My second Fremlin and it continues the theme of divorced woman striking out on her own, and the psychology of domesticity and relationships as prison and chains to one's sense of self. I loved this one for the question it raises about perception, what is the truth of a situation and what other intentions could be read into it by each participant?

Fremlin is so good at blending the cosiness of home with the ratcheting tension of outside forces threatening to disrupt it. She is also strangely great at capturing the voice of a precocious preteen boy, and the feeling of youthful ambitions and rebellions. The ending ties up a little too neatly for the realism that the story had been presenting, but given the story, I'm not sure there could have been another more satisfying ending.

Aside: real jarring to see the n-word make a few appearances here. They're supposedly spoken by the neighbourhood black kids, but they sure didn't add anything to the story nor characterisations! ( )