little scratch by Rebecca Watson

little scratch is undoubtedly a unique and innovative styled debut that I think will be a marmite book for a lot of people. You will either get along with the style or hate it as it isn't necessarily the most intuitive of styles to read. However, I did find it exceptionally clever as the fragmented language and scattered words are structured to mimic both settings, surroundings and thought patterns of the unnamed protagonist.

Words

d
r
o
p

to mirror the young woman shielding her phone with her hand. Words form pyramids to symbolise people rushing from a train.

people people people people people people
people people people people people
people people people people
people people people
people people
people

In other places the narrative overlaps side by side as events around the woman are happening simultaneously. The repetition and singular words drive the pace and the urgency of reading.

Beyond the structure of the novel the premise is rather mundane as it focuses on a single day of an unnamed woman. Through the day themes of office politics, sexual violence, rape, sex, anxiety, work-place harrassment, survival and life are all examined. The pace and style mean these topics come across in a very punchy manner.

Throughout it all Rebecca Watson demands your attemtion and offers some really astute insights into the world with her carefully crafted selection of words.

Overall an incredible unique debut and one I'm unlikely to forget for a while.

Thanks to Faber for the review copy. Out 14th January.