The Wallcreeper by Nell Zink

The Wallcreeper

Nell Zink

Spouses Tiffany and Stephen move fluidly from one project to another in a carefree manner. Tiffany joins Stephen’s ornithological pursuits, with both characters as free in spirit as the birds they chase. Against the backdrop of saving the natural world and extramarital affairs, Tiffany and Stephen aren’t as two-dimensional as they first appear. It took a while to discover what motivated them - but when I had, I could truly engage with them.

Extract
The old city of Berne was my natural habitat. It was where I felt at home, where I wanted to be. I didn’t want to leave. Berne was where I could become most completely myself – possessive, shrewish, lonely. There was nothing to retard my self-actualization.
Parallels
  • The Conjuror's Bird by Martin Davies
  • Breathing on Glass by Jennifer Cryer