SOLVED. very vague memory - something about a house at the top of the world? [s]

[Joe]

Fiction, likely Adult, could be completely wrong about author's name being similar to but not actually Clive Barker. Story set somewhere rural in modern Britain (meaning within last 15-60 years). I think protagonist was a boy of about 13 or 14 years old. Possibly a runaway, had run away to the country.

He had encountered this couple, the names Jacob and Rachel ring a bell but those names could be completely wrong. Am certain the names of the couple were biblical but didn't sound uncommon or old fashioned, if that makes sense. I don't remember the ages of the couple were ever mentioned but you would imagine the couple were at least in or around their fifties. The man was likely about 10 or less years old than the woman. They weren't married but they were together, and living together as a couple.

At random points in the book, a fox would be seen to be speaking with the boy. I have a feeling the fox was killed with a knife by either the boy or the man or was killed by a dog owned by some other man. Vaguely remember the fox somehow being not a but the Lord Fox?. At points during the book the fox and the boy would be talking, in words but without any verbal communication. In the story, I do not remember method of communication being defined or dwelled upon at all but we are definitely talking some kind of telepathy.

I do remember the end of the book takes us to somewhere rocky, exposed and wild like somewhere in the Scottish Highlands or on a rocky Scottish isle. I am confident that story ended up somewhere very north but still in Scotland.

The end of the story leads us to a house or structure that cannot be seen until you are inside it. The entrance to this structure is hidden amongst the rocks. Inside this structure, the 'walls' are covered in either or both mud or filth (waste, human or animal or both i forget). beneath the muck, the 'walls' are made only of solid, vibrant light. Touch the 'wall' and you start to forget your physical, mental and emotional separateness from the World and start becoming, in a sense, aware of and part of and conscious of Everything in the living breathing World. Only the World, not the Universe. We're talking pagan-type themes rather than anything anywhere near sci-fi themes.

During the book, the man and the woman are said to live a very curious life. I'm sure bestiality was alluded to, the woman and a horse she kept, but I think it was relevant that the man and woman didn't have sex. It's possible that others in the book heard rumors or thought they might be brother and sister although, if that was the case, in the story the man and the woman never acknowledged or confirmed that. I don't remember there being a dog or a cat anywhere in the story but that doesn't necessarily mean there wasn't one.

The big finish involved the man and the woman, in this structure in north Scotland somewhere, the place with these 'walls', coming to some realisation that they were two halves of a single angelic-type being. I think once that happened, and once they merged and became again one being, they left the story or the story ended.

I really wish I remembered more, I would love to read this story again. I am certain it's not a memory of a distant, almost forgotten dream. I am adamant this was a book I read in my mid to late teens. I am now 31, if that helps.

[Gini]

Wow this sounds so intriguing! I truly hope someone knows something.

[Joe]

I'm really hoping it wasn't too obscure a book to have read. I think I'm wrong about the exact names of the man and the woman but am confident on the rest of description.

[Danielle]

This is a real longshot, but just to throw something out there. The Subtle Knife
Bits and pieces of what you said reminded me of it. I don't know worth a try. Hope you find it! :)

[x.melancholy.x]

Joe wrote: "Fiction, likely Adult, could be completely wrong about author's name being similar to but not actually Clive Barker. Story set somewhere rural in modern Britain (meaning within last 15-60 years). ..."

Are you sure it's not Clive Barker? It sounds very much like Sacrament to me.

It has a talking fox. The mysterious couple are Rosa McGee and Jacob Steep.

[Joe]

You're right! That is it! Have no idea why but thought it was by some author with a similar name, but yes it is Clive Barker's Sacrament! Am just going to make sure I don't still have the book stashed. If I don't then I'm getting another copy before the end of the month. Thank you very very much! :)

[Cheryl]

So, would you please change this to SOLVED and shelve the book in the group bookshelves? Thanks!

[Lisa]

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "So, would you please change this to SOLVED and shelve the book in the group bookshelves? Thanks!"

I'm doing that now.

[Lisa]

Joe, If it's not the book, just let us know and we can unshelve it, or I can move it to probably solved vs. adult fiction solved if you prefer.

[Joe]

Hi Lisa,

Please accept my sincere apologies and thank you for shelving for me. This was my first ever posting to the site and, as I was so pleased with the response to my query, I honestly completely forgot to follow site procedure.

I might have to spend more time here, get to know the other posters better, etc. This website is now in my Top 10 of all time favourite websites. :)

Thank you again, and thank you to Cheryl for highlighting this.

Sincere regards,

Joe