The Accidental by Ali Smith

Penguin Books - £7.99

Michael and Eve Smart with Eve’s two children Magnus and Astrid have rented a house in a village in Norfolk for the whole of one hot summer. ‘A substandard house in a substandard place’ thinks 12 year old Astrid. ‘Quintessential’ says her Mother. The heat is remorseless and the children are languid and fed up

Their mother is a writer and their stepfather a university lecturer and each are absorbed in his own problems that they are quite unaware of the needs of the children. Magnus is very troubled by a tragedy which happened at school and for which he thinks he is largely responsible and Astrid is lonely and bored though she has a new camera and takes endless photographs mostly of the dawn.

Suddenly an amazing creature, Amber, appears on the scene, and electrifies their lives. Every member of the family is irresistibly drawn to her and she takes each in hand transforming his or her perception and ideas, exploring the myth that they are a happy united family. She leaves as suddenly, and they are forced to confront and examine the truth about their lives.

Ali Smith writes wonderfully. The children are well drawn and the heat and languor which pervades the novel is almost suffocating. Astrid is bright, resourceful and funny. Magnus’s anguish is very real and one empathises completely with his anguish.

An excellent holiday read.

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