While I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book, I can ABSOLUTELY see the audience for this. I think this book is for the Cassandra Khaw fans. This is very much a ‘lyrical prose’ horror book where the writing and descriptions really on the forefront of the reading experience. I also think this is for people who pick up litfic for the writing style first and foremost.

Absolutely beautiful, heart wrenching, poignant. The characters jumped off the page and I found myself hanging on to every page.

Engaging and gorgeously written. A recommended first purchase for collections where litfic is popular.

I didn’t end up finishing this one.

Was hard to get into the story even though I made it through 30%.

A quick and easy read that i went into with no expectations but ended up absolutely loving. I would definitely recommend you check this book out

This was a short book, but I really enjoyed it. It was kind of "no plot, just vibes", but I was ok with that, probably because I could relate to our protagonist's feelings.

The feeling of not belonging anywhere, any group of friends, and not really knowing the course your life will take in the future, and mainly not discerning if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

I liked it. I recommend it.

"Temper" by Phoebe Walker is a riveting and introspective novel that delves into the complexities of identity and human relationships. With its evocative prose and deeply relatable characters, the book offers a compelling journey through the intricacies of self-discovery and personal growth.

Walker's writing is both poetic and raw, drawing readers into the emotional landscapes of the characters. The protagonist's struggle to navigate her own desires and societal expectations forms the heart of the story, and her journey is depicted with authenticity and depth. As the narrative unfolds, readers are invited to reflect on their own experiences and the various masks we wear to fit into the world.

"Temper" skillfully explores themes of love, loss, and the search for authenticity. The character development is a strong point, with the cast of characters representing a diverse range of perspectives and backgrounds. Walker's ability to capture the complexities of human emotions and interactions adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative.

The pacing of the novel keeps the reader engaged, with a balance between introspective moments and external events. While the plot primarily revolves around personal struggles, it also touches on larger societal issues, making it relevant and thought-provoking.

While the book's exploration of identity and relationships is compelling, some readers might find the narrative's introspective nature to be slower-paced at times. However, this aspect also contributes to the depth of the story, allowing readers to connect on a more profound level with the characters' experiences.

In conclusion, "Temper" is a beautifully written novel that invites readers to contemplate the intricate threads that make up the tapestry of human identity. Phoebe Walker's skillful portrayal of characters' internal battles and external challenges creates a poignant and relatable narrative. For those seeking a thought-provoking read that delves into the complexities of the human psyche, "Temper" is a worthwhile and emotionally resonant choice.

Our central character in Temper is floating through life (and the streets of her new adopted home of the Netherlands), and does not seem to be able to truly breakthrough.

She does not have close friends, only fleeting glimmers of interactions with people she does not like- chief among them Colette- another expat and a serial liar. And so life floats on, disappointingly for our main character, but as she floats, there is a sense of this tense and mysterious world existing just out of reach, with thoughtful reflections on the ways we build up cities and other countries as the means of escape and promise, when we ultimately have to take our whole selves there regardless.

I found the writing of this cleverly subtle and supple- pauses allowing more to be said beneath the surface.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Divided into four sections named after the seasons in which the story takes place, Walker's "Temper" is an engrossing novel that delves into the themes of loneliness and alienation.

A few years ago, a friend asked me if I had any regrets. It was obviously a deep question but the fact that one thing came to mind immediately felt telling. And that one thing was that I'd not had the opportunity to live and work in another country. Pre-children, my husband and I had plans to do so, but 9/11 happened, which put an end to his company allowing secondments. Since that time, his work has bound him to Melbourne. But the regret, if you would call it that, was still there and so I'm hatching a plan for the future - it involves a sabbatical year in Germany, some study at a language school and a forest therapy course.

I was thinking about that plan when I read Phoebe Walker's novella, Temper. The story follows an unnamed narrator over the course of a year, having moved from London to the Netherlands. The narrator's partner works for a large multi-national organisation and his time in their new city is quickly furnished with after-work drinks and social gatherings with coworkers. The narrator, a freelance writer, spends her days in their flat and her few interactions are incidental (buying groceries or visiting the swimming pool). She feels on the periphery, never finding her place in her new home.

My spare hours do stack up aimlessly, slabs of white-walled afternoon spent topping up my water glass. 

In an attempt to make friends, she joins a choir. There she meets Colette, a pushy, opinionated New Zealander. Although she doesn't particularly like Colette, she is aware that she is not in a position to be choosy given she has so few connections. When another choir member warns the narrator to avoid Colette, her anxieties grow.

I wasn't used to confrontation and struggled at first to find its register.

Walker is a poet (Temper is her debut fiction) and it's evident in the lilt of her sentences.

Today we had a thunderstorm. I've rarely experienced a storm in the morning, before the bins have been taken, and I enjoy it, the early havoc of light and coarse rain.

But what I particularly enjoyed was the exploration of the inner-tensions experienced by the narrator - her efforts to integrate into life in the Netherlands clash with feelings of apathy and boredom.

