Book: Closure: Contemporary Black British Short Stories
Editor: Jacob Ross
Publisher: Peepal Tree Press
Price: £9.99
Review by Catrina Walters
Closure is a riveting anthology filled with talented published Black British writers, including Fred D’Aguiar (The Lonely Londoner) and Bernardine Evaristo (The Emperor’s Babe) who feature alongside emerging writers. The theme of human strife permeates the book and the stories take you through a world of emotions – from elation to sadness.
Jacob Ross’s editor’s notes are beautifully written and he defines this collection of stories as an “evolution” of the contemporary Black British experience. Ross claims “Black Britishness” is a lived reality, which is “like air or breath or blood”.
The anthology is a testament to the rich variation of writers in the Black British diaspora, as Ross explains how the stories have moved on from self-defining Black Britishness, as the writers explore not just the black experience, but a life any reader can relate to.
Many of the stories feature narratives which breathe life into the very real shame some people of colour have with their cultural and racial identity, or the need to assimilate into British culture. These stories will resonate among a generation with more experience of living in British society rather than those with a direct and authentic experience of their own culture.
It takes emotional growth and time to identity with who we are. From Where I Come (Nanna-Essi Casely-Hayford), A Cartography of all the Names You’ve Ever Given Me (Hana Riaz) and Day Trippers (Raman Mundair), each one provides refreshing insight into this experience.
Day Trippers recounts the story of two Asian people who both spend their lives shunning their culture, only to find themselves having an affair, searching to replace the memories of their childhoods where religion, food and cultural traditions gave them clarity on who they wanted to be.
Thought-provoking and uncomfortable reads are plentiful in Closure, especially in the stories about women who maintain a facade, or where their voice is unheard and the violence experienced unspoken. The Müllerian Eminence (Leone Ross) is one of the hardest stories to read; where a male cleaner learns about the weight of women’s oppression through their tales of rape and sexual abuse, which they share with him.
A tapestry of family tales, secrets and lost legacies can be found in the magical The Typewriter (Ayesha Siddiqi), The House (Tariq Mehmood) and My Grandmother Died with Perfect Teeth (Patrice Lawrence). The latter is full of wit and a twist that showcases a grandmother’s lifelong deception of her true life story to her granddaughter, in order to instil resilience, pride and courage in her.
This is a masterfully curated collection of stories; one to be thoroughly enjoyed. Closure beautifully creates a space for the reader to consider how the characters’ lives will continue beyond the narrative.
The only downside, as with all short stories, is that they leave you wanting more.