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Beyond the Horizon
She points the lens of the camera. The artist turns his head slightly. The light catches his brow and his silver-white hair. She snaps. He is lit like a Vermeer.
Ireland. County Wicklow, 1951. A father and son go swimming in the sea. The waves crash. The wind rises. Only one comes back—Colin, aged six. His mother, Eileen, runs to seek help, but this is a tragedy that will haunt them forever. Colin won’t speak a word. He is mute and struggling to cope. But Eileen can see he has a talent for painting. She shows him his father’s artwork and gives him a print of a Paul Henry landscape, and slowly, with her encouragement, he begins to follow his dream.
Years later on Inishbofin island off the west coast of Ireland, out walking with his dog on the sand, Colin meets Laura, a young woman on holiday, and a tentative friendship starts to develop. Gradually his past comes to life in a story filled with love and frustration, loss and betrayal, but above all with the passion he has held through his life for the light in the sea and the sky and his search for that distant, elusive shore where the sky sweeps down to the water.
One man. The sea. One painting.
Ireland. County Wicklow, 1951. A father and son go swimming in the sea. The waves crash. The wind rises. Only one comes back—Colin, aged six. His mother, Eileen, runs to seek help, but this is a tragedy that will haunt them forever. Colin won’t speak a word. He is mute and struggling to cope. But Eileen can see he has a talent for painting. She shows him his father’s artwork and gives him a print of a Paul Henry landscape, and slowly, with her encouragement, he begins to follow his dream.
Years later on Inishbofin island off the west coast of Ireland, out walking with his dog on the sand, Colin meets Laura, a young woman on holiday, and a tentative friendship starts to develop. Gradually his past comes to life in a story filled with love and frustration, loss and betrayal, but above all with the passion he has held through his life for the light in the sea and the sky and his search for that distant, elusive shore where the sky sweeps down to the water.
One man. The sea. One painting.
158 pages, Hardcover
First published June 23, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 6, 2020
“There was only sea and sky. Transfused with a strange sort of light.”
I read Eoin Lane’s author profile on Goodreads after I finished the book. Its only five words - “Irish author and landscape painter”. I should have known he is a painter. This is a visual book with the beauty in the paintings, in the places in this breathtaking first novel so stunningly described. Breathtaking, not only for what he allows the reader to see, but for how in this quiet, introspective story, I was could feel the passion, the powerful urge to create, the longing and loneliness of an artist.
This is a story of an artist’s life, beginning with a man and his lame dog by the sea . It moves back to his childhood, to the scene where six year old Colin Larkin nearly drowns. He survives, but his trauma is palatable as is his grief over the loss of his father. What happens in his life between those two scenes is told in beautiful prose. His inspirations in the wave, in the “blue magic mountain” in a Paul Henry painting, in his life long search for “a landscape of the mind” to bring to canvas - all so perfectly described. His loves, his losses, his grief are part of Colin’s journey that take him and us to Ireland, London, Manhattan, Maine, Tuscany, India and to those places in his heart and soul that only some writers can take us.
The novel felt so heavy with sadness at times, so full of grief and longing that it caught my breath. Yet, I found moments of joy and hope and a character that I won’t soon forget. This is an utterly gorgeous debut that has me hoping Lane will continue to write as well as paint.
I received a copy of this book from Blackstone Publishing through Edelweiss.
I read Eoin Lane’s author profile on Goodreads after I finished the book. Its only five words - “Irish author and landscape painter”. I should have known he is a painter. This is a visual book with the beauty in the paintings, in the places in this breathtaking first novel so stunningly described. Breathtaking, not only for what he allows the reader to see, but for how in this quiet, introspective story, I was could feel the passion, the powerful urge to create, the longing and loneliness of an artist.
This is a story of an artist’s life, beginning with a man and his lame dog by the sea . It moves back to his childhood, to the scene where six year old Colin Larkin nearly drowns. He survives, but his trauma is palatable as is his grief over the loss of his father. What happens in his life between those two scenes is told in beautiful prose. His inspirations in the wave, in the “blue magic mountain” in a Paul Henry painting, in his life long search for “a landscape of the mind” to bring to canvas - all so perfectly described. His loves, his losses, his grief are part of Colin’s journey that take him and us to Ireland, London, Manhattan, Maine, Tuscany, India and to those places in his heart and soul that only some writers can take us.
The novel felt so heavy with sadness at times, so full of grief and longing that it caught my breath. Yet, I found moments of joy and hope and a character that I won’t soon forget. This is an utterly gorgeous debut that has me hoping Lane will continue to write as well as paint.
I received a copy of this book from Blackstone Publishing through Edelweiss.
March 15, 2020
There are artists that can visually bring a scene, a memory, to a canvas, through their talent, and their artistic vision, sharing a moment captured in such a way that can move the viewer, sharing their gift, and perhaps a bit of their heart and soul. There are authors who can do the same through their words on a page, bringing to life a place, a time, the heart and soul of people on pages, creating a connection that, in the best of stories, allows you to see and feel their joys and sorrows so completely, to know them so intimately that they become a part of you beyond the last page.
Eoin Lane is a talented Irish artist, his landscapes sharing his vision of the world around him. In this debut novel, he shares the story of a man’s life, beginning with his childhood in the 1950’s, when an event that will shape his life occurs. The family is enjoying a holiday by the sea, a brief escape from the daily routines of life.
”They stood for a moment as the foam licked their feet, then raced in.”
”There was sun on her eyelids and the tang of seaweed in a freshening breeze. She moved her hand slightly, spilling the tea, and opened her eyes and watched the colored tumblers rolling like tulips on the sand. The wave began to rise.”
