Dr Matthew Hooton

“Matthew Hooton writes in a rather tantalizing style as he arouses one's interest in what will come next. His descriptive style makes one see and smell and shudder at the things that he is writing about.”

“The writing is strong and lyrical. The shifts in time and subject are seamless and coherent. It provokes emotion without seeming to try too hard.”

“I like the echo that occurs as the two stories work against each other. The foreign is made familiar and the familiar becomes foreign.”

“It sings with a beautiful voice.”

“Reads like poetry. So engaging. Brilliant imagery.”
“
The reality, the emotion, the visions...all with so few words. Fantastic!”

“Brilliant juxtaposition of disparate elements, relayed in sumptuous language.”

“There is very vivid imagery and beautiful descriptions of place, time, and experience.”

“The way the theme of lies weaves around the image of the [lying] snake, concepts of shedding skin and changing colours... What we can and can't do / change. I like the bluntness of the assertions, the subtle sorrows and fears tucked inside the fact-filled narratives.”

“Travel writing at its best!”

“The language does double-work, creating emotional and symbolic layers. The form echoes the way we remember (and the way we lie), and while it has a stream of consciousness feel, it's deftly crafted.”

“As I read it, I felt a low, dark, hollow, wide-open hum that connected all the sections. It was, at once, scary, familiar, and comforting. It felt like the space in my own head that plays with and puts together seemingly disparate parts of my dreams, memories, and past.”

“The narrative floats effortlessly between past and present, with its strong imagery and clear, compelling language.”

“There is a slippery rhythm to the story that appeals to me, along with the intertwining images of snakes and stones, healing and death and renewal. And on a personal note, it appeals to memories of many similar events in my own life.”

“Poetic and deeply moving, analytical, insightful and well-written.”
Record created at source: 20 February 2018