From the Irish Potato Famine to the prairies of Oregon by way of New York, Honora O'Donoghue travels great distances in Sing, Wild Bird, Sing. This reFrom the Irish Potato Famine to the prairies of Oregon by way of New York, Honora O'Donoghue travels great distances in Sing, Wild Bird, Sing. This resilient, resourceful young woman keeps moving forward, and I was taken to situations and locations that I really wasn't expecting - which is partly makes this such an exciting book to read. Plus, of course, O'Mahony's excellent writing. Thanks to the author for my copy. ...more
In the 1840s newly married John, a poor clergyman, leaves his wife Mary behind to take a job which involves travelling to a remote Scottish island wheIn the 1840s newly married John, a poor clergyman, leaves his wife Mary behind to take a job which involves travelling to a remote Scottish island where he must 'clear' the single remaining inhabitant, Ivar, whom the landowner is going to replace with sheep. Soon after his arrival, John has an accident and is found unconscious by Ivar who despite their lack of a common language cares for him and the two form a bond. This is a wonderfully tender love story to the land, a disappeared way of life and human relationships. I loved it. And if you haven't read Davies' novel, West I urge you to read that too. I meanwhile need to read her other novel and her short stories. Highly recommended....more
Oh, I loved this poignant, slow-moving, funny, tender, gem of a book. I listened to it as an audiobook read exquisitely by Ell Porter. The story is naOh, I loved this poignant, slow-moving, funny, tender, gem of a book. I listened to it as an audiobook read exquisitely by Ell Porter. The story is narrated by Blanca, a ghost who died in the fifteenth century when she was fourteen. Four hundred years later she is still haunting the same charterhouse near a Mallorcan village when the French author George Sand arrives with her two children and Chopin. Blanca falls in love with George, and is able to inhabit all the characters' heads and read their history and see their future. It has to be said that not a lot happens, but it's full of beautiful unrequited yearning, yet written in contemporary English (which really worked). We also get to hear Blanca's story and how she came to die. Don't read this if you want a traditional pacey scary ghost story, but do read it if you want wonderful writing, brilliant characters, and a bittersweet ending that will stay with you. ...more
I loved this novella about a man, Cy, who travels West in the 1830s to find the 'giant' animals he's read about in newspaper. He leaves behind his tenI loved this novella about a man, Cy, who travels West in the 1830s to find the 'giant' animals he's read about in newspaper. He leaves behind his ten-year-old daughter in the rather slack care of his sister and journeys accompanied by a male native American, who has the brilliant name of Old Woman from a Distance. It's pretty much perfect, with the endless terrible journey and struggle to survive. Davies switches point of view in an interesting way, and even the rather surreal and unlikely ending, I loved. Highly recommended. ...more
A little too classic in its style for me - a way of writing that often seemed superficial and skimmed over feelings and relationships. But once I got A little too classic in its style for me - a way of writing that often seemed superficial and skimmed over feelings and relationships. But once I got into that, it was a sweet and simple tale of a French servant who suffers after everyone she loves leaves - even the parrot she loved so dearly. (See even I'm writing in that way now.)...more