Ten Stories About Smoking is an accomplished collection; it's a collection that allows its reader to relax, confident in the knowledge that each story will be a satisfying experience. Evers concentrates on moments of realisation and disappointments that are at once small and shattering. There is a pervasive sense of nostalgia, both for a time when it was easier to smoke and for a time before isolation and unfulfilled ambitions changed the landscape of the characters' lives. My favourite story is 'Things Seem So Far Away, Here,' in which Linda visits her successful brother and fantasises about leaving her own life behind. The dialogue is spare and incisive, and the relationship between Linda and her niece Poppy is beautifully observed. As I approached the end of the story, I sensed what was coming and even though it is quite devastating, it is perfect.
Read an interview with Evers here.
Read Evers's blog here.
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