Story Title: ‘Spring Tide’ by Marli Roode
Collection/Anthology?: Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology 3 (Bristol Review of Books Ltd.)
Date Read: 6th February 2011
Briefly: Renate goes with her father to visit her grandparents at their holiday home next to the sea. It should be a happy time of family togetherness, but a fog of melancholy soon descends upon the young woman.
Afterthoughts: Spring Tide doesn’t stand out for its plot but rather for being a somewhat thoughtful contemplation on the transitory nature of life, where deterioration is ever present and always on display. South African-born Roode really has done a remarkable job with this story and aside from providing a few ‘morbid milestones’ as reminders that death can be imminent and sudden, she’s subtly seasons her story with a sense of impending doom, which does nothing but unsettle the reader to an even greater degree. It all adds up to making this a notable and well crafted story.
Rating: 
This story was read as part of a review of the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology, Volume 3. If you want to find out more about this anthology then I invite you to head on over and read my ‘forethoughts’ post, and/or visit the the Bristol Short Story Prize website.
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