After this event, Colin ceases to speak, preferring to hide inside his room and his thoughts. It is through art classes that he begins to share his feelings on canvas, and eventually his voice returns to him, but his connection to his voice on canvas, where he releases his thoughts and feelings that haunt or move him becomes his lifelong passion.
A hauntingly lovely story, I was pulled in from the first pages and completely swept away by the story and the lyrical prose, as well. A love story on several levels, this is an ode to those places and people to which we feel drawn, an ode to love, to art, and to life, itself.
Edit 3/31/2020: Links to the Author's facebook & Instagram
https://www.facebook.com/eoinlanearti...
https://www.instagram.com/eoin_lane_a...
Pub Date: 20 Jun 2020
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Blackstone Publishing
Eoin Lane is a talented Irish artist, his landscapes sharing his vision of the world around him. In this debut novel, he shares the story of a man’s life, beginning with his childhood in the 1950’s, when an event that will shape his life occurs. The family is enjoying a holiday by the sea, a brief escape from the daily routines of life.
”They stood for a moment as the foam licked their feet, then raced in.”
”There was sun on her eyelids and the tang of seaweed in a freshening breeze. She moved her hand slightly, spilling the tea, and opened her eyes and watched the colored tumblers rolling like tulips on the sand. The wave began to rise.”
After this event, Colin ceases to speak, preferring to hide inside his room and his thoughts. It is through art classes that he begins to share his feelings on canvas, and eventually his voice returns to him, but his connection to his voice on canvas, where he releases his thoughts and feelings that haunt or move him becomes his lifelong passion.
A hauntingly lovely story, I was pulled in from the first pages and completely swept away by the story and the lyrical prose, as well. A love story on several levels, this is an ode to those places and people to which we feel drawn, an ode to love, to art, and to life, itself.
Edit 3/31/2020: Links to the Author's facebook & Instagram
https://www.facebook.com/eoinlanearti...
https://www.instagram.com/eoin_lane_a...
Pub Date: 20 Jun 2020
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Blackstone Publishing
March 30, 2021
This felt like an exploratory into the psyche of a painter.
Colin, who lost his dad in a drowning incident when he was a child, found his way back through the strokes of a brush.
The sea that created devastation and loss, also was what gave his life direction.
Poetic and lyrical; at times depressing and dark. And at others, seascapes and landscapes of Ireland. Vibrant and redemptive.
The passing of time; a reflection on a relationship; a cleansing of the soul.
A touching, melancholy read.
5⭐️
Colin, who lost his dad in a drowning incident when he was a child, found his way back through the strokes of a brush.
The sea that created devastation and loss, also was what gave his life direction.
Poetic and lyrical; at times depressing and dark. And at others, seascapes and landscapes of Ireland. Vibrant and redemptive.
The passing of time; a reflection on a relationship; a cleansing of the soul.
A touching, melancholy read.
5⭐️
April 19, 2020
If you are at all in the mood for a beautifully written book evocative of the art and the artist it depicts, I would recommend you pick up a copy of this story. It is one where the words paint a picture of a picture of the life a person leads who is consumed with a passion that seems to blot out all other things. It's a story that's brooding, a tale of Ireland and its moodiness that at times descends on those who live there. It's a tale of a young man influenced by the sea and a loss that seems to propel his life forward.
What does lie beyond the horizon?
Expecting a day of happiness, Colin, his mom and dad go to the ocean, but then poor Colin is subjected to a tragedy. The drowning of his father, seemingly before his young eyes, occurs. It is a trauma so enormous that Colin becomes mute and this tragedy effects and runs through the rest of his life.
Colin's mother recognizes the inner turmoil her young boy is experiencing and so she shares with him his father's art and gives him a print of a Paul Henry landscape, awakening in Colin a wonderful desire to paint, to create, to capture the sea that took so much from him.
Years later, Colin meets a woman and through her he relates the story of his life. This is a story of love and loss, loss of the ones he loved, loss of friendship, loss of a way forward at times being so consumed by his art that he forgets about being human. It is a sad and brooding tale of a young boy grown to adulthood being drawn to the sea and its power over what he sees and wants to ultimately capture.
Colin seems always adrift and it is only the sea that seems in its way to bring comfort and solace. It is only through his art that Colin feels fulfilled and even though he finds love through the enigmatic Aisling, a troubled soul herself, it's just not enough. For Colin seeks the sea and the place where the sea meets the horizon. He wants to capture it, to paint it, to feel that there is more beyond that place. It is his ultimate goal, it will be the one painting that matters. His life will be dedicated to that destination.
Beautifully told with a keen eye on what it is like being someone who truly sees the world before him, Eoin Lane has created in his first book, a beautiful yet tragic look at what a passion in life can be. He creates a tragic figure in Colin and yet in the end we do see the hope that does come when one is able to see beyond the horizon.
Thank you to Eoin Lane, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy of the book due to be released in June of 2020
What does lie beyond the horizon?
Expecting a day of happiness, Colin, his mom and dad go to the ocean, but then poor Colin is subjected to a tragedy. The drowning of his father, seemingly before his young eyes, occurs. It is a trauma so enormous that Colin becomes mute and this tragedy effects and runs through the rest of his life.
Colin's mother recognizes the inner turmoil her young boy is experiencing and so she shares with him his father's art and gives him a print of a Paul Henry landscape, awakening in Colin a wonderful desire to paint, to create, to capture the sea that took so much from him.
Years later, Colin meets a woman and through her he relates the story of his life. This is a story of love and loss, loss of the ones he loved, loss of friendship, loss of a way forward at times being so consumed by his art that he forgets about being human. It is a sad and brooding tale of a young boy grown to adulthood being drawn to the sea and its power over what he sees and wants to ultimately capture.
