A quick, all-consuming read perfect for anyone who feels untethered. Readers who are unsure of their path and unsure of themselves will find comfort in Phoebe Walker’s novella about an unnamed woman who has recently moved to the Netherlands and is struggling with her mental health. Temper concerns itself with dissecting human emotion, and anyone expecting a gripping narrative will likely be disappointed. Walker’s work is a nice little addition to a literary canon where the feeling of loneliness connects the reader and the narrative voice.

With thanks to Fairlight Books for sending me a free copy. Whilst the stream-of-consciousness writing of this novel produces many insightful and relatable explorations of our protagonist's life and loneliness, the protagonist herself often feels too aimless and ambivalent to make me want to continue reading about her. Her recent move to the Netherlands leads to a fluid and uncertain identity that fails to anchor over her year in the country, the instability of which leads her thoughts to orbit increasingly around another woman. Though the writing is fluid, perceptive and pleasant, its success in conveying the ennui of modern life led me to, in return, feel somewhat bored and detached from the novel. I found myself getting my more engaged every time she mentioned peculiar childhood thoughts or former energetic experiences, yet never fully satisfied by the completion of these passages. I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone, but if you're looking for a short novella that captures the feeling of detached ambivalence, this is for you.