Round The Bend

ISBN:978 1 901045 16 1
Copyright: Angel (Dark Wings) Heart
Edited by: David Beck
Illustrated by: Pam Burrett 2009 - All other Artwork ‘BO’ 2009
Cover Design: David Beck
Typeset: David Beck
Printed by: MBE Print & Copy, Leeds
Published by: ‘Local Voices’ in conjunction with ‘Leeds Survivors Poetry’ 2010

Review of ‘Round The Bend, little stories by Angel Heart’

For me Angel Heart hits a unique spot no other survivor writer reaches. She describes the world of entanglement with mental health services with such a surreal humour, and such an accurate eye for detail, that although often she is describing harsh things, you can’t help enjoying the journey, and feeling uplifted at the end of it.

This collection of Angel Heart’s stories brings together new stories, along with previously published work. For instance ‘A Day in the Life of Larry the Plant’, told from the perspective of a neglected plant on a psychiatric ward was first published in ‘Beyond Bedlam’, an anthology of contemporary women’s writing . Like the slide shows of Andrew Voyce, Angel’s stories capture perfectly the chaotic and surreal atmosphere of the ward, so we are not surprised when no-one gets any breakfast because the cooks are sleeping off a hang over, or the goldfish have a discussion round the back of the ornamental arch. To quote from Beyond Bedlam ‘Angel reveals a viewpoint of authentic difference, instantly familiar to psyche dissidents everywhere’.

‘Sally Wins the National Lottery’ describes the sad irony of a lottery winner who is drugged and put in seclusion before she can claim her winnings. ‘Pepperoni with Extra Sweetcorn’ involves apparent divine intervention on the ward which turns out to be…..well I don’’ want to spoil it. ‘Holiday On Earth’ was first published in a short story collection published by Route, and concerns an alien trying to get back to her planet, mistakenly admitted to a mental hospital. ‘Snow On The Lawn’ is a moving account of how people find ways to stay human despite the conditions forced upon them.

Each story strikes a different note, but the characters are familiar. This is the world under the stone, that could only have been written by someone who was there, retained a sense of humour and came back to tell us. The illustrations by Pam Burrett and BO are a joy in themselves, and add a dimension of their own. This is definitely a book to add to your collection.

Angel Heart’s poems are available through the UKAN website at http://www.u-kan.co.uk/survivor-publications.html or write to LSP, c/o 8 Beulah View, Leeds LS6 2LA for a publications list.