Description
Village of dunes. Valley of slumber-dust.
Sandsnarl is a settlement steeped in sand – though where it came from and how long ago is a matter of tall tales and steely whispers. The sand itself makes accurate record-keeping impossible. It is drug, ore, plague and delicacy. The inhabitants of this region (or is it a fallen kingdom?) talk and think through its haze. Some alter their shape, as if shaved by it. Others seethe, resisting its rattle and buzz.
These poems eavesdrop, extract, sift. Together, they make up a brief impression of time and place, a Buñuelian musical without the music.
Praise for Sandsnarl
‘Engaging and inventive poetry, often reminiscent of (and explicitly referencing) the works of Borges, Calvino and other playful texts. Stone takes the idea of sand then twists and turns it to suit multiple purposes… Stone creates a flow of light and dark imagery, threaded through a game of ‘now you see it, now you don’t’, which includes (how could it not) hints of apocalypse, yet because of its energy and wit, conveys overall a sense of optimism. Like a day at the beach, it’s left me with pockets full of sand.’ – Alex Josephy, London Grip
‘Stone uses rhyme, alliteration and other delights to make the reading experience itself intoxicating […]. Oh the delight in language!’ – Ramona Herdman, Sphinx Review
‘Haunting illustrations and playful poetry combine like a storybook to create an imaginary world […] the creative imagining is wholly successful, and the interpretation leaves much for the reader to ponder.’ – Lorna Dowell, Sphinx Review
‘The writing is clever, diverse and above all rhythmic adhering to the beat of this very unique world we’re invited to explore […]. It is clever. It is immersive. And I enjoyed every second I spent reading it.’ – Jasmin Lübbecke, Not as hot as my teapot
