Carys Davies’ “Clear” might initially lull you with its deliberate pacing, but don’t be fooled. This beautifully written novel set against the backdrop of 19th century Scotland unfolds like a slow-burning fire, drawing you into a world of quiet strength and simmering tensions.

The story centers on two men: John, a minister sent to a remote island to evict its sole inhabitant in the wake of the brutal Clearances, and Ivar, the Gaelic-speaking islander facing eviction. Davies masterfully weaves together their perspectives, crafting a powerful exploration of displacement, cultural divides, and the resilience of the human spirit.

While the historical context of the Highland Clearances and the schism within the Presbyterian Church adds depth and weight to the narrative, “Clear” is ultimately a story about connection. Despite the language barrier and the weight of their circumstances, John and Ivar find a way to communicate, building a fragile trust and a surprising friendship. Their bond transcends their differences, offering a glimmer of hope against the harsh backdrop of forced eviction and religious upheaval.

Davies writes with a lyrical touch, painting vivid pictures of the windswept island and the churning emotions within her characters.

This is a novel that rewards patience. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, “Clear” might not be for you. But for those who appreciate a beautifully crafted story that lingers long after the final page, “Clear” is a gem.

Clear by Carys Davies is a moving and tender short novel. On a remote Scottish island in 1843, Ivar its sole occupant discovers an unconscious man below the cliffs. Alone and isolated, he chooses to help heal and nurse him. The man is John Ferguson, a church minister in need of money who has arrived on the island to evict Ivar and clear the land for grazing sheep. A fragile, intimate bond forms between the pair as Ivar unknowingly cares for a man sent to alter his life and John discovers a new culture, language and way of life. On the mainland, worried for his safety John’s wife Mary sets off to return him home. It is a novel that touches on history and how it changes the lives of ordinary people in this case the Clearings that shaped land, livelihoods and survival and the invisible connections that can be drawn between two people. It is a masterful work of storytelling with exquisite, stark prose and a fast paced narrative. A profound, beautiful story for fans of historical literary fiction 4.25 ✨.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Granta Publications in exchange for a free and honest review.

I LOVED this book so much. The book has three protagonists; John - a priest in need of funds so he agrees to go to a faraway island to evict its last tenant, Mary - John's wife and Ivar - the sole tenant of the faraway island. the story follows John's landing on the island, his accident and how Ivar and him develop a relationship through learning a new language. The book has beautiful prose and the descriptions of the nature around the island were quite vivid. The importance of communicating and understanding each other was tackled in a good way, and I also enjoyed reading about the character motivations (what drive their actions (view spoiler) ). Overall, a good character study and I would highly recommend it.

This story of unexpected love set against the rugged backdrop of the Scottish Hebrides is bursting with the tenderness of human connection.

Set in the early 1840s when, Scottish clearances meant the natives of the Hebridean islands were being removed from their homes by force, I expected this story to be awash with brutality and tragedy. Instead, Davies has woven a tale of quiet love and hope. Reverend John Ferguson has been tasked with evicting the sole inhabitant of an island so that his employer can use the land for pastoral farming. Ivar, the unsuspecting inhabitant, lives a simple but fulfilling life on the island, subsisting on what he can unobtrusively grow and gather from the land. The third prominent character is Mary, John’s wife. Left behind to await her husband’s return, Mary begins to feel anxious about John’s welfare and takes it upon herself to retrieve him.

Davies’ writing creates a visceral image of the island itself, and of the burgeoning relationship between John and Ivar. She also explores linguistics through John’s learning and recording of Ivar’s native tongue. In the Author’s Note, which I usually read out of a sense of obligation but this time enjoyed almost as much as the novella itself, Davies discusses her linguistic choices and the origins of the words Ivar teaches John.

This is a novella that will stay with me indefinitely. I expected it to be good, but didn’t expect it to resonated so deeply.
Huge thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the digital ARC.

A wonderful novella set at the time of the Clearances on a remote Shetlands-esque island. The writing is exquisite, evocative and beautifully paced. An endearing story about human resilience, friendship and humility.

This short story is one of my favourite I’ve ever read 🫶🏼

It’s 1834 and, 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. The newcomer is John Ferguson, an impoverished church minister sent to evict Ivar so that the island can be used as grazing land for sheep and provide a new source of income for the landowner.

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.

This story is so tender and the language is so beautiful. The two men, both gentle and determined in their own way, are thrown together by nature’s course. They slowly learn to communicate with each other - Ivar describes the words of his ancient language so that John can make notes and eventually understand him. As the language offers connection between the two men, so too does their understanding for one another.

