The End of the Alphabet

by: CS Richardson

Published by: Doubleday

Reviewed by Sharon Broom

Ambrose Zephyr is 'around' fifty when his doctor tells him he's got a month to live. It's a sure thing. No mistakes. It's a mysterious disease and Ambrose had better get his life in order. But Ambrose has other ideas. He and his beloved wife Zipper pack their bags and travel to the places they've longed to see once again or perhaps for the first time. It's to be a whirlwind trip through the alphabet.

While traveling, Ambrose reflects on his life while Zipper struggles with the unfair hand they've been dealt. They both saturate themselves with their surroundings, their life and their love for each other in preparation for the inevitable.

CS Richardson's The End of the Alphabet is more of a novella than a novel. Its brevity leaves the reader feeling the story is unfinished. Huge gaping holes exist because there are not enough pages to be able to give the entire story. It's told in the narrative and while the prose is visual and beautiful, I was left feeling I'd been told rather than the more exciting 'showed.'

Armchair Interviews says: If you want a beautifully written snapshot of Ambrose and Zipper's world, The End of the Alphabet is for you. If you want detail and completeness, it's lacking.