Island of Whispers

Hardinge can do no wrong if you ask me. Some of her writing speaks directly to my soul, some to my brain, some makes my feet twitch in craving of adventures, but I’ve always felt — nourished, and richer for the experience, for having read her.

This story is significantly shorter than her usual fare, but no less lovely, especially complemented by Emily Gavett’s illustrations that put me in mind of art in books from my own childhood. Do I wish this was a longer story? I’m always greedy for more of Hardinge’s writing, so yes. But was every word in its place, precisely fitted for the size of this story? Yes again. Island of Whispers would make a lovely gift to fans and collectors of Hardinge, and serve and introduction to those who are fortunate enough to yet discover her writing.

Strange, alluring and utterly beautiful in story and in illustrations

Frances Hardinge is a mesmeric and utterly imaginative writer. One who hooks into the soul of any adult who does not seek to bury their earlier, childlike sense of wonder. And of course she will hook into the soul of children too. She is a wonderful writer. Period. She happens to write for children.

Anyway, Island of Whispers is a novella, or a longish short story. What is different here from other Hardinge’s I’ve read, is that this is a collaboration between author, artist and illustrator Emily Gravett and Hardinge. Emily Gravett as author, writes for much younger children, with the focus really being on her sumptuous illustrations. Hardinge writes for children who would have been confidently immersing themselves in narrative, character and literary complexity for quite some time.

The narrative in this concerns a family on a small strange island. For generations they have been Ferrymen, carrying the ghosts of the dead to another strange island, home of a ruined tower.

Hero and central character of this book is Milo, an imaginative and empathetic boy of 14, youngest son of the rather grizzled, grim Ferryman a man with “a stillness, a stern calm in his eyes like a winter evening sky”

This wonderful novella is made equally so by Hardinge’s extraordinary writing and Gravett’s extraordinary illustrations, in black, white and judicious blue wash. The pictures, as much as the words, should be savoured and lingered over.

I read this on Kindle, and realised that though the illustrations were beautiful, just in black and white, that I needed to experience them in better format, so downloaded again in the NetGalley app for Android. I really hate reading on any digital device other than Kindle, but could at least read on Kindle and flick for the illustrations on Android.

Really, this will definitely be a book to buy as a physical copy, for full and glorious appreciation. This is a heavenly marriage between visual and literary art forms. Enchanting, truly.