If, like me, you believe that Ted Hughes’ Crow is the greatest post-war book of poetry in English, then you’ll want to read this. Short and highly original, it recounts the reactions of a widowed father who is visited by Crow to help him with his grieving. Each section is narrated by one of the characters – the father, the twin sons, Crow. Read it. Then re-read it.

(If you don’t know Ted Hughes’ Crow, get that first!!)

*****

‘Dad has gone. Crow is in the bathroom, where he often is because he likes the acoustics. We are crouched by the closed door listening. He sounds very old-fashioned, like Dad’s vinyl recording of Dylan Thomas.’