a ball of wool， a huge cloud underneath the knee。 The cloud is a dark purple scribble with floating green threads， swirling up and into the thigh。It’s a word where pupils for show-and-tell don’t bring pictures of their puppy but rather:‘Now， Jake， do you have your Show and Tell？’ she says， looking around again， but Jake is already shuffling to the front of the class， holding the lump under his jacket。 Benny sees white fur with pointed little claws on the end of some twisted yellowish toes， ears that are half formed and show the way into the dog’s head。 Some of the class scream when Jake drops the lump of dog carelessly on Miss Mitchelmore’s desk， in the spot where Benny’s fleet of planes had been moments before。 ‘This one came out dead，’ he says。 Part of the book’s pleasure results from how images （eggs， varicose veins etc） and also characters repeat between the stories - I’m not convinced it’s really a particularly different slant on the short-story form， but it is done effectively。 And despite the bizarre， and often darkly funny， nature of some of the stories， the reader ends up emotionally invested in the characters， who are often lonely and simply seeking connection。A favourite story of mine was Doctor Sharpe about a woman convinced her doctor was infatuated with her， and desperate for an excuse for an appointment:I needed to make myself sick， and fast。 I wondered if it was possible to infect yourself with life-threatening diseases and found lots of places on the internet that said you could and gave lists of foods and drinks and products that would do just that。 So I did an online shop for almost all of the things on the list （apart from green olives and dark chocolate because these are foods that I absolutely hate and will only resort to after all other options have closed to me）。 I also ordered five packets of cigarettes。 When the order arrived the young delivery boy looked very concerned。 He was red in the face。 ‘Don’t worry，’ i said， ‘i’m trying to get cancer。’ He walked away quite slowly。And the author’s website - http://www。aliceash。com/ showcases an accompanying shortfilm， written by the directed by Laura Brown。 （https://vimeo。com/121004531）Overall， a fascinating collection and an author to watch。Thanks to the publishers via Netgalley for the ARC。 。。。more
Neil
，
Alice Ash is a Brighton-based writer and maker of short films （see aliceash。com）。 The opening story in this collection （“Eggs”） was long listed for the Galley Beggar Short Story Prize in 2019。 Her writing has featured in several magazines and she has signed a two book deal with Serpents Tail， the first book being this collection of interlinked short stories。 She has said:”When writing my collection， I wanted to play with the boundaries of reality， with the uneven nature of perspective and place， Alice Ash is a Brighton-based writer and maker of short films （see aliceash。com）。 The opening story in this collection （“Eggs”） was long listed for the Galley Beggar Short Story Prize in 2019。 Her writing has featured in several magazines and she has signed a two book deal with Serpents Tail， the first book being this collection of interlinked short stories。 She has said:”When writing my collection， I wanted to play with the boundaries of reality， with the uneven nature of perspective and place， as well as with the form of the short story itself。 “The stories here definitely play with the boundaries of reality and the author’s filmmaking background shows clearly in some of the takes on “perspective and place”。 I am not sure that much has been done that plays with the form of the short story。Paradise Block is a block of flats and the stories centre on people who either live in one of the flats or who have connections to people there。 The opening story， already mentioned， gives us a young girls boiling eggs to feed her family in a flat that has been burned out。 It is an immediate clue that the lives described are going to be largely difficult lives lived in difficult financial circumstances。 As well as spending time in Paradise Block， we visit nearby CLutter and Plum Regis， especially the department store there， Upper Skein and the Lilybank River。There is something unsettling about the stories。 I think this is caused by the way the author is “playing with the uneven nature of perspective and place”。 It is “our world” but it is being examined from a slightly different direction to normal。The stories are linked by a number of recurring characters。 It pays to note people’s distinguishing characteristics because several people make reappearances not by name but by reference （their shoes or their freckles， for example）。 As the book progresses， the reader starts to make links and recognise people as they turn up in other people’s stories。I wasn’t sure about the first few stories， but I did find that the further into the book I got， the more I became interested in the stories。 I am not sure whether that is because I got to know several of the people or because the stories themselves are more interesting。 “Black， Dark Hill” for example is quite surreal and is immediately followed by Sea God which is sad （as are several of the stories， if truth be told）。I found this an interesting book to read， something a bit different in terms of style and perspective。3。5 stars rounded up。My thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley。 。。。more
Nina Mihočic
，
Loved this short story collection by debut author Alice Ash！ It’s creepy and weird and I loved how all of the stories are interlinked。 Really different to anything I’ve read before- I absolutely loved it！
Kate Sawyer
，
A collection of eclectic， dark， moving and at times funny cohesive short stories that visit the individual lives within a tower block， Paradise Block。Each story is told with a distinctive voice， the prose itself exhibiting the essence of the character。 The plot of each one varies， from the small mundanities to life changing moments that the characters may or may not be aware of。It is not surprising that the author， Alice Ash， is a film-maker， the description and the way atmosphere is so tangible A collection of eclectic， dark， moving and at times funny cohesive short stories that visit the individual lives within a tower block， Paradise Block。Each story is told with a distinctive voice， the prose itself exhibiting the essence of the character。 The plot of each one varies， from the small mundanities to life changing moments that the characters may or may not be aware of。It is not surprising that the author， Alice Ash， is a film-maker， the description and the way atmosphere is so tangible in the prose builds a clear picture of the surroundings of the characters。 This is not a green and pleasant land， but something that is much more prevalent and over-looked and deeply English。 These stories depict difficult lives， cash poor lives， but they are respectfully written with such texture and poetry that it gives voice to the thousand of lives that they echo。I really enjoyed all of the short stories but Eggs， Planes， You and John's Bride were real stand-outs for me。 Looking forward to more of Alice's work in future。 。。。more
Reference
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hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=No bastó con querer&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,No bastó con querer&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0