What’s in a kiss? Desired, unwelcomed, missed?
In these twelve short stories, Barbara Bleiman explores the significance of a kiss in the lives of multiple characters. From Renaissance Italy to a prostitute’s bedroom in contemporary London, from the USSR under Brezhnev to a 1970s package holiday in Spain, from a hospital ward today to a ‘bubble’ far in the future, the stories adopt different voices and genres, creating a kaleidoscope of contrasting angles and styles.
Inspired by Chekhov’s iconic short story, ‘The Kiss’, this richly varied collection – wistful, sensual, painful and at times quirky and comical– appeals both to the head and the heart.
Bleiman’s precise, economical prose vividly evokes a remarkable variety of characters, situations, emotions, times and places.
Nicholas Tredell
I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in these rich slices of life.
Kate Clanchy