Colin seems always adrift and it is only the sea that seems in its way to bring comfort and solace. It is only through his art that Colin feels fulfilled and even though he finds love through the enigmatic Aisling, a troubled soul herself, it's just not enough. For Colin seeks the sea and the place where the sea meets the horizon. He wants to capture it, to paint it, to feel that there is more beyond that place. It is his ultimate goal, it will be the one painting that matters. His life will be dedicated to that destination.
Beautifully told with a keen eye on what it is like being someone who truly sees the world before him, Eoin Lane has created in his first book, a beautiful yet tragic look at what a passion in life can be. He creates a tragic figure in Colin and yet in the end we do see the hope that does come when one is able to see beyond the horizon.
Thank you to Eoin Lane, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy of the book due to be released in June of 2020
August 20, 2020
"A picture is worth a thousand words, but well chosen words will take you where pictures never can"(Unknown Author)
Such was the case for me whilst reading the beautiful debut novel Beyond The Horizon by Eoin Lane.
It would be fair to say I don't truly appreciate art the way some do. I'm no artist and if I'm honest I don't understand the fuss nor recognise the value in some of the masterpieces. Yet for the duration of this novel, with thanks to Eoin Lanes well chosen words, I was most assuredly an art lover.
After a traumatic event at the age of six, Colin was mute for a period of time and the Doctors advice to his mother was to distract him. Knowing he was creative, just as his late father had been, she encouraged him towards art. This so called distraction turned out to be fortuitous as art was pivotal to all the major events of Colins life.
This was a gently told story of life and death. It was a love story. One of romance but also familial love - the enduring bond between a mother and her son. There was grief and there was loss but there was also joy. There were friendships and betrayals. And central to it all was his abiding love of his art - his life's work. The language was beautiful and every word contributed to the picture being painted. And in this case the picture brought tears to my eyes more than once.
Throughout the story, which held me captive from the very first page, I loved Colins passion for his art and admired his skill. I was almost envious of the way he could summons a painting from a blank canvas and had I been able to visit a gallery containing his work I'd have been there. It didn't hurt that his great passion was capturing the sky and the sea. Personally I cannot get enough of sea views. I can, and often do, watch the ocean for hours on end, admiring the play of light, the colours, the way the sky interacts with the sea. I never tire of this so reading about his art was delightful and it made it so easy for me to visualise and appreciate his work.
Though Colin was the central character in this novel it came as no surprise to me to learn the author is also an artist. His passion overflowed and was expressed via Colin. Like I said at the outset, I've never acquired a true love of art. Words however are a different matter. I appreciate the beauty in the written word and this author excelled. Whether he is as skilled with the paintbrush I may never know but I'm very glad he decided to try his hand at writing. A wonderful debut novel I highly recommend.
My thanks to Eoin Lane, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which I was delighted to provide.
September 10, 2020
A beautiful and atmospheric story by author and artist Eoin Lane that captures the depth of human spirit and the love of art.
June 28, 2020
"A narrow band of rock emerging from a swathe of grey nothingness. A veiled swirl of nothingness, A fairy fog. A mist. A thin finger of land scratched delicately through the haze. The mythical island of Hy Brasil."
Beyond the Horizon is a fantastic debut novel! Written with lyrical, beautiful style, it's a touching story dealing with loss, grief, betrayal, love and finding yourself.
6-year old Colin is on a summer holiday with his family when the tragedy strikes. While swimming in the sea, the waves engulf him and his father, leaving Colin the only survivor but leaving him mute. We follow him growing up, struggling with the loss and following his dream, as he discovers he's got a talent for painting.
From the very beginning, this novel drew me in instantly. The author managed to create characters and the story that felt real, but wrapped it all up in beautiful words. I especially felt for Colin, this quiet boy and later man, and his journey. We witness him going through so many tragedies, because they're just a part of our lives and we can't do anything about it, but the ending left a smile on my face and left me with a bit of hope.
Even though the main focus is Colin's life and journey as a painter, I felt like the nature and the sea were also very important. Colin is always moving, going from one place to another, searching for the place he could truly call home. In his travels, the sea is his constant companion, and while he goes through the turmoils and struggles, it changes with him too, which shows through his paintings. Even when he's living in the city or in the mountains, I could still feel his yearning for the nature and sea, and as a nature lover myself, I could relate to it and loved that.
The writing was absolutely stunning. The author created beautiful imagery and established a wonderfully flowing style, that's lyrical but not too flowery. The descriptions of nature, Ireland and the sea left me in awe, and I found myself saving a lot of passages, simply because of how beautifully worded they were. It's worth mentioning that Eoin Lane is a talented and accomplished painter, and it truly shows in his descriptive writing. He was also able to perfectly show the readers the inner thoughts of the artist and I found it absolutely fasctinating to read about Colin's painting process.
Finally, I also felt like this novel had this underlying nostalgia and sadness that I sometimes find in the works of Irish writers and I that do love. Rather than outright tragic and full of drama, the story was haunting and powerful in a quiet way. The only thing that I had to get used to was the structure and multiple flashbacks, which would sometimes jump between different timelines from one paragraph to another. But they got more sparse with time and always brought this deeper layer to the whole story.
Beyond the Horizon by Eoin Lane is a wonderful debut that I would recommend to everyone! With beautiful and evocative writing, it's a novel that will transport you to the foggy and windy shores of Ireland, where you would hear the seagulls calling and would feel the salty air on your face. I definitely look forward to any future novels by Eoin Lane and highly recommend that you give this one a try.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for kindly proving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Beyond the Horizon is a fantastic debut novel! Written with lyrical, beautiful style, it's a touching story dealing with loss, grief, betrayal, love and finding yourself.
