9 4 3 , ▁in ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Atlantic , ▁she ▁sa iled ▁to ▁England ▁to ▁join ▁B ark er , ▁where ▁she ▁gave ▁birth ▁to ▁their ▁second ▁child , ▁Christopher . ▁She ▁completed ▁the ▁novel ▁while ▁working ▁for ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ence , ▁who ▁fired ▁her ▁after ▁its ▁publication . ▁ ▁Style ▁and ▁reception ▁The ▁title , ▁as ▁a ▁for et aste ▁of ▁Sm art ' s ▁po etic ▁techniques , ▁uses ▁met re ▁( it ▁is ▁largely ▁an apa estic ), ▁contains ▁words ▁den oting ▁ex alt ed ▁or ▁intens ified ▁states ▁( gr ande ur , ▁central ity , ▁we eping ), ▁and ▁all udes ▁to ▁Ps alm ▁ 1 3 7 ▁(" By ▁the ▁waters ▁of ▁Bab yl on ▁we ▁lay ▁down ▁and ▁we pt ▁... ") ▁which ▁indicates ▁met ap hor ical ▁significance ▁for ▁the ▁novel ' s ▁subject ▁matter . ▁ ▁In ▁an ▁ess ay ▁for ▁Open ▁Let ters ▁Month ly , ▁In grid ▁N orton ▁stated ▁" the ▁power ▁of ▁em otion ▁to ▁transform ▁one ’ s ▁perspective ▁on ▁the ▁world ▁is ▁the ▁theme ▁of ▁this ▁wild ly ▁po etic ▁novel ", ▁calling ▁it ▁" a ▁how l ▁of ▁a ▁book , ▁shot ▁through ▁with ▁v ivid ▁imag ery ▁and ▁ec static ▁language , ▁altern ately ▁ex as per ating ▁and ▁inv ig or ating ". ▁ ▁Just ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁copies ▁of ▁By ▁Grand ▁Central ▁Station ▁I ▁Sat ▁Down ▁and ▁We pt ▁were ▁printed ▁on ▁its ▁initial ▁publication