Clear by Carys Davies -> Restarting June 5th, 2024

[Aly]

John, an impoverished Scottish minister, has accepted a job evicting the lone remaining occupant of an island north of Scotland—Ivar, who has been living alone for decades, with only the animals and the sea for company. Though his wife, Mary, has serious misgivings about the errand, he decides to go anyway, setting in motion a chain of events that neither he nor Mary could have predicted.

Shortly after John reaches the island, he falls down a cliff and is found, unconscious and badly injured, by Ivar who takes him home and tends to his wounds. The two men do not speak a common language, but as John builds a dictionary of Ivar’s world, they learn to communicate and, as Ivar sees himself for the first time in decades reflected through the eyes of another person, they build a fragile, unusual connection.

Unfolding in the 1840s in the final stages of the infamous Scottish Clearances—which saw whole communities of the rural poor driven off the land in a relentless program of forced evictions—this singular, beautiful, deeply surprising novel explores the differences and connections between us, the way history shapes our deepest convictions, and how the human spirit can survive despite all odds.

[Vicki]

Through Ch. 12
(view spoiler)[I had never heard of the Scottish Highlands Clearance, so I had to look it up and see if it was real and why they evacuated. Very interesting! I feel for Ivar because he’s so alone on the island, even if he wants to be there. My “evidence” is how much he fell in love with Mary’s picture and even wish John had died because of the picture. I think he’s going off the deep end…lol Poor guy. I’m curious to see what happens when John wakes up and if he’ll make the money he wants to get his church going strong. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Through Ch. 25

(view spoiler)[It would be so difficult to be on an island with just one other person but not understand each other's language. Ivar has been alone on the island far longer than I realized...I'd be going crazy! It's good though that he realizes now that he really does miss human contact, he loves it when John greets him when he gets back from his daily activities, etc. I think they're going to learn a lot from each other and their alone time together. But I also see how John needs some alone time away from Ivar. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Through Ch. 33

(view spoiler)[Poor Mary must be so stressed to have pawned her wedding ring that meant so much to her! Jeez...and to set out to the North all alone, she must be desperate and feeling very worried about John's well-being/safety and her finances,

John and Ivar are seemingly communicating much better now too. I think their relationship is growing. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Finished

(view spoiler)[I thought this was beautifully written, but not a lot of action so some readers I'm sure would have more of a difficult time getting into the plot. It got better towards the end, so I ended up really liking it. (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

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RESTARTING JUNE 5TH, 2024

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[Jammin Jenny]

Hey Trish. I'm going to start the book on Friday. I'm off this weekend to enjoy Supermanfest so I'll read in between events.

[Trisha]

13 chapters / 52 pages

holy moly, what a place to stop! lol

(view spoiler)[ this island sound so so remote.
how scary that he fell. I'm not sure what this will mean for them, when John wakes and he and Ivar must find a way to communicate

and Ivar is keeping that picture of Mary. It breaks my heart Ivar has been alone for so long. I wonder how he will take to having people in his home

I hope Ivar is happy at the end of this story. If that's on his farm, then that. If it's not, then something else. I just hope he isn't pushed off the land he loves if he wants to stay (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

24 chapters / 102 pages

(view spoiler)[ awe, my heart breaks for Ivar. I worry his affection for John is only because he's been alone for so long and companionship is so good after so much being alone. I wonder what John will do with Ivar's affection - when he shows it

I'm sad John only thought of still completing his job and about his new church. I hate that he can't see, yet, how taking the farm away from Ivar - how horrible that would be now. It's all he's ever known. I hope John starts trying to help Ivar figure out what he'll do next. I don't think dropping him into a forest is the right answer.

I wonder when Mary will head out. I hope she helps John see beyond himself and his church and think about Ivar (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

33 chapters / pg 150

(view spoiler)[ wow, so Ivar found out. I mean, I knew he would but they were creating such a good friendship, I'm just crushed that they had such ugly secrets.

Where does this go now? What will Ivar do now that he knows.
and what does John plan to do, keep pretending? Only tell Ivar when Keane actually arrives?

I don't know that this will end well (hide spoiler)]

this one is so good.

[Trisha]

I'm done. oh my gosh, I loved this one!

(view spoiler)[ oh man, if I'd guessed how this would go - it would not have been this!
I LOVE that Mary saw and she chose kindness and compassion. I love that she knew - and she knew she wasn't sure how it would work out - but she couldn't leave Ivar alone. He'd been so alone and he was losing everything he'd ever known. So heartbreaking!

and John. I was shocked he actually allowed the night. I thought he would fight and pray. I was glad when he also didn't change or show less compassion and affection for Ivar when Mary arrived - instead he showed them both attention and love

what a heartbreaking but wonderful story! (hide spoiler)]