"Memory is not just in mind. It lives in actual places, in actual things. It sits in empty chairs and in written carpets and smudged walls and light switches. I stand close to the wall and rest my own fingertips against the mark my father's touch had left, a final intimacy, the closest I will ever get to his physical presence again."

The Clearing is a heavy exploration of family, mental health and grief. Samantha Clark is incredibly open about her emotions and experiences making this a frank and important contribution to discussions about mental health and grief. The book follows the period of Clark clearing out her parents' house in Glasgow, following their death, interspersed with her memories of the past and philosophical musings.

She talks about the difficulties growing up with a mother who took medication to treat psychotic episodes, who was anxious to control and catalogue her every movement. Her mother who sent police round to find her when she failed to call. She discusses their fraught relationship and the difficulties of grieving for a woman she had never truly known and been losing over her entire life.

She talks about the burden of her parents as her father attempted to take care of her mother and suffered his own ailments. Her failure to do more but her inability to do so because of money, time, her parent's staunch opposition to meddling.

She delves into some very real difficulties that I think many people can understand and relate to, especially those who have cared for ageing relatives, know loved ones who suffer with their mental health and those dealing with grief.

My main gripe with the book was the many metaphors Clark uses. These drew heavily on science and space specifically and whilst some of them worked, I found the longer sections that dived into details about ether and dark matter really jarred my reading experience. These sections weren't really what I expected or wanted from a memoir about "art, family and mental health" and it meant I often skim read these sections.

Despite the short length this book felt quite dense and emotionally heavy, so not one I'd necessarily recommend to everyone. However the emotion touched me, it brought a tear to my eye and lump in my throat. It made me think about how messy and chaotic life can be, how unfair it can be, how loving family is not always easy and how grief weighs heavy on the soul. This book feels carthatic for Samantha Clark and whilst not a read I loved, it's one I can appreciate.

Thanks to Little Brown Books for the review copy.