In the same way, the word choice and language in this story is all so carefully chosen and so evocative. the descriptions of landscape and language are so poignant. And the depiction of connection that transcends all barriers is so beautifully depicted.

This book was quiet and slow, touching and unexpected - for someone who recently declared that short stories aren’t for them (me 🙋🏻‍♀️), this one really surprised me. I loved it!

This was such an interesting, emotional little read. I'm new to Davies' work but was intrigued by the premise of the book, mostly because it's about historical Scotland and an event that I actually didn't know about. It tells the story of three people - Ivar, a man living all alone on a remote island, speaking a tongue that is already considered dead; John, the minister sent to this island to make Ivar leave in order for his employer to be able to use it for his own purposes; and John's wife Mary, left behind and not quite happy with the job her dear husband took.

I absolutely loved how communication was explored in this story. Ivar might just be the last one speaking his language, inspired by the real Norn tongue, and he and John cannot speak to each other at first. It's fascinating to see how they manage to communicate without words at first, then slowly working on a kind of dictionary together, learning to understand each other better with each day. The development of their relationship is very tender, very nuanced. The storytelling is very atmospheric and the setting of this small remote island really works well with it.

It was, for my liking, just a tiny bit too short. There was quite a bit of time devoted to explaining the political and religious upheaval in mid 19th century Scotland, which was interesting but did take away from exploring John and Ivar's relationship and the growing fondness they feel for each other, the different kinds of loneliness that shaped them. I also would have loved to read more from Mary's perspective. The ending feels almost rushed.

So in the end, this is definitely a well-written short novel about a subject I didn't know anything about before (meaning - Wiki binge incoming). It didn't pack the emotional punches I was expecting from both the synopsis and the reviews I read of the author's previous work, and I'm not sure it'll leave a lasting impact on me, but it is still a very atmospheric read I recommend.

This is a delightful gentle tale of connection, friendship and love, set against the Highland clearances of the 1840s. Ivar lives alone on a remote island with his few animals. John Ferguson is sent to evict him. Impoverished and desperate to make his way as a minister in the new Free Church of Scotland he reluctantly takes on the task to earn some money. But misadventure means he is left in a coma when he lands on the island and Ivar takes him in and tends to him. As John recovers an increasingly close relationship develops between them, in spite of all that is at stake, not least because John has a wife, who sets out to find him. The writing is beautiful, understated and yet intense in the unspoken. Sensitive, compassionate and insightful, this atmospheric small gem is nigh on perfect. I loved it.

Clear by Carys Davies is a breathtaking novella that immerses readers in the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands through its evocative descriptions and delves deep into the souls of its characters with sparse yet lyrical prose. Davies masterfully intertwines three distinct narrative threads to create a seamless and compelling story.

It's important to note that the pacing of the narrative is deliberate and unhurried, allowing for a profound exploration of the character's thoughts and emotions. We witness Ivar's profound loneliness juxtaposed with his innate kindness and compassion, John's internal turmoil as he grapples with his sense of duty, faith, and complex emotions, and Mary's unwavering determination, loyalty, and selflessness.

Told from the perspectives of John, Ivar, and Mary, the book delves into themes of solitude, isolation, and the profound ways in which human connection can transcend barriers. The narrative beautifully portrays the journey of two individuals learning to communicate and forge a bond despite the absence of a common language, offering a poignant reminder of the transformative power of genuine connection.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Set in the 1840s, “West” tells the story of an impoverished clergyman, John, who is sent to one of the remote Scottish islands on a special mission. It’s the era of the infamous Scottish Clearances, where islanders were forcibly moved off their lands and rehoused on the mainland. Johns task is to convince Ivar, the sole inhabitant of the island to leave.

What follows is a compelling tale of friendship and the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. A beautiful, endearing read.

Set in 1843, Ivar the sole occupant of a remote Scottish Island finds an unconscious man washed up on the beach. He carries this man home and nurses him back to health, all the unknowing that this man in John Ferguson who has been sent to evict him from the island, the only home he has ever know.

The tenderness within this book is something else, set against the harsh island landscape the two men form a gentle relationship. A relationship of deep understanding and great respect despite a lack of common language.

I adored this book, I was getting Claire Keegan vibes throughout and I really loved that this was a story about men, so many of my recent reads have focused on women.

