The Plankton Collector: A Novella

A family already struggling is ung headlong apart from each other in grief....In this atmospheric novella the mysterious Plankton Collector visits members of a family torn apart by grief and regret. He comes in different guises. For ten-year old Mary he is Mr Smith who takes her on a train journey to the seaside. Her mother Rose meets him as Stephen by her sons graveside. Roses youngest Bunny encounters him as the gardener. For husband and father David meanwhile the meeting is with a love from his youth. And long-lost Uncle Barnaby takes the children for a weeks holiday during which their parents begin a reconciliation.A wound will heal and knit them back together....All visitors are manifestations of the Plankton Collector who teaches those he encounters the difference between the discarded weight of unhappy memories and the lightness borne by happiness recalled.A brilliantly evoked examination of memory and innocence... delivers a kaleidoscope of compelling voices united by a spectral visitor not from the heights but the apparent depths. Haunting. James Clammer author of Why I Went BackA delicate paean for coming together full of understanding for the quirks and pitfalls and ultimate goodness in human nature. Mavis CheekCath Barton tells the story... with a lyrical voice that is very much her own. This beautifully structured novella leads the reader to a resolution that is both moving and deeply satisfying. Francesca Rhydderch author of The Rice Paper DiariesIn haunting exquisite prose the author explores the disconnects that exist within families as each deals with the internal difficulties inherent in life as it progresses. Moments of happiness can be overshadowed by loss yet it is the former that should be granted attention and treasured... In this short novella a world has been conjured that recognises the depths of unhappiness yet offers hope. It reminds that reactions when grieving are neither uniform nor prescriptive but that individuals once known are never entirely lost. Jackie Law @followthehensAs light and fleeting as a happy memory... caring and heart-warming... about people with memories we could all share. It will resonate deeply with anyone who has been through trauma. But anyone who has longed for happier simpler times will find nostalgic memories becoming lighter too. James Lloyd The Cardiff ReviewUtterly convincing... so that the reader steps easily into the story watching the characters` lives unfold at close quarters hoping and yearning with them. The last few sentences brought me to tears. We all need our own Plankton Collector. Robin Walker amazon.co.ukUnusual and skillfully crafted tale... filled with sublime descriptive language that has left lasting images in my mind. Clement amazon.co.ukPoetic... skilful... a heart-breaking picture of love regret loss and ultimate reconciliation. Thoroughly recommended. Martin amazon.co.ukEffortlessly creates a heady mixture of mid-century real world and magical realism. Sheesh amazon.co.ukTheres a flow to the language which is like... rocking gently in a boat... the characters are drawn with such subtly honesty and compassion. Even though the central event of the book is coming to terms with death it was... the quiet disintegration and equally quiet rebuilding of a marriage... that had me riveted.... a short utterly original very human marvelous book. H Hewett amazon.com