I truly enjoyed living in the world of this book while I read. It feels so cinematic and so tender. The end felt a bit jumbled together in some ways, I think it could have ended a tiny bit more abruptly OR had more substance and context (as far as the decision of the wife in regards to the relationship she stumbles upon). Regardless, what a worthwhile read!

I had never heard of the Scottish Clearances and also didn’t know about the contention between the different church denominations in 1840 Scotland. As I understand, because of the contention, John, a minister, has little money because he has few members in his church. To supplement his income he takes on the job of evicting a remaining solitary tenant, Ivar, from a landlords island. This task is made almost impossible when John has a terrible accident and additionally can’t understand Ivan’s language.

I enjoyed seeing the island through John’s eyes. The descriptions are written beautifully. I could “see” the island and “feel” the atmosphere. The descriptions of Ivar’s food and daily activities were very interesting. I was drawn in by this gentle story and couldn’t wait to find out the ending.

That’s where I had to suspend my belief. It seemed very contrived and out of character for a staunch, religious man who felt that even dancing was a sin. The addition of the wife coming to find her beloved husband and delightfully accepting the situation seemed unreal.

If it weren’t for the ending I would have given the book 5 stars but it just didn’t seem real. Especially in the 1840’s.

Many thanks to Carys Davies and Scribner for the ARC via NetGalley.

Wow. Davies does and says SO much about so many things in the quietest little way. In under 200 pages, I deeply got to know two men despite very little happening or being said. What a rarity and credit to Davies. This is spectacular.

The title related and really explained this book. Very well, but as you read it, you can see why the author picked this title.. This was an interesting part of Scotland's history.How the wealthy people were forcing these people off because they wanted to have sheep farms. John the minister was part of this and he lived on a manner but he wanted to be part of the freedom so he joined the other ministers and so he had to find a way to live. He traveled all over Scotland to preach.Andy had a wife named mary. Mary was a very interesting character because she married very late in life and she had a lot of opinions. John's family really do not like her because she did not have children and she chose not to stay home. She struggled with john all the time. John accepted this job job to make money to go to the island to invict JV.A c. He lived on.
This island by himself and he had no family nobody.He was old and cantankerous. The Manor house. Was always Vacant because the owners never lived there. They wanted the land for sheep farming.So they wanted this man off the island. So john shows up and things went really S o u t h. He fell off a cliff barely survived but this man bought him back to life. I v a c really liked his company and they got along really well. Ivan went into the manor house and he found out what john was really up to. He liked Mary's picture which John had done before he left for the island.. Things got very tense after that. It has a different type of ending you will not believe. This is part history and part love story. How people to this day you can go to scotland and see the Homes where people related live and they were forced off the lamp.

Clear by Carys Davies is a short little novel about an isolated man who comes in contact with a desperate minister who must remove him from his island. It's set in 1843 on a fictional island north of the Shetland Islands, and takes place during two events in Scotland's history: the break of about 400 Presbyterian ministers from Scotland's system of patronage, and the Clearances, when rural poor families were removed from their homes by landowners for crops, cattle, and sheep.

Ivar, the last man standing on this island, speaks a different language (the book has a glossary) than the minister John Ferguson. The minister leaves his wife, Mary, behind on the mainland. We follow these three people through the month that this story takes place, and I thought it was intriguing. It felt, as I saw another reviewer say, like this would be a book you'd read for a literature class and discuss. The way the title of the book makes itself a theme in many ways throughout is interesting, whether it's referring to the weather, the ocean, the communication, or the emotions. The building tension and isolation, and the ways they presented themselves, were also really interesting as I read it.

It ended a bit abruptly, and it wasn't as shocking or exciting as I was bracing myself for it to be, so that's why it didn't hit that five-star read mark. But I could easily see myself re-reading this and getting something different from it again and again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for giving me advanced reader access to this title in exchange for an honest review. It publishes tomorrow!! April 2, 2024.

Davies's delivers an unforgettable novel in a small package in Clear, her latest offering. Set in 1843 on a remote island similar to those found in the Orkneys and Shetlands, the novel focuses on the story of impoverished minister John Fergusen, who has joined the Free Church movement that broke from the Church of Scotland. Out of desperation, having no money with which to build a church, or indeed, with which to support himself and his wife, Mary, John accepts a paying job to travel to the island to clear it of its last inhabitant. This job flies in the face of his basic morals and requires him to confront the unknown inhabitant and to take a gun along. Once on the island he quickly loses his way - in many ways - and ends up being rescued by Ivar, the island's remaining inhabitant. Ivar nurses him back to health, during which time John learns and records in his journal, many basic words of the unique dying language Ivar uses; the two build a close relationship. Back at home, Mary's worry about John's safety feeds into her own growing desperation; she sells her wedding ring and undertakes a journey that brings her to the island and the climax of this engrossing story. The story is told through the perspectives of each of its three characters. Davies writes with confident mastery. The language she uses to describe the setting is absolutely gorgeous and mesmerizing; the language she uses to advance the plot works with equal effect as the reader experiences the moral dilemma that John faces as if it were their own. Readers who appreciate excellent literary fiction, readers who are fans of historical fiction, and readers in search of an offbeat yet very rewarding novel will all be more than satisfied with Clear. Highly recommended.