This was a beautiful read!
I am always drawn towards books dealing with the Highland Clearances, and while this book has those tragic events as its backdrop, it's not really what it's about.
John Ferguson is newly moved to the breakaway Free Church of Scotland, and as such finds himself without a Church or Parish or home. In order to provide for himself and his wife Mary he takes on an assignment from a landowner wishing to remove his last remaining tenant from a remote island off the shore of Orkney.

What ensues was un unexpected story. A misadventure leads John to be rescued and fall under the care of Ivar, the man he was sent to evict. Ivar speaks an almost obsolete dialect of old Norn and at first they struggle to understand one another. As John heals and time progresses he learns Ivar's language and learns also about the life and landscape surrounding him. He is called to question his errand and his relationship with Ivar, and when his wife Mary comes to rescue him, the ending is far from expected.

I loved everything about this book - the characters, the setting, the language, the relationships, the sense of place. It is beautifully and subtly written. The concept of the title "Clear" becomes less about the Clearances and more about clarity of comprehension, purpose and identity. It asks the characters to realise things about their lives, what's important to them and how much they're willing to compromise or sacrifice for what they love.

The exploration of language was something I particularly enjoyed. Ivar's language served the purpose of iterating the nuances of the natural world - clouds, waves, weather, subtle moments of time.....things not so easily perceived when one's language and environment do not have them as a focus.

Of course there is the undercurrent of the Clearances and the Great Disruption of the Church of Scotland. John's faith and underlying Presbyterian belief in providence cause him some conflict when faced with a person and an environment in which they have no hold.

I'm not articulating my feelings very successfully, but this was a beautiful read. The insight into the characters, the descriptions of place, the process of figuring out a language - all were portrayed so stunningly. I loved it and would heartily recommend!

At a mere 160 pages, Clear is a novella — a slow burn of a tale with only the barest hint of a story arc. The writing is lyrical at times, yet the point of the story — a churchman tasked with removing the last inhabitant from a fictional island, somewhere between Shetland and Norway, to make room for sheep — receives remarkably little mention. Any reader not well-versed on the history of the Scottish Clearances might well miss the darker nuances of the narrative. The island-dweller, Ivar, believes his visitor is a representative of his factor come to collect rent he owes. The unexpected twist and ending turns this novel / novella into something else entirely. It's a surprise that is at once clever on the author's part, yet also rather misleading in terms of the book being promoted as a 'Clearances' novel. Sadly, it appears to be part of a new trend of book marketing going awry. Whether this is a deliberate ploy by publishers or simply carelessness is hard to tell.

Many thanks to the publishers and to Netgalley for the ARC..

Clear by Carys Davies is the type of historical fiction that tries hard to be bleak, and the result is that i find myself at a remove from the dreariness of it all.

What a moving and unusual book. I have a particular interest in the clearances as my great great grandfather was removed and was a first settler in the Falklands. I find it an emotive subject at many levels and Clear, although a novella, provides real insight into both the issue and the human side of this dreadful period.

There’s such a strong sense of place, isolation and loneliness. But mixed with that are feelings of genuine hope, warmth and care. A bond in the most unlikely circumstances. I thought this might be a little bleak and downhearted, it it turns out to be one of the most uplifting stories I’ve read. It’s spare in style but it’s a book that will remain with me for a long time.

This is an interesting read. A minister is sent to a remote island to remove the one remaining resident.
The clearances were something that did happen in the Scottish Islands and I wasn't aware of much of the history.
This is a nice introduction to the history of the area, giving some information.
It feels quite historical and although it's very short there is plenty there.
This would be great for a book group. It's short but there is so much there.

When well executed, there is something incredibly intimate about the novella format that never fails to cast a spell over me; a spell in which time is suspended and all external distractions vanquished. And so it was with this shimmeringly tender tale of serendipity and human connection, set against the background of two watershed events in Scottish history.

Clear is the story of two men, whose paths cross in the unlikeliest of circumstances, on a remote island in the North Sea, somewhere between Scotland and Norway. It is 1843 and impoverished minister John Ferguson, desperate for any job that will give him funds to help set up his new Free Church, has been sent there to evict the island’s lone tenant, Ivar, so that the land can be turned over to the more profitable business of sheep farming.

What follows is a moving and beautifully observed study of loneliness, love and friendship, and the visceral need of humankind to connect and communicate. It captivated me from start to finish.

