I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

This started so strongly but unfortunately it didn’t continue and the ending was weak
It tells the story of three women. Each of which are interesting.
I loved the premise and the writing was very good

As a fan of Evie Wyld's previous novels, I was excited to read The Bass Rock. Set in three different time periods, the book weaves together the stories of three women who are connected by the titular Bass Rock, a real-life island off the coast of Scotland that has long been associated with superstition and tragedy.

Wyld's writing is as sharp and incisive as ever, and she does an excellent job of capturing the inner lives of her characters, particularly the three women at the center of the story. The novel is also notable for its exploration of themes like violence, trauma, and gendered power dynamics, which are rendered with nuance and complexity.

This book has a non-linear structure and frequent shifts in perspective, which some readers may find challenging to follow. The multiple timelines and points of view can be disorienting at times, and some readers may struggle to connect with the characters as a result.

While the novel's exploration of violence and trauma is certainly powerful, some readers may find the book's depiction of these themes difficult to stomach. The novel is unflinching in its portrayal of violence against women, and some readers may find the depictions of sexual assault and domestic abuse triggering.

Overall, The Bass Rock is a well-crafted and thought-provoking novel that will appeal to fans of Evie Wyld's previous work.

One of my favourite books of the year in 2021 I loved the writing and story North Berwick is one of my favourite places in Scotland and knowing the setting of the story only added to the atmosphere!

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC copy of this book. Unfortunately I didn’t love this book and therefore didn’t finish, I just didn’t connect with this one. Not for me, sorry.

A powerful and compelling story, The stories of the three women are woven together in a stunning narrative. There are ways in which the women are physically connected, which emerge throughout the novel. But most importantly they are tied by themes and experiences which focus on the treatment of women throughout history.

A really interesting tale about human relationships and how history is always quietly lurking, leaving subtle imprints on our current lives. Really original and interesting, a thoroughly enjoyable read.

This is an extraordinarily powerful and moving novel. The writing is just beautiful; perceptive, penetrating and devastating without being overly sentimental. The raw emotion of the story; it’s the human condition at its core. Although the overall theme is very dark, (some of the violence is shocking and uncomfortable to read), it’s also full of humour & lightness of touch. The multiple crossed narratives reminded me a little of Ali Smith & Sarah Moss. An absolute must read.

I enjoyed this read. I actually read some and listened to some.
It’s a moving story and very evocative. My favourite section was the present day story as I liked the dreamlike and mysterious vibe to these parts of the book. The narration on the audio is very well done. I particularly enjoyed the parts read by Julie Graham who’s a favourite actor of mine and maybe this contributed to it being my best liked chapters.
The story revolves around 3 different women over many years, flipping back and forth between their stories. I would have liked to have got a better feel in their connections to each other but as 3 separate stories I enjoyed them.

The stories of three women, told over time, are inexplicably linked by the Bass Rock, a landmark that stands as a silent witness to a series of events which will change these women lives.

With themes of societal judgement, gaslighting, and all forms of abuse, The Bass Rock was not an easy read. It shadows these three women, sharing their experiences and how life hadn't really changed all that much since the 1700s. It's a world that is still ruled and ruined by men, where women are hidden away. However, these are women who still manage to exude an inner strength and Wyld manages to make each woman feel connected to the other without them ever meeting. I would say Vivienne (and by extension Maggie) is probably the strongest of the three. Set in the most contemporary time, I enjoyed seeing her rise from the ashes of her mental breakdown and start to rebuild herself. Her voice is amusing too, and very relatable in a very dry, numerous way.

Wyld also pulls off the most atmospheric and moody of settings. There's a symmetry in the imagery that permeates each story, again linking the women together, that involves nature, decay and even the weather. It's masterfully written, and draws the reader into the story even more as you see more of the links form together.

I do think that the stories, regardless of this link, become a little disjointed at times and some characters are obviously favoured over others, and given more plot and time. Sarah is the least developed of the three and her story feels the most out of place as a more direct historical fiction. Often her chapters served only to throw me out of the world and slow the overall pacing of the book. There's too much backwards and forwards, and more could have been done to develop the other characters if Sarah's story had been taken out entirely and still be impactful.

Well written, with some wonderful interweaving of plots but this feels messy at times, and a bit overdone. Almost as though there are one too many threads to pull together.

This was a book that left me thinking. I really enjoyed its premise: a Gothic tale of women, witchcraft and families told over three different time periods and centring around three women: Sarah, Ruth and Viviane. BUT for some reason it didn't quite capture my attention as much as I thought it would.

I loved the lyrical tone that really conjured up the wild and dramatic landscape around The Bass Rock, but if I have to pin point something, it would be that I didn't really connect with the three lead characters, so was left a little untouched by the book.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy reading it, it was just when I came to gather my thoughts after reading, I found it wasn't quite a read for me.

Anyone who's visited the coast near North Berwick will have seen the Bass Rock sitting out to sea, dominating the horizon. In the same way it looms over the lives of the characters in Evie Wyld's latest novel.

The story follows three women, close in location, but separated by time.

First chronologically is Sarah in the 1700s - accused of witchcraft and running for her life.

In the mid-twentieth century, Ruth is trying to start life again, after the loss of her beloved brother during WW2. She's moved to North Berwick with her husband, a widower with two boys, and is having difficulties fitting in to this new life with a ready-made family, in a strange town.