"Clear" by Carys Davies is an unforgettable exploration of human connection and the transformative power of unexpected bonds. Set against the backdrop of the final stages of the Scottish Clearances in the 1840s, the novel follows John, a minister struggling to support him and himself and his wife Mary. When John accepts a job to travel to a remote island north of Scotland and evict its last occupant, he embarks on a life-changing journey.

Upon arriving on the island, John suffers an accident, and Ivar, the sole inhabitant, nurses him back to health despite their inability to communicate due to language barriers. Over time, they forge a deep bond that transcends language and their differences, all while John grapples with the guilt of his true purpose on the island.

Davies masterfully explores connection, love, and the transformative power of empathy. This has been the easiest 5 stars I’ve given so far this year — “Clear” and it’s characters will not be easy to forget.

Clear tells the story of two men, one that lives alone in a Scottish island in the 1800s, and a minister who gets paid to evict him. Despite his wife's reluctance, John accepts the job to clear the island as an easy task that is going to be well paid. When he gets there, he discovers that it will be actually hard to communicate with Ivar, who speaks a language that is practically now extinct. Even before the two men properly meet, John falls down a cliff and gets badly injured, knocking him out unconscious for a few days. Ivar takes care of him until John gets better, even though he already deduced what this stranger came to do to the island. He wouldn't be the first one.

We also get to know John's wife's point of view, Mary. She is left by her husband to deal with their impoverished situation, that drives her to takes some desperate decisions, and ultimately, take the journey to the island to get John home.

The writing was decent, I struggled a bit to get into the first part of the book since it was a bit slow. It really picks up around the second half, and that plot twist in the end was worth the whole reading experience for me. This book is also short so you can actually get through it on one seating. I would recommend.

In her new novel Clear, Carys Davies paints a vivid, multifaceted picture of 1843 Scotland. Three pieces of history converge to form one story: the Great Disruption in the Scottish church when approximately a third of the ministers left the Scottish church to form a new church, the Clearances of the rural poor from Scottish islands to make room for huge flocks of sheep to line the pockets of large landowners, and the impending extinction of the native language spoken only in the Orkney and Shetland islands.

Middle-aged John Ferguson has joined the rebellion against the Scottish church, leaving him and his wife Mary in desperate need of money as he tries to establish a new church with no building and no ready-made congregation. When his wife’s brother-in-law offers an opportunity to earn money by traveling to a remote island to remove Ivar, the sole resident, to the mainland, John accepts the job against his wife Mary’s wishes. Shortly after arrival, an accident seriously injures John, who is found along with some belongings, and gradually nursed back to health by Ivar, who has little idea where he came from or who he is. To complicate matters, the two men have no shared language but each harbors a secret. Meanwhile, Mary learns something frightening that leads her to make a dangerous decision.

Most immediately important for the two men is finding a way to communicate as John heals from his injuries and as Ivar goes about the daily work of surviving on an island where he has lived alone for several decades after losing everyone he ever loved. As time passes, John knows the ship will soon return to take him, along with Ivar, back to the mainland. But how does he break this news to Ivar, a much larger, stronger man with no intention of leaving the only home he has ever known?

Clear is not only historical fiction but also character study, a story of three diverse people—John, Ivar, and Mary—and of their changing lives and relationships. It’s a story of coping with sometimes enjoying the present and of perhaps finding a way to face the future.
While John Ferguson was sent to clear the island of its last human inhabitant, thus giving one obvious historical meaning to the title, to my mind, the title takes on deeper, more personal meanings pertaining to language and human feelings and perceptions. Although outstanding historical fiction, Carys Davies’ latest novel may be more for the contemplative reader interested in character studies than for the seeker of fast-paced entertaining plots. That said, I found it difficult to put down and completed it in two sessions.

Although early portions provide the most essential historical background, readers should not overlook Davies’ extensive notes at the back, for they fill in more historical fact and shed light on her research.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for an advance reader copy of this impressive new novel.

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I was really excited for this book based on the synopsis and while it was intriguing it, overall, fell flat. The characters have a lot of potential to be interesting and to grip a reader's emotions but they don’t. While it was an interesting story to learn about a piece of history I was previously unfamiliar with, not once was I emotionally involved. I didn’t particularly care about any of the characters besides the old horse and the blind cow. It was very surface level, what you got was what you got. The story was told rather than shown through anything which made it kind of boring especially as the initial shock and interest of their meeting wore off and they settled into a routine. I wish the language barrier had been shown more through their failures to communicate rather than their successes as it made it seem very easy and took away the only active conflict (for most of the story the threat of eviction is passive). Overall it just wasn’t grabbing me or making me care about the outcome of most of these characters. It is an interesting look at a piece of history but that’s about it.

