Whale Fall, by Elizabeth O’Connor - Ann
Whale Fall is set on a remote island off the Welsh coast which is only 3 x 1 miles, inhabited by only 12 families, plus a minister and lighthouse keeper. The year is 1938 and many of the cottages are empty, either due to people leaving for the mainland or loss of young men in WW1. The threat of another war is looming, and life is very hard. Survival relies on fishing and farming. They are basically living at least 10 years behind the mainland and sometimes rely on shipwrecks to bolster supplies. Suddenly, unexpectedly two anthropologists arrive from Oxford University. They recruit bright 18-year-old local girl, Manod to help translate and write whilst they interview inhabitants all over the island. To Manod, they appear quite exotic from a different world, and have a great impact on her. However you’re left wondering whether there was another ulterior motive for their being on the island.
I wanted to read this book to find out what it is like to live on a remote island, and the story taking place prior to WWII gave an added interest. The writing is very descriptive, with the flow helped by page breaks. I was immediately immersed into the island characters and the very primitive living conditions everyone experienced.
I couldn’t put the book down, despite getting upset about how the islanders were treated. I don’t think remote island life is for me!
Ann
