“For once, a collection outdoes its blurb – as mentioned in a previous post, “The Missing” is an exceptional book in the context of contemporary U.K. poetry.
“Siân Hughes’ subject matters in “The Missing” are signposted from the start. Her lost third child and the end of a relationship are themes that run though the book. “The Send-Off”, for example, is a superb poem and a winner of the Arvon Prize. Its value lies in peeling layer after layer off a story, telling it through details, encouraging us to explore and identify ourselves with it. This last point is a key success – Siân Hughes engages us incredibly well.”