It was hot today, the last gasp before the cooler weather sets in. I felt at a loss. I'd know how to feel in this weather at home, I think - what my plans would be, who they'd be with. Heat and light bring to mind yellow grass, hasty plans, swoops onto the chiller cabinets of express supermarkets... Here, I experienced the heat only as something physical, something practical. I changed my outfit, stuck my bare foot into a patch of sunlight on the sofa. There was nobody to call.

Additionally, she realises that much of what she was escaping in London, is replicated in the Netherlands, noting that their choice of destination was '...the tamest and most tepid flight we could have made.'

It's impressive that a story about boredom and loneliness can be as engrossing as Temper was. There are parts that are unsettling, and Walker uses an element of suspense to highlight moments when the narrator questions her own judgement.

I received my copy of Temper from the publisher, Fairlight Books, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 I devoured this book in almost one sitting - note it down for Novella November!

Unhinged women of questionable character are my favourite protagonists and this was no exception. Beautiful, abstract prose. I would have loved just a little more ‘oomph’ as I found myself plodding through it at times, but nonetheless a great debut.

A beautiful and haunting story. Cannot wait to read more from Phoebe Walker. Truly left me shocked. A must read.

This is one of those books where there's no plot, just the vibes, and I'm here for it. I kinda like it although there's not really much going on. It kinda reads like a poetry though, and that's what I like the most about this book. It's about a woman who feels like she's lonely, but not really lonely. the book is just typically narrating her mundane life, but I still like it, because it shows how everything in life can be so mundane and there's nothing wrong with that.

3.25⭐️ // ARC provided by the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

'I like living, at least some of the time, as a person contextualised in somebody else's imagination: I enjoy the romance, the nobility of it.'

This is an introspective character portrait of a young woman who has moved to the Netherlands and is adjusting to her new life. The isolation, separation and loneliness drive her to befriend an enigmatic woman named Colette, who both repulses and intrigues her in equal measure, but whom she cannot stay away from.

I was hooked by the set-up of this story, and the author's use of sparse but emotive language were impressive, but I felt that the plot was lacking a central force or motivation outside of the 'slice of a life' narrative. Though the interactions between Colette and the narrator were well-built, there was never a resolution or powerful moment that signalled the meaning of their relationship. Though I usually don't mind a meandering story, I felt that this one slightly lacked in substance, and I was left wanting more at the end.

A great addition to the contemporary trend of the unhinged woman and her morally grey behaviour. A fairly basic story but provides a freshness and compelling narratives that makes it feel original and well crafted.

I really wanted to like this. It is one of those "quiet" books but it was quiet in all the wrong ways for me. I started reading it a few times before i got past page ten and then again found it really difficult to cross the forth page mar and the book is only 90 pages long!!!! I really wanted to like this and i thought it was going to be quite relatable in certain ways as i was also working form home for the longest time. But sadly, nope. Or maybe i did relate to some of the mc's thoughts as a person working for herself but this is one of those cases where its not the book, its me. This came at the wrong time and maybe if i had come across this at a different time, i would have thought/felt differently. This would be really great for someone who is looking for a quiet and peaceful read and for readers who like reading internal thoughts of characters.

In her solitude, she found herself. As she thought she's doing OK, her past crept up on her, making everything in her life questionable again.
this book tackles loneliness, starting over and mental health in such a subtle way, taking a dig on misinformation on mental health awareness.

Women against the void. This book is basically all vibes and very little plot and super character driven. The prose is lovely and if you’re into the inner dialogue stories for a women’s mind then this will totally be up your alley.

The story follows an unnamed narrator who moves abroad to the Netherlands with her partner and works as a freelancer, we are able to see how she struggles with loneliness, isolation and a need to belong.

This is a slow book, basically without plot. It’s more a documentation of her innermost thoughts, during her daily life and its mundane aspects which the author does in a beautiful way.

The books was painfully relatable, sometimes was a bit hard to read for me, it was easy to feel the suffocation, her growing anxieties and how disconnected the character could feel at times.

I really like the writing however I felt the vocabulary was a bit over the top sometimes, I don’t want to say pretentious cause I don’t know if a struggle with it because English is not my native language, but I haven’t struggle with that in a while. That put me off a little bit.

Overall I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend this book if you like this type of stories.

This short novel documents the inner thoughts of an unnamed young woman who has moved to the Netherlands with her partner, Robin, for his job. The narrator works from home and most of her interactions(which are few) are with Robin’s coworkers at drinks, with the accompanying uncomfortable small talk. She comes into contact with Colette at a choir group. This woman is strange from the start and the weird relationship is about the only thing that really happens. Divided into four sections named after the seasons, I found this to be an engrossing read. Her intimate thoughts show her loneliness, disconnectedness and alienation from society, all things that resonated with me. Just general frustrations with life and its meaning, and the pointlessness of many modern activities and lifestyles. A quietly absorbing read.