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The Alchemy of Paradise
In The Alchemy of Paradise, a curator-narrator confronts grief, loss, and mortality by arranging the fragments of her life—objects, memories, impressions—into a fragile order. Set in unnamed England, with Venice shimmering at its core, the book follows her attempt to preserve what might otherwise vanish, shaping a collection that makes survival possible. When order fails to yield meaning, she turns to the alchemical, where matter shifts into metaphor and loss becomes transformation.
A novel of ideas told through poetic essays and reflections, The Alchemy of Paradise explores the tension between collecting and transmuting, order and disorder. In the spirit of Walter Benjamin’s collections, and in dialogue with writers like W.G. Sebald, Patti Smith, and Leanne Shapton, it meditates on how art and curation allow us to chart a personal map through the shared but solitary territory of grief. Refusing collapse into despair, the book offers curation itself as a restless, ongoing practice of survival and renewal.
A novel of ideas told through poetic essays and reflections, The Alchemy of Paradise explores the tension between collecting and transmuting, order and disorder. In the spirit of Walter Benjamin’s collections, and in dialogue with writers like W.G. Sebald, Patti Smith, and Leanne Shapton, it meditates on how art and curation allow us to chart a personal map through the shared but solitary territory of grief. Refusing collapse into despair, the book offers curation itself as a restless, ongoing practice of survival and renewal.
216 pages, Paperback
Published May 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 5, 2026
The narrator's upbringing, education, and work have immersed her in a world of fine art and inquisitive, supportive role models. She knows that this is an enormous privilege for anyone dealing with life events.
She is dealing with three traumatic losses, and sets to work making sense of it. This is fine, but unfortunately for us, her ruminations are mostly surface-level. There's a lot of her telling us (and, far too often, with a series of rhetorical questions) that art is life, beauty is uplifting, etc., but it's rarely specific enough to be inspiring.
Her story itself is interesting, and I wouldn't tell anyone not to read this.
She is dealing with three traumatic losses, and sets to work making sense of it. This is fine, but unfortunately for us, her ruminations are mostly surface-level. There's a lot of her telling us (and, far too often, with a series of rhetorical questions) that art is life, beauty is uplifting, etc., but it's rarely specific enough to be inspiring.
Her story itself is interesting, and I wouldn't tell anyone not to read this.
May 16, 2026
This is a rare and beautiful book that invites the reader to ponder some of life’s most meaningful and mystical questions about beauty, death, grief, infinite possibilities, etc. as the unnamed curator grieves the loss of her father. This is an incredibly special and unique book worthy of a second reading. I was completely captivated from beginning to end.
June 29, 2026
This will be a bedside table book that I will pick up and open whenever I need a reminder to reduce speed, stop and take in the absolute beauty of being alive. Susannah M. Smith is a truly gifted writer and thinker. This book is Canadian Gold.
May 7, 2026
stay tuned for glowing review in the Temz Review!
Merged review:
I devoured this book quickly and will read it again. Stay tuned for a glowing review in the fall or winter issue of the Temz Review! If you're in Ottawa, come out to Susannah's launch at Perfect Books on May 11, 2026
Merged review:
I devoured this book quickly and will read it again. Stay tuned for a glowing review in the fall or winter issue of the Temz Review! If you're in Ottawa, come out to Susannah's launch at Perfect Books on May 11, 2026
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews