The End - Fifteen Endings to Fifteen Paintings - edited by Ashley Stokes

Review by The Mole

The inspiration behind the short stories in this collection is the artwork of Nicolas Ruston. Fifteen different paintings were created together, all in the same medium and all with one thing in common - they all featured the words "The End". Unthank then charged fifteen authors with coming up with the stories behind those paintings.

An image of the painting appears before the start of each story and its sub title - the story's  title - is added on replacing the number the artist originally gave the piece. The book was launched at an exhibition of the paintings in Norwich earlier this month with readings from some of the authors and even wine - The End Wine - in bottles featuring the images of the paintings and quotations from the stories. Sadly it was a launch I could not attend despite being one I would have loved to.

The first story in the collection reflects on what endings are. With each painting resembling the final scene in an old black and white movie it's easy to imagine what an ending might be, but why be constrained by expectations? - step outside of it and explore other endings - and being from the stable of Unthology that's exactly what these tales do.

Each of these works is a big step away from the other fourteen in both style and content and while melancholy is frequently a major factor it is presented in so many different ways. Being an Untholoholic I expected great things of this book and was not disappointed.

I often reflect on my favourite short story in any anthology - in this case I had fifteen so we won't go into too much detail.

• Loose Ends reflects on the many kinds of ending that there can be but then the other writers add to that list.
• The Slyest of Foxes is the story of an 'incomer' to a small community with insights to share.
• If you have a heart of stone you won't be moved by Coup De Grace - it was a little too close to real for me.
• Perturbation was a style that surprised me in a good way with a story I suspected the end to but found I wasn't quite right.
• Ariel... we've all been there but perhaps don't realise it.
• Chaconne in G Minor is a story of loss that captures that emotion brilliantly.
• What Happens Next is an ironic tale of a change in life that leads to its own ending.
• Burning The Ants is a story that goes to a dark place I'd rather not go - I still loved it though.
• Harbour Lights will leave you reflecting on the depth of true love.
• Decompression Chamber... well it certainly covers endings but it's hard to say much more - another brilliant piece though.
• The Crow... a very unusual tale, a story of an end. Or is it?
• Souls... a tale of justice that will horrify and satisfy - I think.
• The Sense Of An Ending - what is going on here? What would you like to be going on here? What could be going on here?
• All The TVs In Town - a story to creep you out quite a lot and leave you checking what's on TV ...anything will do.
• Nowhere Nothing Fuck-Up... a story that will set you thinking big time.

There isn't one story that doesn't 'belong' and every one will bring something to your reading. Another brilliant idea and collection from Unthank that once again begs the question "What next?". I have seen speculation about the idea of "The End II" but it's difficult to see how it could be as great as this - but this publisher has surprised me too often in the past.

Publisher - Unthank Books
Genre - Adult short story anthology 

Contributors - AJ Ashworth, Gordon Collins, Ailsa Cox, Michael Crossan, Sarah Dobbs, Tania Hershman, Zoe Lambert, Dan Powell, Aiden O’Reilly, UV Ray, Angela Readman, David Rose, Ashley Stokes, Tim Sykes, Jonathan Taylor

Meridian by David Rose

review by Maryom

MERIDIAN is 'heteroglossia' which pulls none of its punches. It is as comfortable delivering a disquisition on the semiotics of architectural absence as it is relaying the dialogue between the builders of the conservatory next door. It is truly not glibly, multi-layered, and in its concerns asks much of its readers and by extension, of the literary forms available to the writer in the 21st. century. In a literary landscape of conformity and ardent replication, MERIDIAN is undoubtedly and confidently 'stand alone.' It also manages to be a lot of fun. That's the publisher's blurb on Amazon...
....and....
MERIDIAN: A Day in the Life with Incidental Voices reveals the inner monologue of a successful contemporary architect. A post post-modern triumph, it builds into a discourse on modern life, a distillation of the demotic and the demonic.....  
...is what it says on the publishers web-site...... now, I don't usually include these publicity write-ups, preferring my own synopsis, but this time I thought I would - because if you read my review and think you'll buy the book, you'll probably end up on one of those websites, read the blurb, and wonder if it's the same book!  Honestly, don't they make it sound a 'difficult' read, up there with Ulysses? Actually it's a far more readable, accessible book that either of those summaries might have you believe.
An architect goes about his day taking snapshots (with one of those wearable-tech gadgety things that I don't understand) every hour, on the hour, and he notes what he's doing, thinking, seeing as he goes about his daily routine, till 12 o'clock, Meridian, when the book changes to 'snapshots' of a different kind - a series of vignettes capturing what others are doing at that point in time - anyone and everyone from the drunks in the park to the Queen. As the afternoon progresses the book reverts to the architects point of view, but this time interspersed with the other characters encountered in the 'meridian' section.
It is undeniably 'literary' - it isn't plot-driven and there aren't long lengthy physical or character descriptions, for example. Imagine instead reading a diary for the day, or listening in on a series of conversations; following someone as he goes about his daily routine, eavesdrops on his musings about his work and life. Gradually a picture builds up of this man, lonely, filled with a passion for his work, but now facing an uncertain future.
The central section with its multitude of voices feels a bit like walking down a street or sitting in a cafe and overhearing conversations - sometimes so intriguing you want to stop and listen to them!
I really enjoyed this book - yes it expected a little effort on my part, didn't hand me all the facts on a plate but there's nothing wrong with that. I haven't read David Rose's previous novel, the curiously subtitled Vault: an anti-novel but on the strength of Meridian, I'll have to track it down.
Meridian is short at just over 150 pages but packs those pages with such a wide spectrum of everyday life that it feels much wider and deeper than would seem possible for its size.

Maryom's review -  5 stars

Publisher - Unthank Books
Genre - Adult, literary fiction,