Disturbance

Disturbance is a novel in verse by Ivy Alvarez that chronicles a multiple homicide, a tragic case of domestic violence, where a family was gunned down by the husband and father. The book features poems in a kaleidoscope of voices from all the characters involved. We first meet the family itself and witness how the father's controlling attitude gradually escalates into violence. Then we get the aftermath: the authorities, police and neighbours, who all might have helped to prevent this tragedy. This is a very dark book, but a courageous one, ultimately about evil and its presence in our everyday lives. The fact that this family was relatively well-to-do, seemingly prosperous and well-connected, adds another layer of intrigue and mystery. There is some graphic violence, but the emphasis is on the characters and their motivations. This masterpiece of brutality veined with tenderness will skewer you to its pages. A tour de force – utterly original and brave. – Sally Spedding Disturbance is a precise, pained, and wondrous book. – Teju Cole