6-year old Colin is on a summer holiday with his family when the tragedy strikes. While swimming in the sea, the waves engulf him and his father, leaving Colin the only survivor but leaving him mute. We follow him growing up, struggling with the loss and following his dream, as he discovers he's got a talent for painting.
From the very beginning, this novel drew me in instantly. The author managed to create characters and the story that felt real, but wrapped it all up in beautiful words. I especially felt for Colin, this quiet boy and later man, and his journey. We witness him going through so many tragedies, because they're just a part of our lives and we can't do anything about it, but the ending left a smile on my face and left me with a bit of hope.
Even though the main focus is Colin's life and journey as a painter, I felt like the nature and the sea were also very important. Colin is always moving, going from one place to another, searching for the place he could truly call home. In his travels, the sea is his constant companion, and while he goes through the turmoils and struggles, it changes with him too, which shows through his paintings. Even when he's living in the city or in the mountains, I could still feel his yearning for the nature and sea, and as a nature lover myself, I could relate to it and loved that.
The writing was absolutely stunning. The author created beautiful imagery and established a wonderfully flowing style, that's lyrical but not too flowery. The descriptions of nature, Ireland and the sea left me in awe, and I found myself saving a lot of passages, simply because of how beautifully worded they were. It's worth mentioning that Eoin Lane is a talented and accomplished painter, and it truly shows in his descriptive writing. He was also able to perfectly show the readers the inner thoughts of the artist and I found it absolutely fasctinating to read about Colin's painting process.
Finally, I also felt like this novel had this underlying nostalgia and sadness that I sometimes find in the works of Irish writers and I that do love. Rather than outright tragic and full of drama, the story was haunting and powerful in a quiet way. The only thing that I had to get used to was the structure and multiple flashbacks, which would sometimes jump between different timelines from one paragraph to another. But they got more sparse with time and always brought this deeper layer to the whole story.
Beyond the Horizon by Eoin Lane is a wonderful debut that I would recommend to everyone! With beautiful and evocative writing, it's a novel that will transport you to the foggy and windy shores of Ireland, where you would hear the seagulls calling and would feel the salty air on your face. I definitely look forward to any future novels by Eoin Lane and highly recommend that you give this one a try.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for kindly proving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2020
First, congratulations to Eoin Lane on his debut novel Beyond the Horizon!
A fun family outing by the sea turns tragic. Young Colin was traumatized after the event. He would retreat within himself to deal with the grief.
Eileen sees her son Colin has a talent for painting and shows him his father's artwork and a Paul Henry painting. From this point, Eileen encourages him to follow his dream of becoming a painter. Painting soon becomes Colin's passion.
Through Colin's journey in life, his story is filled with love, loss, frustration, and betrayal. He releases his thoughts and feelings by expressing it in his art.
Eion's style of writing pulled me in right away. It was an enjoyable read, unlike nothing I have read before.
I recommend this novel to others you enjoy expression through art,
Special thanks to Eoin Lane, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
A fun family outing by the sea turns tragic. Young Colin was traumatized after the event. He would retreat within himself to deal with the grief.
Eileen sees her son Colin has a talent for painting and shows him his father's artwork and a Paul Henry painting. From this point, Eileen encourages him to follow his dream of becoming a painter. Painting soon becomes Colin's passion.
Through Colin's journey in life, his story is filled with love, loss, frustration, and betrayal. He releases his thoughts and feelings by expressing it in his art.
Eion's style of writing pulled me in right away. It was an enjoyable read, unlike nothing I have read before.
I recommend this novel to others you enjoy expression through art,
Special thanks to Eoin Lane, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 12, 2020
Beautiful almost poetic prose in a debut novel by an established artist. Layers of pigment and meaning overlap, creating a work of almost impressionistic beauty. The total effect can only be appreciated at a distance, but the viewer has to get close to appreciate the workmanship.
February 28, 2020
It is perhaps no surprise that as well as being being a writer, Eoin Lane is also an accomplished Irish landscape artist. Here he has produced a wonderful lyrical and haunting book that examines the very essence of being an artist and the effect that this calling will have on an artist's life and relationships The story begins by the sea in County Wicklow, Ireland in 1951 with a father and his son going swimming in the sea. A tragedy occurs and Colin, aged six. is the only one to return to the beech.
This incident will shape Colin's subsequent life and although he is initially mute he turns to painting to make sense of his life, inspired by the wonderful landscapes of Paul Henry. Now in old age and living alone and secluded on Inishbofin island off the west coast of Ireland with his faithful dog, we learn of Colin's life and the passion that the landscapes of sea and sky had always held for him. A wonderfully written book where one can visualise the paintings and the landscapes described. Strongly recommended.
This incident will shape Colin's subsequent life and although he is initially mute he turns to painting to make sense of his life, inspired by the wonderful landscapes of Paul Henry. Now in old age and living alone and secluded on Inishbofin island off the west coast of Ireland with his faithful dog, we learn of Colin's life and the passion that the landscapes of sea and sky had always held for him. A wonderfully written book where one can visualise the paintings and the landscapes described. Strongly recommended.
April 21, 2022
Absolutely mesmerising. An artist driven by his earliest memories of swimming with his father in the sea on the day when he nearly drowned and when his father was lost at sea. The descriptions of the sea, the sky, the painting of sea and sky the tortures of a life spent creating is just captivating. I sense the imagery in this book will last and that is always my test of a five star book.
August 7, 2021
This book is prose with a poetic rhythm. It is also remarkable achievement of prose describing landscape painting in such a way that the landscape is more than pigment on a canvas - it is moving, it is real. The painting captures the waves breaking on the sand, and the words capture the painting. Someone described this as being a visual novel, and that is apt. The fact that the author is also a painter and photographer comes through in the writing. I loved the character development (even the characters who were not likable), and I loved the story.
