The Paths of Survival, Josephine Balmer’s third collection of poetry, is a captivating read. Balmer has used her background in translation and ancient history to create a series of addictive poetic narratives exploring Aeschylus’ infamous Greek tragedy, Myrmidons. I must admit, prior to reading this collection, I had never heard of the playwright Aeschylus or Read More
The Scythians were a group of nomadic tribes skilled in the art of mounted warfare who ruled the Siberian plains between 900 – 200 BC. They left no settlements or records, but are mentioned in the histories of the Greeks, Assyrians and Persians. Forgotten until recent times, their ferocious reputation lingered in the popular imagination Read More
“It remains a sexist world and I can’t change it for my daughters the way I would like to. But I can try and improve the situation one man at a time. Starting with me.” Robert Webb has chosen to bare his soul with this autobiographical debut. He doesn’t just want to tell people where Read More
(Poland / United Kingdom, 2017) 27th October – 2nd November, DCA Ever since Loving Vincent, the first entirely hand-painted feature film in history was announced, it attracted attention for its ambition from art lovers and novices alike. The first entirely hand-painted feature film in history, it is indeed a marvel to behold; it is simply Read More
(USA, 2017) Successfully capitalising on audience nostalgia is a process which Hollywood hasn’t quite perfected yet. Though recent years have seen reboots and remakes of films such as The Magnificent Seven and Robocop, seldom do these attempts at revitalising a past success recapture the hearts of those enraptured by the original. In part, this is Read More
Pale with a title etched in a sombre serif on the spine, Beast lies waiting for you. The front cover features only the blood-red outline of a man lying on, or perhaps falling through empty space; the back says, in that same copperplate font: “Come to a place like this… and you will understand soon Read More
Robert Minhinnick’s newest volume of poetry comes to us in the form of a modest collection, wrapped in an austere white cover with narrow bands that leak bright, naturalistic details on closer inspection. Minhinnick, himself an established environmentalist, has filled his verse with wildlife and a sublime delight in nature. His “Song of Sleet” declares, Read More
“Where do we come from? Where are we going?” Walter Kempowski’s final novel is encapsulated in these two questions. They sing an existential refrain throughout the entire text, like the chorus of a song. Faced with an uncertain future, Kempowski’s characters try to cling to fragments of the lives they once knew. A fractured, modernist Read More
This is not a read for the faint-hearted for two main reasons: the ghastly topic, and the sheer length of this melancholy novel. Five-hundred-and-sixty pages long, it tackles the difficult subjects of experimentation on and euthanasia of children in Austria during its annexation by Germany. Based on fact, this story is largely set in Am Read More
Every story begins in mystery. When we first sit down to read, the characters are strangers to us; events are yet to unfold. The weight of the unread pages rests comfortably in our hand: a promise of things to come. Few stories end with as many mysteries as they begin with, and fewer still with Read More