pickJust loved this! One of those books that I had completely the wrong idea about, and was only persuaded by another reader to give it a go.
Cathythoughts Stacking 👍🏻❤️ 2w
Kitta Loved this too! 2w
pickJust loved this! One of those books that I had completely the wrong idea about, and was only persuaded by another reader to give it a go.
'Your English is perfect,' Joan said, watching me thoughtfully. 'Edward was worried we wouldn't find someone.'
'I learnt at school. From Sister Mary and from reading Woman's Own.'
She laughed loudly, again. I laughed too. No one found me funny on the island.
'I see. Well, it's perfect. You could pass for an Englishwoman.'
Joan looked out at the sea.
'Greatest country in the world.'
[Sensing an authorial raised eyebrow here]
pickBeautiful writing and a bleak island life. Whilst a little predictable in the romance element, still held its worth. I liked the portrayal of young life and the natural and harsh world. Also a good time of the year to read it.
pickThere are a surprising number of books with this title. This one is quiet with a pace both leisurely and conveying urgency, echoing the collision of the way time is reckoned on the mainland with the way it runs on the island. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and was glad to have the audiobook to help me with the Welsh pronunciations. In the end, it left me wanting, which is apt but unsatisfying.
pickWonderful. Sparse sensitive writing. Historical fiction at its best makes the characters real and come alive. The protagonist learns about the trickery of strangers. I can see the straightforward ease of rural life, not for the work, but for the familiarity of the people
pickA quiet lyrical novel set on an island off the coast of Wales right before WWII. Beautiful writing. 3.5 🌟
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An atmospheric novel (similar to #campitsy24 pick Clear) about a community living on an island off the coast of Wales where a whale beaches itself one day.
Narrated by Manod, an 18 year old woman living with her father and sister, it describes island life and the slow disappearance of their culture as younger individuals leave for work on the mainland.
Set in the backdrop of pre-WW II this was a fairly quick and interesting read.
pickA solid debut, O'Connor writes beautifully and confronts issues with a delicate touch. Wonderfully crafted sentences and imagery give a tactile sense of place, and themes of duty to self vs family and community and the problematic nature of anthropological study and bias are deftly handled. The characters and emotional depth unfortunately don't reach the same standard, but it is still a worthy read and I'm excited to see what O'Connor writes next.
Quick trip out to Sturgis, South Dakota to visit my dad. Mitzi‘s Books in Rapid City is a nicely curated shop.
"The whale became stranded in the shallows of the island overnight, appearing from the water like a cat slinking under a door."
