BOOK REVIEW CRITTERS Author: Julià Guillamon From the reader report by: François Michel Durazzo Rather than being a simple collection of anatomical or wildlife notes, poetry takes centre stage here, creating a captivating and surprising world. But for all that, man is never far away. The author’s own biography plays a discrete but important role, transforming this book into a series of anecdotes from around the time her partner is recovering from a stroke, an incident that she writes about in Cruzar la riera (2017). These tales bring the countryside to life, always in relation to the insects that are to be found in the villages. Her contemplation of this world of tiny creatures leads her to identify with an injured insect, an illustration of the fragility of life. The precise and poetic language is particularly elegant and supple, giving readers page after page of great joy. This book could take the form of a picture book illustrated with portraits of insects. The editor’s notes that accompany the book form a fitting close: “An encounter with the essential, what has formed us and what sustains us when everything seems to be collapsing. Because by taking care of the earth, we are also taking care of ourselves.”
PUBLISHED IN NEW SPANISH BOOKS FR
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