Little Scratch

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While the story starts off rather brilliantly, it fell flat for me in the second half. The text ultimately does not do justice to its weighty themes, nor does it achieve a satisfying balance of the profound to the banal. Much of it feels like a short story, stretched too far (incidentally, parts of the text were previously published in short story format). Another issue – perhaps related to the youth of the author – is that Watson does not fully trust her reader. It feels, at times, like a sermon on #metoo and related topics – intended for readers desperately in need of education. (I personally prefer a lighter hammer.) Blisteringly honest and unflinchingly intimate, little scratch is extraordinary – and indispensable’ The I

Left to right: Eve Ponsonby, Eleanor Henderson, Morónkẹ́ Akinọlá and Ragevan Asan in Watson’s little scratch at the Hampstead theatre, March 2021. Photograph: Robert Day The most original idea I took from the book is that it’s OK for a victim of rape to think in terms that are highly sexual, and passionate. Watson’s language of sex is graphic, assertive and quite a contrast to stories in which rape happens and the victim is left traumatised at the thought of future sex. An image! not my spoon! not my phone! (although I can see that too, an emoji of a pig, which distracts me for a second but oh no I am not letting this go, yes an image, a book Reads like the cinders settling in the air after an explosion… daring and completely readable.’ Colin Barrett The story originally started life as a prize shortlisted short story – and that story forms the midpoint of the day and is reproduced in full in the novel and gives a good sense of the book – much better than I think I have or can manage.I would look in the mirror (a different sort: toothpaste-marked, pink cup by tap) and hear rising voices A superb staging, this version of the dazzling book achieves the same lingering power using a quartet of actors’ The Guardian Rebecca Watson’s novel works magnificently on stage. Miriam Battye and Katie Mitchell have turned 24 hours inside a frenzied mind into something like a piece of music’ Evening Standard

Hmm, this is a hard one to review because Watson is striving to do something fresh here in attempting to give voice to experience. The topic of sexual trauma is always an important one, and it's complicated here by issues of #metoo power and powerlessness, as well as the impact of rape on an existing loving relationship and with the victim's own body.A meticulously choreographed vocal performance - terrific cast and mesmerising sound design’ Independent The experimental comes gloriously to life, with a performance that has an element of music about it’ The Times In a lot of the stream-of-consciousness style books I’ve read, especially those following characters similarly dealing with trauma and/or spiralling thoughts, I have felt a coldness and detachment that stops me fully loving the experience. Watson manages to capture wry observations and to communicate the struggles of living in the aftermath of trauma, whilst also bringing so much warmth and hope to her work. Rebecca Watson is one of The Observer’s 10 best debut novelists of 2021 and was shortlisted for this year's Desmond Elliott Prize.