Helga's Reviews > Clear

3.5

The events of the story take place in Scotland in 1843.
John Ferguson is a minister who has been sent by a landowner to evict Ivar who has been living on a Scottish isle all his life.

John lands on the island and hides the gun he has been given to in case of violence. But before introducing himself to Ivar and accomplishing his mission, he has a near fatal accident and finds himself in Ivar’s home and his care.

It is obvious that Ivar doesn’t know of John’s intentions.
Should he tell him or should he lie and make an excuse for his presence on the island?
What would Ivar do if he learns the truth?

The story itself was written beautifully and the chapters were appropriately short, alternating between John, John’s wife, Mary and Ivar’s perspectives.

What I didn’t care about the book, was the over and over and over-describing of the nature, the surroundings and the weather. The book was comparatively short, but it could have been much shorter.

As opposed to the detailed descriptions I found the characters under-done and their reactions and behaviours not compatible with their beliefs.

Also considering the date in which the story happens, I found the ending a bit far-fetched.