Alphabetique, 26 Characteristic Fictions

Starred review from June 6, 2016
Peacock (The Paper Garden) imagines lives for each letter of the alphabet. By turns poignant and playful, these 26 stories all have a poetic sensibility and are told with a deceptive simplicity. Peacock does not appear to have strict rules to abide by, but peppers each story with words containing the same letter. This can result in some surprising alliteration or internal rhyming as well as beautiful insights into each letter/character. In "C, the Softie," c learns that not all feelings can be translated into words, that "confusion is necessary before conclusion." He also discovers that "Not everything charms into words instantly. Some things whinny inside you or skitter out as hooves of color and later clang like horseshoes against a forge. Some things can't be crammed into a concept. They just have to be cried." Peacock's stories are accompanied by fantastical collages by Kara Kosaka, which amplify their fairy taleâlike quality. This collection is a wonderful read for any language lover. The stories are smart, and fun, and have a lot of heart. Agent: Kathleen Anderson, Anderson Literary Management.