The beautiful indifference

From the heathered fells and lowlands of Cumbria with their history of smouldering violence, to the speed and heat of summer London, to an eerily still lake in the Finnish wilderness, Sarah Hall evokes landscapes with extraordinary precision and grace. The characters within these territories are real-life survivors, but whether it's a frustrated housewife seeking extreme experience or a young woman contemplating the death of her lover, dark devices and desires rise to the surface. And the human body, too - flawed, visceral, and full of emotional conflict - provides a sensuous frame for each unfolding drama. Uniquely disturbing and deeply erotic, this collection confirms Sarah Hall as one of the greatest writers of her generation. "The Beautiful Indifference" includes "Butcher's Perfume", which was short-listed for the BBC National Short Story Prize in 2010.