Clear by Carys Davies

 

Summary (from the publisher): 1843. On a remote Scottish island, Ivar, the sole occupant, leads a life of quiet isolation until the day he finds a man unconscious on the beach below the cliffs. The newcomer is John Ferguson, an impoverished church minister sent to evict Ivar and turn the island into grazing land for sheep. Unaware of the stranger's intentions, Ivar takes him into his home, and in spite of the two men having no common language, a fragile bond begins to form between them. Meanwhile on the mainland, John's wife Mary anxiously awaits news of his mission.

Against the rugged backdrop of this faraway spot beyond Shetland, Carys Davies's intimate drama unfolds with tension and tenderness: a touching and crystalline study of ordinary people buffeted by history and a powerful exploration of the distances and connections between us. Perfectly structured and surprising at every turn, Clear is a marvel of storytelling, an exquisite short novel by a master of the form.

Review: It's 1843 and Ivar is the only occupant on a remote Scottish island. One day, he finds an unconscious man washed up on the beach. The man turns out to be John Ferguson, who has been sent to the island to evict Ivar to turn the land into grazing land for sheep. Due to John's injury and the language barrier between the two, Ivar has no idea that this is John's intent. While Ivar cares for John during his recovery, the two form a bond.

This book was so visually stunning. I loved the setting and the sense of intense remoteness and isolation that fosters the connection between the men. This was short and striking. 

There were a lot of images that really caught my attention in this book. John's husband Mary has false teeth, which come up over and over. Almost like in relief that she's been accepted despite her imperfections or that he sees the real her, to her core. The image of the teapot, washed to shore and squirreled away was particularly symbolic because John follows a similar path. In both cases, Ivar tenderly cares for what he finds on the beach and also knows that they're not his and will be taken back if found with him. 

I guess I was taken aback by the ending and wasn't sure what to make of Mary's decision to accept this development in her husband's life. The book is left sort of intentionally open ended so it's unclear what the three will do next.  

I did listen to this on audio and wonder if it was a mistake. The Scottish accent was beautiful, and it was only 3 hours long. But I do think I missed a lot of the striking and subtle hidden meaning while listening. I switched to reading the print for the last third of the book and enjoyed that a bit more. 

Stars: 3