I'm excited to share another fantastic review of my debut book In Their Absence.
Thank you so much to Alice Hiley for this thoughtful review, an extract of which I’ve shared below.
“The sudden ending of many of the stories, and of the collection as a whole, mirrors perfectly her theme of missing people. The reader is robbed of a neatly-resolved conclusion in the same way as the families of the missing are left without answers. While some stories delve into the aftermath of an abduction, exploring the psychological impact with realism and sensitivity, Stevens delivers the biggest emotional punch when she leaves readers to fill in the gaps. It is agonising to allow our imaginations to wander and picture ourselves in the situations she describes.
In Their Absence is a difficult read, especially with Sarah Everard’s death only weeks ago playing heavily on our minds and reminding women how easily our lives can be stolen. Though the aggregate violence depicted in the book can begin to take a mental toll, readers can expect to discover a thought-provoking message in each of these compact stories.”
You can read the full review here. And to get hold of your copy of the book head here.