""In Blushes the ghost world we're shown is the suddenly empty one created by the Covid pandemic, with its unpeopled streets and rising death toll.""
""Denial and guilt vie chillingly in a tale about the agony of looking back when there are only pathetic little scraps of paper to be found.""
""But she couldn't have thought, then, what her 49-year-old self could think: that 90 years was the length of a decent human life...""
Graham Swift's stories deftly navigate the theme of human conflict, both military and existential, demonstrating the emotional toll it takes. "The Next Best Thing" portrays a British soldier's search for his Jewish relatives through a German records keeper, revealing the remnants of guilt and denial. "Blushes" reflects on the desolation of the Covid pandemic, likening it to war against disease. "Hinges" offers introspection at a father's funeral, drawing poignant comparisons between a door and a coffin. Swift showcases his literary agility in addressing themes of loss, memory, and the passage of time.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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