The inspiration for the novel includes Kennedy’s interest in the duality of human experience, such as unity and isolation, desire and addiction, and trauma and healing. These themes are woven into the narrative through Margaret’s relationships with her father and her estranged partner, Colin. The dance metaphorically represents life’s rhythms and Margaret’s search for a fulfilling existence.

Additionally, Kennedy’s Scottish background provides a cultural backdrop for the novel. She draws inspiration from her surroundings, using them to explore broader human themes rather than focusing solely on national identity.

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Family Relationships
The novel explores the intense bond between the protagonist Margaret and her father, who raised her alone. Their relationship is so close that it makes Margaret hesitant to fully commit to her boyfriend Colin. Kennedy examines the complexities of father-daughter dynamics.

Love and Intimacy
A central theme is Margaret's struggle to navigate her romantic relationship with Colin while still feeling beholden to her late father. The novel dissects the "intricate difficulties of human relationships" between lovers, family, employers/employees, etc.

Social Commentary
Kennedy sets the story against the backdrop of depressed, contemporary Glasgow, touching on issues like lack of community, the decline of social services, and the exploitative nature of loan sharks preying on the disadvantaged. The novel has a "gently political" bent in its social observations.

Postmodern Techniques
The novel employs postmodern narrative techniques like a non-linear structure, blending of past/present, and cryptic foreshadowing of future events. Kennedy's prose style is praised for its nuanced exploration of human connections.

In summary, "Looking for the Possible Dance" is a character-driven novel that treats familial bonds, romantic entanglements, and social ills, employing an intricate, postmodern narrative approach.

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Kennedy's writing style in "Looking for the Possible Dance" is often praised for its poetic and evocative nature. Critics appreciate her ability to capture nuanced emotions and create vivid imagery through her prose.

The novel is known for its emotional depth and ability to resonate with readers on a personal level. It deals with profound and often painful experiences, and Kennedy's sensitive portrayal of these moments has been widely appreciated.

Overall, "Looking for the Possible Dance" is considered a significant work in A.L. Kennedy's oeuvre and in contemporary Scottish literature. It established her as a distinctive and powerful voice in fiction, capable of blending poetic language with deep emotional and psychological insight.

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