Leach takes her readers on a playful, rigorous, mind-bending romp through human nature, the natural world, spirituality and more. Her perfectly singular voice sings the most surprising notes in an imaginative blend of silliness and seriousness ... Leach employs a huge range of rhetorical devices while retaining a sense of whimsy and plain fun. Her genius perhaps shows best in her selection of the singular, startlingly unexpected detail. Adept as she is at wordplay, Leach's writing goes much deeper than that, wondering and speculating at larger questions ... These and other essays range widely in subject matter but accrue to a meaningful whole. Leach is smart, effervescent, earnest and funny. Her voice is perfectly unmistakable, her themes expansive; her prose glitters. The Everybody Ensemble is a revelation.
... eccentric ... The essays are short and amusing, with Leach’s lighthearted humor and charming brand of absurdism on full display ... The strength of Leach’s prose is in her turns of phrases, which are plentiful and playful ... She meanders from one subject to the next, and though this can sometimes betray a lack of focus, her profoundly empathetic perspective keeps things grounded. There’s much to savor in this quirky mix of sharp writing and quick wit.
Not every piece is a hit, but the misses are few, and many are good for sharing with children ... Nice work from a wise, welcoming observer of the beauteous nature all around us.
