Devotion

An unusual triptych: a story—an unsettling one of loneliness and obsession—bracketed by an enigmatic prelude and a coda. The prelude stands alone as an essay on creativity and the pursuit of ideals; but many of the references in it are incomprehensible without having first read the story. This is, I believe, deliberate: Smith tantalizes us with snippets of her inspiration, we then see what her mind has wrought with those, and then, having finished, we shut the book, ponder a few moments, and start it again at the beginning. Be sure to allocate time for two readings: you will appreciate it.

Patti's writing always captivates me, and her ability to tell a story is unparalleled. A portion of this is a fictional tale as opposed to her usual non-fiction and I was blown away. Why doesn't she write more fiction!?

This book is apparently part of a series where authors answer the question, Why Do I Write? I don't really care about that question, and probably wouldn't have picked it up if I knew. Part journal entry, part fiction, and part memoir-ish story, it just wasn't for me.