A collection of 13 diverse short stories reflecting the magical and poignant influence of special places and events on the lives of the main characters.

Casgliad o 13 stori fer amrywiol yn adlewyrchu dylanwad hudol ac ingol lleoliad neu ddigwyddiad arbennig ar fywydau'r prif gymeriadau.

In this beautifully composed collection of short stories, Anna Wigley presents us with momentary glimpses of people’s everyday lives in poetic and flowing prose. She cleverly describes in a variety of settings, from the town to wilder places, the subtleties of human emotions and relationships.

‘The Weekend Begins’ is a colourful and intricate story of school friends visiting the town on a Saturday. She captures the atmosphere well and the curious details of such a trip right to the most enjoyable experience - ‘the dough is fresh and soft and there are specks of spice among the currants’ - when the girls eat their Chelsea buns. Each story is tactile, sensitive and amusing. In ‘The Foundling’ a lonesome man finds a stray kitten: ‘…he rang the bell. Then he waited, the kitten making delicious squirmy movements against his chest, clinging to his jumper with its tiny claws...’ She sums up beautifully how the kitten eventually establishes itself into the man’s heart and life.

Her prose flows well throughout the whole book and the various characters who we meet briefly are described with wonder. In ‘A Matter of Importance’: ‘As Professor Felps saw it, his task was to give of his enchanting self for exactly fifty minutes – to disperse his magical influence like angel dust.’

Each story in ‘Footprints’ has its own special atmosphere from the light-hearted to the more emotive and moving. A very enjoyable collection, whose imagery and feeling stay in the mind.

Clare Maynard

It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgement should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council.

Gellir defnyddio’r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatad Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru.