cover image Milch Cow

Milch Cow

Kate Margam. Serpent's Tail, $15 (181pp) ISBN 978-1-85242-601-9

In the British suburbs of Kate Margam's Milch Cow, adultery, alcoholism, real estate development, arbitrary political stances, backstabbing, illness, complacency and forgiveness abound. Though the third-person narrative voice of this family drama sometimes plunges from knowing into smug, and the suburban-gothic motif is all too familiar, the story remains compelling. Margam (Poor Kevin) skillfully spans 15 years, convincingly engages the ensemble cast in surprising activities and ably apportions cynicism and subtle redemption.