Wilkinson, Charles - Splendid In Ash
Wilkinson can be a troublesome author, utterly baffling at times.
Splendid In Ash, for me, is a collection of disorienting examples.
Luke has been invited to a gallery exhibition. “In The Frame” follows his uncertain journey through an undesirable neighborhood. Near the end of the lane, the point of view shifts, as does our perception of Luke.
This is what Wilkinson does; loosens the moorings, thereby eroding conceptions.
“Absolute Possession” catches the unhappy aftermath of a successful gold-digger. The victim, her husband. Discarded. His victories seem those of empty principles. Worse, he has found himself stranded in a new shire, where principles have neither meaning nor value.
“Drawing Upon The Breath” is a darker tale. Newcomers have taken up residence in the village. Secretive and taciturn, they make no attempts to ingratiate themselves. Rather, in their wake, outlanders snap up houses, to the misfortune of those clutching the lower rungs.
“The Absent Member” is a missing colleague of the gentlemen’s club. An explorers guild. The one who most notices his absence, and possibly related infuriating changes, is a tiresome wannabee. This, like so many of the stories, reveals a sardonic sense of humor, as Wilkinson springs a multi-folded joke at the end.
“Might Be Mordiford” is a fresh take on the heist, the caper, and the aftermath. The anxieties of seclusion, of lying low. And yet, do you really want to hide out above the post office? Where a stream of transients and faded men mutter a dribble of meaningless words. Half hints that you strain to connect. Until too late, the significance uncoils in a malicious reveal.
