Clear

 

Clear by Carys Davies

Fiction

2024

Finished on May 20, 2026

Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

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.

Slow and gentle to start, Clear reminds me of When the Cranes Fly South, another slim novel of a solitary life. The book's quiet tone, full of emotional depth, evokes a strong sense of place, as well as characters who come alive in Davie's spare details. Learning to communicate with one another, Ivar and John become friends as their time together continues on the isolated island. I was pleasantly surprised with the final outcome, and was even tempted to start reading from the beginning again, but my overall rating doesn't reflect that inclination. Maybe with a second reading, I'd be more apt to bump that rating up to four stars. Clear is one to discuss with others, maybe with a book club. This deeply affecting story will appeal to fans of Claire Keegan and Marilynne Robinson.

Recommend.