Books in brief: The Colour of Milk

    "this is my book and i am writing it by my own hand ...

       my name is mary. m.a.r.y.

       my hair is the colour of milk."

    Nell Leyshon's novel The Colour of Milk is the story of a year - 1830 - in the life of Mary, a farmer's daughter. I won't go into the plot at all for that would be to give far too much away; suffice to say the book is pastoral, though it's no rural idyll, confessional, but never self-indulgent, pared back to the bones, raw, intense, naively poetic, highly distinctive and quite compelling.

    It stands out for the sheer economy of its prose, its near-perfect idiom, and for the significance of its subject matter and the themes which are worked out so skilfully in so few words. It's quite something.

Comments

[Ruthiella]

Savidge Reads also enthused about this book and the unique voice of its narrator and caught my attention. Since my birthday is coming up,I gave a hint to the right parties...so *surprise* I think I will be unwrapping (and reading) "The Colour of Milk" very soon!

[Gemma]

I think I'm going to read this, I am just hoping I don't get put off by the unusual simplistic style.

[Cornflower]

I hope you'll enjoy it, Ruthiella, and happy birthday when it comes.

[Cornflower]

I found I very quickly got the book's rhythm, and I marvelled at how Nell Leyshon does so much with so little.

[LizF]

Just finished The Colour of Milk and thoroughly concur with your view.
It is only a small book but I can't help feeling that it is one that will stay with me for a long time... that ending definitely caught me out!

[Cornflower]

Yes!