‘The surest and quickest way for us to arouse the sense of wonder is to stare unafraid at a single object.’ Cesare Pavese wrote those words in Dialogues with Leucò, one of two quotations that preface Lara Pawson’s deceptively slim third book, Spent Light.

When her dog starts killing squirrels, Pawson cooks them, acquiring
a Whitby Wild Cat skinning knife

Pawson takes the Italian writer at his word, turning to a toaster for inspiration.