The Death of the Poet by N Quentin Woolf

This book almost needs a red-stickered note of caution on the cover warning that parts of it are very scary and difficult to read.

It describes the relationship between a woman and a man with (female on male) serious domestic abuse over many years, portraying throughout in chilling detail the woman's actions (while obviously within the grips of mental illness) and the descent of the life of her partner.

He, at the beginning of the book, is a well-known, successful DJ in California; he meets his partner through his job and falls in love with her firey nature when a political debate boils over in his studio, and he makes a promise never to leave her. Their life, their child, the woman's past life, partner and child are all wound up within - the latter in an endearing section in the latter part of the book.

The story also unexpectedly involves a World War 1 poet and how this is woven together is intriguing. It is a complicated, devastating book which even now, several weeks after I finished it moves me with its violence and it's passion.

The author is a writer and broadcaster who has previously published short fiction, runs a number of literary groups, presents a weekly talk show for londonist.com and also hosts literary podcast The Wireless Reader.

Posted by CC.

Catalogue link: The Death of the Poet