May 14, 2021
4.5 stars. Beautiful.
August 17, 2020
Okay, I requested this book (on Netgalley) mainly because of (unanimously) fabulous reviews and the backdrop of the story. It's about a child who has witnessed a tragedy that affects him badly. Her mother tries everything to make him feel better (and normal) and realises that the child has the talent of painting. And then it's all about his journey as an artist.
Well, it's about art and artist, so it intrigued me, as I am an amateur artist. But, this book really disappointed me (terrible reading phase!).
The beginning is interesting. The language is beautiful but the storytelling is so vague that after certain point, I didn't know what I wanted to know. I didn't care about the journey the protagonist, which is sad. I get it that it's about art and the artist but I feel, for a novel, there's too much art/artist that it started getting dull. There was nothing I was looking forward to. There was no character (after a certain point) that I felt connected to.
To be very honest, I skipped several pages and, to me, it didn't make any difference, which is, again, sad.
Overall, I'm disappointed. I really wanted to like this book but didn't.
Well, it's about art and artist, so it intrigued me, as I am an amateur artist. But, this book really disappointed me (terrible reading phase!).
The beginning is interesting. The language is beautiful but the storytelling is so vague that after certain point, I didn't know what I wanted to know. I didn't care about the journey the protagonist, which is sad. I get it that it's about art and the artist but I feel, for a novel, there's too much art/artist that it started getting dull. There was nothing I was looking forward to. There was no character (after a certain point) that I felt connected to.
To be very honest, I skipped several pages and, to me, it didn't make any difference, which is, again, sad.
Overall, I'm disappointed. I really wanted to like this book but didn't.
March 1, 2021
I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland, and Eoin Lane’s artist’s eye and immersive writing took me there.
Reading Beyond the Horizon was like taking an emotional trip to a rocky cliff’s edge, dangling there, watching the waves crash below, and feeling the vibrations under my skin.
This is a story of love in its many facets, human and art, support and destruction. We feel connection and heartbreak and all the many emotions in between.
The focus here is the journey, as we follow an artist from childhood through adulthood, through success and heartbreak, and out somewhere on the other side where age and wisdom collide.
*I received a review copy from Blackstone Publishing.*
Reading Beyond the Horizon was like taking an emotional trip to a rocky cliff’s edge, dangling there, watching the waves crash below, and feeling the vibrations under my skin.
This is a story of love in its many facets, human and art, support and destruction. We feel connection and heartbreak and all the many emotions in between.
The focus here is the journey, as we follow an artist from childhood through adulthood, through success and heartbreak, and out somewhere on the other side where age and wisdom collide.
*I received a review copy from Blackstone Publishing.*
Read
August 4, 2026This is a DNF for me. I just can't get into it, and expected something different from the description. It had been on my list for a long time and I was trying to complete it to do a challenge to get old dusty books off my list, but about 40% in I need to move on. I have a policy of not rating a book I don't complete, so there will be no rating on this one.
June 17, 2020
There is much to admire in this debut novel by Eoin Lane. It is the story of the life of Colin Larkin, his relationships and lifelong passion for painting and the sea. It is a tale well told and indeed the characters are convincingly portrayed and the locations and descriptions are rendered in a painterly way. Eoin has worked the novel like a canvas and each character is deftly sketched into the landscape. There is clearly an artistic sensibility at work here with artistic reference points throughout, though, like his description of Irish locations, this never appears forced. The language has a lyrical quality but never strays towards the sentimental. Nor does it sanitise the vividly outlined emotional struggles of the characters.
The proximity of the sea for many of us in Ireland is a given. In the novel I could clearly smell its saltiness, hear the crashing waves, sense the ‘bigness’ of the Paul Henry sky. Beyond, however, the success in such passionate picture painting with words is a story that emotionally engages. The twists and turns are skilfully handled. You care about Colin and his intricate connections with others. Only once towards the end was I not altogether convinced by the turn of events. However, this did nothing to mar the tale nor its conclusion.
Beyond the Horizon is a novel to be savoured. It is like a painting that gently entrances and draws us into its world, entreating us to sense what lies beyond. My thanks to Eoin lane and Blackstone Press for this Advance Reading Copy which was a joy to read and review.
Paul Gray 16/06/20
The proximity of the sea for many of us in Ireland is a given. In the novel I could clearly smell its saltiness, hear the crashing waves, sense the ‘bigness’ of the Paul Henry sky. Beyond, however, the success in such passionate picture painting with words is a story that emotionally engages. The twists and turns are skilfully handled. You care about Colin and his intricate connections with others. Only once towards the end was I not altogether convinced by the turn of events. However, this did nothing to mar the tale nor its conclusion.
Beyond the Horizon is a novel to be savoured. It is like a painting that gently entrances and draws us into its world, entreating us to sense what lies beyond. My thanks to Eoin lane and Blackstone Press for this Advance Reading Copy which was a joy to read and review.
Paul Gray 16/06/20
February 3, 2021
This is the story of an artist’s life, mind, body, and spirit: I found it fascinating, hypnotic, rhythmic, exquisite.
“The rain was in her eyes and she couldn’t see through the rain. She couldn’t see through the fog and the rain in her eyes.”
“A storm of sea voices. Coming through the crack in the wall. On the wind. Voices in the deep. Underwater. Deep. Down. Deep. Strands and fronds of seaweed strangling.”
The artist is Colin Larkin, whose father drowns when he is six years old. Colin nearly drowns too, and this episode is the well-spring of his life. For a long while he is withdrawn and doesn’t speak but eventually, he returns to school, and he begins to draw. For the rest of his life the sea fills his being and his canvases. He has a particular affinity for the works of Paul Henry and longs for islands, for solitude, for the sea and sky.