Davies’ prose is sparse and nuanced, yet utterly mesmerizing in its ability to paint landscapes and characters in the most intimate detail. Ivar, especially, stirred a deep empathy in me, as he slowly transformed from a man of sadness and solitude into one sparkling with color and light.

The narrative is full of little surprises and unexpected turns as well as moments of humor and, in one notable scene, unbridled joy. With an ending that is gently provocative, it borders on perfection.

Clear is a brief, contained story, but one that carries with it big questions about the impact of tumultuous events on ordinary people; in this instance the Great Disruption in the Scottish Church, which saw one-third of its ministers break away to form the new Free Church of Scotland, and the contemporaneous Highland Clearances, where whole communities of rural poor were evicted from their homes to make way for large-scale farming.

I was left wondering what paths their lives might have taken had John and Ivar not been swept up in these tides of change.

This is another little gem by Carys Davies. If you love Claire Keegan or The Colony by Audrey Magee, you will enjoy this one.

The setting is a remote Scottish island, around 1840, with just one, sympathetic inhabitant: Ivar. It is the time of the 'Scottish Clearances' and it falls on the priest John Ferguson to undertake the long voyage north and find Ivar to bring him the news that he is being removed from his home. Except things don't go as planned, as John makes an ugly fall and it's Ivar who finds and cures John. A friendship develops and in-between we get flashbacks on both men's background.

If there is one point of criticism it is perhaps the ending: everything was beautifully set up to culminate in a grand finale, which didn't really come.

But overall very good and another strong contender for the Booker longlist.

Clear is set on a remote Scottish island during the Highland Clearances, a period in which much of the rural population of the Scottish Highlands and Islands was forcibly evicted from the land to make way for the much more profitable large scale grazing of sheep.

John Ferguson accepts the task of travelling to the island to evict (‘clear’) its sole inhabitant, Ivar, who has lived alone there for many years. For John the task is borne out of financial necessity in order to earn the funds to establish a new church.

His wife, Mary, has doubts about the morality of the mission, mindful of the human impact of what John has been tasked to do. ‘Into her mind a picture came of this vast emptying-out – a long grey and never-ending procession of tiny figures snaking their way like a river through the country. She saw them moving away with quiet resignation, leading animals and small children, carrying tools and furniture and differently sized bundles, and when at last they disappeared she saw the low houses they’d left behind, roofless hearths open to the rain and the wind and the ghosts of the departed while sheep nosed between the stonework, quietly grazing’. She also worries for John’s safety, prompting her to embark on her own journey. I loved the little details the author gives us about her life, meaning she never feels like a character on the periphery.

When John is injured shortly after reaching the island and rendered unconscious, Ivar takes in what is a complete stranger and tends to him. There are moments of great intimacy as Ivar, who seems to sleep only rarely, keeps watch over John and cares for his bodily needs. Close proximity born out of necessity becomes companionship as John recovers his bodily strength, and then develops into something more for both men. John, though, is plagued with guilt that Ivar does not know his true reason for coming to the island, a mission that will uproot Ivar from everything he has known.

I loved the role that language plays in the book. Initially, John and Ivar cannot communicate; Ivar speaks little if no English and John knows nothing of the language Ivar speaks. (The author has based this on Norn, a long extinct language once spoken on the islands of Orkney and Shetland.) They have to communicate in gestures until, little by little, John begins to learn some words. He marvels at how, in Ivar’s language, a word can often have more than one meaning. It’s an immensely descriptive language with many words for different weather conditions, for example.

The writing is simply beautiful, especially the descriptions of the island. ‘There were days when the mist fell like a cloak on to the island’s shoulders; when rain fell in big, coarse drops, melting the soil into a soft brown soup; when a cold, light wind blew over the ground, making the bogs shiver.’

The author resists the temptation to provide an unambiguous resolution to the story, instead leaving the reader to imagine the future lives of the three characters.

Clear is a tender love story, a hymn to a lost way of life and to the raw beauty of the natural world.

I really enjoy Carys Davies, writing especially West and her short stories, so I was eager to read a historical novel by her set in Scotland. I really enjoyed Clear.

Davies can conjure up such a vivid sense of place without being overly descriptive. It's a while since I've read a novel where I've been so thoroughly transported to a different time and place and that's a great achievement for such a short book.

I very much enjoyed spending time with the characters and seeing how the events in the novel changed them. They all have their unique quirks and traits. She has a great knack of getting to the heart of what makes her characters tick and the seeming small events in their lives which actually have a big impact on them.

Whilst I don't want to give anything away, I loved the ending!