We Spread - Iain Reid

I've read all of Iain Reid's books. Each one has brought something different, unusual and unexpected. And that's also the case with his latest - We Spread. 

 

Penny has been living in the same apartment for fifty years. Her partner has passed on. Penny has been getting out, but really has no contact or relationships  with others, excepting her landlord. She has a bit of memory loss (and sure, doesn't everyone her age?) So, my thinking was that We Spread would be an lament for aging. It was and it is. But it's much more.  

As an observer we are witness to Penny's failing memory and her deteriorating  physical condition until the inevitable happens - she has a serious fall. 

Unbeknownst to Penny, her partner had arranged for just this eventuality. Penny is moved to Six Cedars Residence, a small long term care facility in an older house, surrounded by trees. There are only four residents and two staff members at the home. Penny, although distressed by the move, is impressed.  

 And it's wonderful. Or is it? What we come to know of the other residents and staff is through Penny's eyes and experiences. The reader is left to their own imagination and interpretation of what she encounters. And my mind had more than one outlook and outcome happening. The tension rises with every page turned. Reid's dialogue is sharp and short and is very effective in 'speaking' for Penny. Out loud and internally. Aging, art and relationships and more are also explored. There's much food for thought for everyone in We Spread - whether it's yourself or a family member. 

As the book neared the final pages, I still had not made up my mind as to what was really happening. And the ending? Perfectly Iain Reid. 

The audio version of We Spread is so very good. The reader was the fabulous Robin Miles. She has such an expressive voice. Her voice is easy to understand, clearly enunciated and has movement in every sentence. Miles embodied the character of Penny perfectly! I could believe I was listening to an older women with memory issues. I could feel her fear and frustration of the changes of herself, as the atmosphere at Six Cedars. The pace of her reading matches the story, with pauses at significant points. Miles excelled at depicting the emotions of Penny. A fabulous performance of a stellar book. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of We Spread.