I enjoyed his early family life with his sister and his two brothers, and his wonderful mother. It wouldn’t be enough to say she was wise and loving – she embodied wisdom and love. For fear of spoilers, I will say no more about the story which explores different types of love and devotion. But I will say that Aisling is the loving heart of his life from the very day meets her:
“Her words swinging in like the first peals of a bell that would ring all around him for years . . . “
When Colin finds an island he loves, and begins to work, we get a wonderful insight into the mind of a painter. We are there with him looking at the immense sky and sea. We experience his complete absorption in putting down what he sees. The prose and the sensitivities of Colin make me feel like I’m half alive and missing out, and I am resolved to look at everything I see, to listen to what I hear, to absorb the reality around me.
There are some snatches of poetry (Yeats) here and there which make me both sad and glad to think of all the beauty in this world, all the words and pictures and music, and the earth itself, particularly Ireland.
Colin describes some of his paintings as ethereal; for me, the whole book is ethereal. To say I give it five stars seems irrelevant, and a bit daft.
“The rain was in her eyes and she couldn’t see through the rain. She couldn’t see through the fog and the rain in her eyes.”
“A storm of sea voices. Coming through the crack in the wall. On the wind. Voices in the deep. Underwater. Deep. Down. Deep. Strands and fronds of seaweed strangling.”
The artist is Colin Larkin, whose father drowns when he is six years old. Colin nearly drowns too, and this episode is the well-spring of his life. For a long while he is withdrawn and doesn’t speak but eventually, he returns to school, and he begins to draw. For the rest of his life the sea fills his being and his canvases. He has a particular affinity for the works of Paul Henry and longs for islands, for solitude, for the sea and sky.
I enjoyed his early family life with his sister and his two brothers, and his wonderful mother. It wouldn’t be enough to say she was wise and loving – she embodied wisdom and love. For fear of spoilers, I will say no more about the story which explores different types of love and devotion. But I will say that Aisling is the loving heart of his life from the very day meets her:
“Her words swinging in like the first peals of a bell that would ring all around him for years . . . “
When Colin finds an island he loves, and begins to work, we get a wonderful insight into the mind of a painter. We are there with him looking at the immense sky and sea. We experience his complete absorption in putting down what he sees. The prose and the sensitivities of Colin make me feel like I’m half alive and missing out, and I am resolved to look at everything I see, to listen to what I hear, to absorb the reality around me.
There are some snatches of poetry (Yeats) here and there which make me both sad and glad to think of all the beauty in this world, all the words and pictures and music, and the earth itself, particularly Ireland.
Colin describes some of his paintings as ethereal; for me, the whole book is ethereal. To say I give it five stars seems irrelevant, and a bit daft.
May 2, 2020
Eoin Lane's debut novel Beyond the Horizon is an engrossing and visual read which gave this reader an understanding of how an artist is driven to search for meaning through art. Throughout this quietly original story, I was impressed with the author's skillful depiction of the sea, the land, and his character's inner lives.
The beautifully crafted prose charts the life of Colin from an early childhood tragedy, through his discovery and love of art, his constant desire to capture the ever-changing ocean and sky on canvas, up until mature adulthood and the hopeful dawning of some inner peace. Along the way, Colin's family, few friends, and loves feature in this story, but his restless spirit and constant search are the main focus. At times there is a calm sea like rhythm to the narrative which can just as easily shift to stormy and dangerous, such as when depicting the passion and tension throughout his marriage with Aisling. The shifts in the timeline are also reminiscent of the ocean's ebb and flow and bring a dreamlike quality to Beyond the Horizon.
This is one of those pleasantly haunting books where I will keep on thinking of Colin's troubled and vital life beyond the last page. If you want to be submerged in a fictive dream, Beyond the Horizon is the book to take you there. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Eoin Lane for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reading Copy of Beyond the Horizon courtesy of BlackstonePublishing.com
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The beautifully crafted prose charts the life of Colin from an early childhood tragedy, through his discovery and love of art, his constant desire to capture the ever-changing ocean and sky on canvas, up until mature adulthood and the hopeful dawning of some inner peace. Along the way, Colin's family, few friends, and loves feature in this story, but his restless spirit and constant search are the main focus. At times there is a calm sea like rhythm to the narrative which can just as easily shift to stormy and dangerous, such as when depicting the passion and tension throughout his marriage with Aisling. The shifts in the timeline are also reminiscent of the ocean's ebb and flow and bring a dreamlike quality to Beyond the Horizon.
This is one of those pleasantly haunting books where I will keep on thinking of Colin's troubled and vital life beyond the last page. If you want to be submerged in a fictive dream, Beyond the Horizon is the book to take you there. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Eoin Lane for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reading Copy of Beyond the Horizon courtesy of BlackstonePublishing.com
Facebook: eoinlaneartistwriter
Instagram: eoin_lane_artist_writer
June 29, 2020
That's it. I gave myself until 50% and then I threw in the towel. Sometimes I think I'm just not intellectual enough for the books other people seem to love. I really liked the beginning and I thought the tragedy was quite interesting - but then I totally lost interest in Collin (was that his name?) and his journey. So boring! done.
April 30, 2020
Some writers draw their characters and tell their story through the medium.of crime, science fiction or history. In "Beyond the Horizon" Eoin Lane has chosen art and has executed his characters and story beautifully. Colin is the focus of the story from.when we first meet him as a child to the denouement of the book. You are immediately drawn into his life and while art is the key you are in no way intimidated by it. Lane paints such graphic pictures of place, time and people that you leave each chapter knowing them all.
Colin loses his father, in tragic circumstances, when very young and the storyline is basically his life from then on, taking us from Ireland to England to America and then returning to where it all started. Colin is a gifted artist and his story is told through his struggles with his art and his somewhat tortured personal relationships. But you know him. From the start of this book, every single person is real.
Stories like this are not full of confusing, intricate plotlines and numerous characters. Rather, like Tana French's The Wych Elm , Lane has managed to create a tale with which we can all resonate and characters we all recognise. A simple story, albeit with complex characters and themes, it is wonderfully and magically told and beautifully written. It's one of those books that when finished, you keep thinking about the people you have met and come to know in its' pages.
My advance copy from Blackstone Press provided.me with a rare treat. "Beyond the Horizon" is out in June.
Colin loses his father, in tragic circumstances, when very young and the storyline is basically his life from then on, taking us from Ireland to England to America and then returning to where it all started. Colin is a gifted artist and his story is told through his struggles with his art and his somewhat tortured personal relationships. But you know him. From the start of this book, every single person is real.
Stories like this are not full of confusing, intricate plotlines and numerous characters. Rather, like Tana French's The Wych Elm , Lane has managed to create a tale with which we can all resonate and characters we all recognise. A simple story, albeit with complex characters and themes, it is wonderfully and magically told and beautifully written. It's one of those books that when finished, you keep thinking about the people you have met and come to know in its' pages.
My advance copy from Blackstone Press provided.me with a rare treat. "Beyond the Horizon" is out in June.
May 2, 2020
This one is a hard book to review, in the beginning I was a little lost and just couldn’t relate to Eileen and how she handled her son and his life after the accident. I kept wondering if the story would take off or start improving. I realized the book is written in a style that switches back and forth between time frames and sometimes it is difficult to follow who is speaking. But then the story takes a turn, can’t really say when or exactly what timeframe or scene, may have been somewhere with the cat, but at that moment I had a grandeur feeling and realized this book was so deep and absolutely beautiful.
You need to be in the right mood to read this one, don’t try to hurry it and if you are listening instead of reading, it helps to backtrack and re-listen in order to get the full spectrum of the enormity to feel the richness of the scenes and feelings.
This is a beautiful book about the true love and complete loss one person can go through. When Colin starts remembering different aspects of his marriage, that was an eye-opening experience for me. The author does many things right in this one. It’s not a fast-paced mystery murder but it is certainly a heartfelt wonderful experience. One of those books that you will remember with fondness for years to come. The ending was a perfect way to tidy it up.
I want to thank Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest unbiased opinion. Well worth the read, it’s a 5-star book.
You need to be in the right mood to read this one, don’t try to hurry it and if you are listening instead of reading, it helps to backtrack and re-listen in order to get the full spectrum of the enormity to feel the richness of the scenes and feelings.
This is a beautiful book about the true love and complete loss one person can go through. When Colin starts remembering different aspects of his marriage, that was an eye-opening experience for me. The author does many things right in this one. It’s not a fast-paced mystery murder but it is certainly a heartfelt wonderful experience. One of those books that you will remember with fondness for years to come. The ending was a perfect way to tidy it up.
I want to thank Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest unbiased opinion. Well worth the read, it’s a 5-star book.
June 23, 2020
Beyond the Horizon is a lyrical, mesmerizing tale. It starts slowly, reeling in the reader, and just when you think you know where the story might be going, it changes tack, and then again, and again, like waves we anticipate that surprise us when they wash over us.
With words instead of brushes and pages instead of palettes, Eoin Lane, an accomplished Irish painter, has created an ode to the land and seascapes he has devoted decades lovingly rendering. A deep and sacred sense of place reverberates throughout the novel.
Colin Larkin, the protagonist, is also an artist. Although I am not an artist, I could relate to the vicissitudes of Colin’s life as he pursued his passion, doubted his abilities, felt joy in his work, wondered if he’d gotten too comfortable, put it aside for other aspects of life, reclaimed it, challenged himself, searched for a vision he couldn’t quite grasp. Don’t we all have dreams and visions that both nurture and haunt us, that we struggle to keep believing in or struggle to let go of?
The deeper I got into the story, the more I savored it. I didn’t want it to end. Whenever I had to put the book down to address life’s commitments, I was soothed by the pleasure of looking forward to the moments I’d be able to pick it up again and wrap myself in Colin’s world, spend time with him. He is a man you grow to love and it is hard to say good-bye.
I read an ARC courtesy of Blackstone and I’m excited for the hard cover edition. Some stories stay with you your whole life after you read them - Beyond the Horizon is one of those stories for me.
With words instead of brushes and pages instead of palettes, Eoin Lane, an accomplished Irish painter, has created an ode to the land and seascapes he has devoted decades lovingly rendering. A deep and sacred sense of place reverberates throughout the novel.
Colin Larkin, the protagonist, is also an artist. Although I am not an artist, I could relate to the vicissitudes of Colin’s life as he pursued his passion, doubted his abilities, felt joy in his work, wondered if he’d gotten too comfortable, put it aside for other aspects of life, reclaimed it, challenged himself, searched for a vision he couldn’t quite grasp. Don’t we all have dreams and visions that both nurture and haunt us, that we struggle to keep believing in or struggle to let go of?
The deeper I got into the story, the more I savored it. I didn’t want it to end. Whenever I had to put the book down to address life’s commitments, I was soothed by the pleasure of looking forward to the moments I’d be able to pick it up again and wrap myself in Colin’s world, spend time with him. He is a man you grow to love and it is hard to say good-bye.
I read an ARC courtesy of Blackstone and I’m excited for the hard cover edition. Some stories stay with you your whole life after you read them - Beyond the Horizon is one of those stories for me.