Sixty years later, in more or less the present day, Viv, the daughter of one of those sons, is journeying between life in London and North Berwick. Her father has died, and the house needs to be cleared of personal belongings, including some belonging to Ruth, before the house is sold.

At first the storyline seems to jump about here and there, but persevere as it builds into a compelling but disturbing read. For all three women life is defined by rules created by men - how they should behave, what they are allowed to do (sometimes even think) - and, of course, if men are provoked to violence it's the women's fault.

Wyld's writing is perceptive and empathic, bringing the characters to life through close observation of their actions. An initial feeling of slight weirdness builds imperceptibly into a feeling that dreadful things could be about to happen at any moment.

Throughout, Bass Rock is there in the background, a constant brooding presence, watching every move. In part its presence seems malevolent, an all-seeing eye which will take action if anyone steps out of line (a bit like The Prisoner's 'Rover'), but at times I felt it could be seen as an unattainable land of safety.

The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld is a book that made my blood boil and left a bitter after-taste. No, I didn't dislike it, on the contrary, I liked it a lot. What I didn't like though, is the fact that I could relate to so many women in this novel where all they got was pain, wounds, trauma, and disrespect. This is a book that will make you question the condition of women in this era.

The book tells the stories of 3 women, all situated in the North Berwick region of Scotland but dispersed across time. We see Sarah (in the 1700s), Ruth (in post-2nd World Wartime), and Viv (in present-day). Sarah is hunted for being a witch, Ruth is trying to make her husband's home and his sons her own, and Viv is going through her step-grandmother's (Ruth) things in the aftermath of her father's death. What's common between these 3 (and other) women is the shared trauma suffered at the hands of men.

I loathed reading about male characters, especially Ruth's husband. They are vile, vulgar, abusive, and fiendish. But what struck me as the most unpleasant thing was how the women suffered, no matter what era they were living in. While reading it, you realise that we still are in the grasp of patriarchal mindset and though I already knew this, it still hit me hard. The stories of these 3 women are told in a scattered fashion, you don't know who you'll read about in the next chapter and this made the book rather disjointed. I think it's a perfect symbol of these women's lives.

I loved the characters of Maggie and Betty, especially Maggie because she's a fighter. Of course, all these women are fighters but Maggie understands the world of men. She is clever and straight forward that scares and outrages men. I also admired Sarah's character because of how brave she was.

An element of supernatural and witchcraft is pervasive throughout the book but there is nothing material. It's more in the characters' and your head. There are all kinds of physical and mental abuse in this book, from marital rape, to gaslighting, to physical assault. So, I'd advise you to go into it only if you can handle these.

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK, Vintage for the ebook. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this literary work.

A wonderful, thought-provoking excavation of the link between time, place and trauma. And a truly chilling last page.

Disappointing stuff. I feel like the story had so much potential from the blurb - the story of three women linked across hundreds of years by a remote Scottish island- and the comments in early reviews about the male violence against women was something that I found intriguing, but the pacing was off (painfully slow, even) and because of combination of shortish chapters and split timelines I felt like none of the characters were memorable or had any depth because we spent so little time with them before joining another character whose story I couldn't recall. The setting wasn't all that well evoked either and I even found it hard to discern which time period was which at times.

I know this author is loved by many but I'm sad to say I found this to be a bit of a slog.

Brilliant and wildly inventive. It was a page turner but certainly not shallow or superficial. I'd highly recommend it.

I loved Evie Wyld’s last novel so was excited to read The Bass Rock and it didn’t disappoint.

Three women in three distinct periods - the early 1700s, post WWII, and the present day - lead their lives in the shadow of the Bass Rock, an uninhabited volcanic plug in the Firth of Forth. Their lives are barely their own as they are pulled and pushed by various men. Male violence and its legacy is a constant; every character, male and female, is affected by it.

Evie Wyld is brilliant at character-building and her psychological insight is astute and powerful. She weaves nature and the gothic throughout the novel to great effect.

If I were to quibble, I think the earlier timeline could have been expanded a little more. It didn’t feel as full as the other two. That’s my only criticism though. I loved it.

The story of three women in different time periods, each struggling to live comfortably in the world of men and each accused of failing in some way. From the earliest time period where Sarah is accused of being a witch, to the modern day where Viv is struggling with her mental health and feelings of guilt, this is a story of struggles, but also strength and triumphs. There are several other characters who populate these worlds who also find their way put of their own struggles, whether alone or from relying on others.

I really enjoyed the characters and thought the writing was beautiful descriptive. Elements of a gothic novel in the more historical parts, but then a great modern tale top in the story of Viv. This is simply a story of great female characters and their strength to survive.

The Bass Rock has for lifetimes watched over those that pass it on Scotland's mainland. Though many have moved through, the three women at the centre of this novel are tied together both in place and parallels, though living centuries apart. An exploration of abuse, friendship and strength - atmospheric and lyrical in its execution.

A beautiful new novel from one of my favourite authors. I'd read anything that Wyld writes, and this didn't disappoint. Lucid and ominous. I included it on my list of the most notable novels of summer 2020 at Five Books https://fivebooks.com/best-books/notable-novels-summer-2020-cal-flyn/