Books
by Samantha Harvey
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The Western Wind |
1491: A priest narrates a death and its impact on his remote and poor Somerset village. How and why did the largest landowner, a cultivated friend, die? And what are the intentions of the investigating Dean? Will and should the bridge, main lifeline to the outside world, be rebuilt? Not a conventional whodunnit, although there are mysteries to be unravelled, but an unfolding of the inner lives of two troubled men and a vivid portrait of village life in its austere struggle for survival. Beautifully written.
(Tony Pratt - bwl 99 Winter 2021) |
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The Wilderness |
Jake is 62, a retired architect, now suffering from Alzheimer's. The story is told from his point of view and unreliable memories. Who is real? Did some events actually happen? Confusing enough for the reader to unravel, but not nearly as bewildering as for Jake to try and make sense of his own narrative. It could be a depressing read - it isn't. Harvey's first novel, can't wait to read her second.
(Mary Standing - bwl 63 Winter 2011) |
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