Tender, riveting, and inventive is Clear, the newest offering and masterpiece from the brilliant Carys Davies. This novel is not merely a story; it's a breathtaking experience that evokes deep emotions and challenges the reader’s perception of connection and displacement.
Winner of the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize, the 2024 Bookmark Festival Book of the Year, and Wales Book of the Year, Clear has been hailed by notable sources as a best book of the year including Vogue, The Washington Post, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, The Guardian, and The Globe and Mail. It is a daring and necessary read, described by The New York Times as “sophisticated and playful.”
The story begins with John, an impoverished Scottish minister, who embarks on a difficult mission: to evict Ivar, the last remaining occupant of a remote island in northern Scotland, who has lived alone for decades, accompanied only by wildlife and the sea. Despite his wife Mary’s grave concerns, John sets out, igniting a series of unexpected events.
Upon arrival, disaster strikes when John falls off a cliff and is rescued by Ivar, who takes him to safety and nurses him back to health. Thus begins a surprising bond, as chronicled in Clear. Their relationship grows amidst the backdrop of the Scottish Clearances, when entire communities were forcibly evicted from their lands. This period, both harrowing and pivotal in history, serves as the stage for their transformative interaction, prompting reflections on connection, home, and hope.
Davies expertly weaves themes of resilience and language throughout the narrative, as John learns Ivar’s language and Ivar sees himself reflected through John’s eyes for the first time in years. Clear is about more than survival; it is a poignant exploration of what unites us in the face of diversity and strife. Described as “a jewel of a novel” by The Washington Post and “a love letter to the scorching power of language” by The Guardian, this compelling tale is powerful and unpredictable, making it a profound and unforgettable read.
