Every Awful Thing by S.E. Bourne

A collection of poetry and prose, Every Awful Thing by S.E. Bourne is written with verve and insight. Bourne creates a world wholly her own yet reminiscent of many great writers of the past who captured the plight of Middle America; Lucia Berlin comes immediately to mind, not just for the stripped-back prose and down-to-earth construction, but also in the way metaphor is deftly handled at every level of the narrative – a recognition of the beautiful poetry in the mundane things we do. The few flash fiction stories feel at home as well, with Bourne taking a poetic idea and easily laying it out in a few hundred words, illustrating both her concision and eloquence that is a feature of the entire book. Written with a raw, gritty voice, Bourne shows herself to be a skilled author of short-form fiction.