May 29, 2021
Beyond the horizon by Eoin Lane stopped me in my tracks for the vividness of the visuals created by his descriptive, lyrical use of language. His main character Conor Larkin is an artist searching for meaning both in his artwork and his personal life. It’s no surprise that this author is also a landscape painter and he paints with words in this novel. The Atlantic beaches and the sea mist of Ireland’s west coast are tangible, palpable. I found myself drawn in to the narrative of the protagonist Connor so much so that I resonated with his struggles, successes, losses on a personal level. He is a complex character. I followed his inner thoughts and decisions as he sizes up the landscape and describes how he will express it and what he wants to convey in his painting. Through his deeply reflective process, it enabled me as a reader to both visualize the evolution and the final result of each of his new paintings. For me it is one of those books that as you approach the final pages you slow your reading speed as you do not want your journey to end with these characters. It is a book I will return to again and again as much for the visualization of Ireland that Lane creates as his storytelling.
April 18, 2022
A beautiful love story that could only have been written by an artist. A fabulous mix of lyrical writing and atmospheric seascapes.
The story of an artist, who as a young child, witnesses the disappearance of his father when the two go swimming in the sea in County Wexford, something that haunts him throughout his life. To help him overcome the trauma, his mother Eileen encourages his obvious artistic talents and introduces him to the paintings of Paul Henry, a style that very much influences his art. The book follows the development of his painting style and his romance with Aisling, who comes with a secret backstory. His study of the light on the sea & landscapes is so beautifully written that you are there with him, looking at the scenes, in a much more detailed manner than the cursory glances we are inclined to afford them.
I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in art and nature and atmospheric writing, who likes to savour a slow-moving story and drink it all in.
As an older man, he settles on Inishbofin Island off the west coast of Ireland and meets a young woman on holiday and they develop a friendship. At times a lonely book - lots of regrets, but a lot of learning done. What underpins it all is what gives meaning to Colin's life.
The story of an artist, who as a young child, witnesses the disappearance of his father when the two go swimming in the sea in County Wexford, something that haunts him throughout his life. To help him overcome the trauma, his mother Eileen encourages his obvious artistic talents and introduces him to the paintings of Paul Henry, a style that very much influences his art. The book follows the development of his painting style and his romance with Aisling, who comes with a secret backstory. His study of the light on the sea & landscapes is so beautifully written that you are there with him, looking at the scenes, in a much more detailed manner than the cursory glances we are inclined to afford them.
I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in art and nature and atmospheric writing, who likes to savour a slow-moving story and drink it all in.
As an older man, he settles on Inishbofin Island off the west coast of Ireland and meets a young woman on holiday and they develop a friendship. At times a lonely book - lots of regrets, but a lot of learning done. What underpins it all is what gives meaning to Colin's life.
March 20, 2020
The book started out a little slowly and the prologue was a bit stilted but I think that was intentional to set up the rest of the story. It didn't take long before I was sucked into the story just like the waves Colin paints. His character is complex if a bit underdeveloped. Even so I found myself sympathizing with his experiences and connecting with his emotional tugs. I enjoyed the Irish setting and names though I had to look up how to pronounce some so I was saying them correctly. It was a fun little exercise. All in all this is a glimpse of a life colored by tragedy yet quietly triumphant in the end.
June 21, 2020
The text of this book is very pictorial and thus easy to visualise the places where Colin lived or travelled to in his quest for perfection - both in his personal and artistic life. His future seems pre-destined from the day his father dies - he's searching for something just out of reach and never quite finding it. The characters at painting classes, college and galleries are eccentric but entirely plausible. For Colin, the people seem to be peripheral to the places. Parts of the book are rather dark again probably related to his father's death. Wasn't sure about Lal! All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'll re-read it. Great jacket too - would buy on basis of this alone.
June 22, 2020
Colin's father drowned when he was six. This is the story of his life since that time. He became an artist, inspired by a Paul Henry landscape. I was not familiar with Henry's work - making this an educational as well as emotional read. Colin has a difficult time with people until he meets Laura on a beach and tells her his story but he never has trouble expressing himself though his art. This is a totally character driven novel. I suspect I'm the odd one out who didn't love it; I found it overwritten in spots (there's such a thing as too much imagery). Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. For fans of literary fiction and those interested in the process of painting.
July 14, 2020
Beyond the horizon is the story of a man. Of a spectacular painting. Of one life.
Colin lost his father to the see when he was just a boy. Yet, as he started to paint and eventually be noticed as an outstanding artist, the see kept pulling him back to her and influence all of his life and career.
I enjoyed the first half of the story a lot. Halfway through the book I started to enjoy it less than I did. I can’t point out exactly why but some parts of it felt rather disappointing.
I loved the descriptions of the Irish sceneries though! It felt like an enchanting world!
Thank you Netgally, the publisher and author for this free copy in exchange of an honest review.
Colin lost his father to the see when he was just a boy. Yet, as he started to paint and eventually be noticed as an outstanding artist, the see kept pulling him back to her and influence all of his life and career.
I enjoyed the first half of the story a lot. Halfway through the book I started to enjoy it less than I did. I can’t point out exactly why but some parts of it felt rather disappointing.
I loved the descriptions of the Irish sceneries though! It felt like an enchanting world!
Thank you Netgally, the publisher and author for this free copy in exchange of an honest review.
May 5, 2020
I enjoyed it. I did find it difficult to follow at times, but it definitely had an artistic storyline, which I always enjoy. The setting and the landscape depictions were beautifully done. I understand the Author is also a painter, which adds to the depth and breath of the story. At times, the book read like a prose poem, with very beautiful artistic language which again, added another dimension and added to the texture of the book.
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to review this woderful book.
jb
https://seniorbooklounge.blogspot.com/
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to review this woderful book.
jb
https://seniorbooklounge.blogspot.com/
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews