The year is 1857 and a shy girl Audrey travels from her home in London to the Isle of Skye to work for the aged Miss Buchanan, a folklorist who is trying to capture the traditional tales before they disappear from the fabric of life.
The journey needless to say is arduous and we soon learn that Audrey is as much running away from something as she is running towards a new opportunity. On the boat over to the island she meets another young girl who is ill unnerving Audrey further still.
This is a beautifully written story but despite that the subject matter was not as appealing to me as the author’s previous book The Unseeing which I adored. I struggle with books featuring the supernatural and this book has confirmed that the stories passed from person to person in the oral form, however interesting simply lose their power because I couldn’t quite transport myself to a time and place where the superstitions they generated were seriously believed.
Once she was in her place of work, both physically and ordered about by those who she had to live and work for, Audrey got caught up in the local stories, when they were revealed to her. Storytelling being stamped out by the clergy who thought it interfered with their fire and brimstone sermons. And then a girl is killed and a strange spirit is blamed for her death. Audrey is understandably spooked the girl having washed up on the beach under her window.
In a separate strand of the story we find out that Audrey knows her mother spent time on the island as a young woman, it was from her that Audrey learned to speak Gallic and to love the folktales, although I’m not sure who would think it necessary to tell the brutal stories to innocent ears, these were different times! But Audrey’s mother died on one of the Scottish Isles and her father has refused to discuss the details with her.
In short we have superstitions, folklore and secrets and it seems as though everyone is determined to hide things from Audrey; the crofters don’t trust her with their stories, the woman who employed her and her nephew are oblique in their dealings with her and her father point-blank shuts her out of his life. With so few people talking the book frustrated me in the lack of forward movement which I’m afraid to say contributed to the disconnect I felt between the mysteries on the pages.
The author’s beautiful way with words came to the fore when describing the islands and recounting the history of the clearances of the crofters. These elements provided me with a deeper understanding of the life the men and women who lived on the Isles at this time lived. It was a poor life, the harshness heaped onto the challenges of the weather and the poverty by heartless landowners. The clergy and the gentry seeming to join forces to decimate a way of life that had been followed for years. We often forget that we can go back far further than recent history to find examples of careless disregard for other’s way of life.
I’d like to thank the publisher Headline for allowing me to read a copy of The Story Keeper ahead of publication on Thursday 26 July 2018.
First Published UK: 26 July 2018
Publisher: Headline
No of Pages: 352
Genre: Historical Fiction
Amazon UK
Amazon US
I was very interested to read your thoughts on ‘The Story Keeper’, having recently been to a talk by Anna Mazzola in which she discussed, among other things, her new novel (my post is here if you fancy a read: https://londonlifewithliz.com/2018/06/09/a-book-brunch-with-anna-mazzola-and-natasha-pulley/). I’m yet to read either of her novels but, based on what you’ve said above, will begin with ‘The Unseeing’, which appeals more to me.
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I really did enjoy The Unseeing because its starting point was a real Victorian crime and I love the premise. This one will probably be loved by those who enjoy folklore, I discovered that I’m probably not that keen.
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Lovely review 💜
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Thank you
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I think I’m interested in the historical aspects of this book. I read another by Peter May that included aspects of the Clearances. Yes, their way of life was harsh and spare. Some of the descriptions were so hard to imagine. The supernatural things don’t bother me, so I’ll watch for this one to come out over here. I imagine we’ll get to try it at some point.
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I loved so many parts of this so I tried hard to get across that my personal preference was why I didn’t enjoy this quite so much as the author’s first novel.
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I appreciate your candor, as ever, Cleo. I’m always a little wary of the superstitious in my fiction, too. It can work, but I prefer the prosaic. I’m glad you thought the book was well-written, and the setting really appeals to me. So does the fact that it’s historical (as you know, I do enjoy a good historical novel). Hmm….I think I’m a bit of two minds about this one…
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There was much to admire but fundamentally I struggle with the belief that the stories were true, I think if I were more fully immersed in this part the book would have been a fantastic read, sadly not so much for me.
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Oh dear! Tragically this is next up on my list. I suspect I might have to throw it at the wall, but I’ll just have to hope the Scottish setting will see me through. Doubt it, though – supernatural… oh, dear! And I don’t want to make you feel bad – but it’s all your fault that I took it from Vine too… 😉
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Oh dear, don’t let my review put you off, you might enjoy it far more than I did 😉 I don’t think it is my fault and anyway I have redeemed myself before the fact with the Ruth Ware!
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Haha! Good point! OK, you’re off the hook… this time!
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Parts of this one sound good…I like reading a beautifully descriptive story, so that might keep me going. I would want to learn the secrets, though…and it doesn’t sound like they will be revealed, or at least not readily. Thanks for sharing.
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There are so many good bits it’s just a shame that I didn’t really buy into the superstitious parts and so I suspect I lost out on the main experience.
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I don’t mind reading about olden beliefs but when it is bordering on the negative I’d prefer to give it a miss. Setting sounds very good.
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I can’t say too much without giving spoilers but the superstitions are only a part of the tale – unfortunately the part I didn’t enjoy so much
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I really loved your review. I am looking forward to reading this book (also, “The unseeing that you mentioned) 🙂 D
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I think it’s tricky to work the supernatural into a story, but I’m not totally against it. I’ve heard of this author, maybe I should add The Unseeing to my list. Thanks for the review!
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