This started off slow and felt bogged down at first, but it really picked up at a fast pace. I loved the writing in the end. The story was woven neatly and I enjoyed the use of the Norn language. The island setting was appropriately dismal. Read through in one sitting.

I enjoyed this little story about humanity, human connection, faith, and loneliness. The writing is very atmospheric and beautiful; especially the passages about nature transport you to the setting very well. John and Ivar develop a tender and unique relationship that I enjoyed learning about, but definitely wanted more. I also wanted more of John's wife. I liked learning about Scottish history and language. I feel there wasn't enough for me to absolutely love it, but I would recommend!

This is a beautiful, short book, set during the Scottish Clearances. A minister has accepted a wealthy landowner's assignment to remove the last tenant from a remote island so the land can be grazed by sheep. After being injured and nursed by Ivar, he begins to learn the language and form a connection to the man, to whom he hasn't revealed his mission. The story gives every indication of a terrible outcome for Ivar, John, and John's wife Mary - but ends up making a beautiful pivot to an inclusive, optimistic ending (whose only flaw, maybe, is leaving readers with warm feelings in connection with a cruel and greedy period of time that caused much suffering). It's a lovely study of characters and place; in this it makes a nice thematic pairing with 'Elizabeth O'Connor's Whale Fall.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

It’s 1840s Scotland, John is a minister married to Mary. Ivan lives alone on an island and the landlord wants him removed. John needs the money and agrees to evict Ivar. When John falls off a cliff, Ivar finds him and their relationship begins by learning a common language.

This is a very different book. It is a smooth story with three characters and not a lot of plot. The short chapters and the differing views help to propel the story along. It’s a story of connection and people taking care of each other. I wasn’t a fan of the ending; however I found the setting and writing very interesting.


Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Clocking in at only 208 pages, this is a short but very unique book. While the story itself is fiction it takes place during the Scottish Clearances in the 1840s when wealthy landowners forcibly evicted poor rural folk inhibiting their more remote acres to replace them with crops and livestock. I admit my knowledge of world history is very limited so I enjoyed learning a bit about this time period.

The protagonist John Ferguson is a minister who has just split from the Church of Scotland. Needing a way to make some money to support himself and his wife Mary he volunteers to travel to a remote island north of Scotland to evict its lone inhabitant.

John ends up injuring himself shortly after he lands on the island and Ivar, the island's one resident, takes care of him. As time goes on, Ivar and John end up forging a bond despite their many differences.

I found this novel to be atmospheric mainly due to the descriptions of the damp, foggy, gray, misty, craggy island. While I don't feel that I got to know either of the main characters very well, I found myself endeared to both, especially Ivar. As always, I would've liked more character development. The ending was surprising to me but pleasantly so. I can only imagine what would go on to occur after the plot of the book ends. I really enjoyed the relationship that grew between Ivar and John as well.

If you like atmospheric novels, historical fiction, or are looking for a quick read, this one's for you!

I've never heard of the Scottish Highlands Clearance prior to reading this book, so I had to Google it and see what it was all about. Very interesting.

I cannot imagine what Ivar went through, staying on the island alone. All alone, except for his horse, Pegi, some sheep & cattle and the fish he caught. He was truly living off the land, a real life survivalist. When John Ferguson was offered money to go and evacuate Ivar from his property due to lack of paying rent for years, he did so because he had left the church and was building his own and he and his wife Mary were financially struggling.

The story reminded me of The Old Man and the Sea, but not for the reasons you might think. These two men struggled together to learn to communicate after John fell off the cliff and Ivar found him and nursed him back to health, but they didn't speak each other's language. So they had to find ways to communicate once John healed from his fall.

This story is not one of action, so if you get easily bored with a beautiful story and even more beautiful writing, maybe this one isn't for you. I , however, definitely recommend this one. It's a short book with a meaningful lesson (more than one) and as you get more into the story it gets more and more interesting and you can't help but to want to see John and Ivar end up in a good place.

The premise is intriguing, the setting and atmosphere come alive, but I didn’t love the book.

The writing style is all tell, no show. In fact, it’s as if someone is sitting down, telling us a story about people none of us know. We’re distanced from the characters and their emotions. Consequently, I never felt anything, which is a shame because there’s great potential here.

The characters aren’t developed, nor is the plot. The ending is abrupt. What could have been a powerful conclusion just made me shrug because I didn’t understand or care about any of these people.

'Clear' is an absolute gem of literature! In just 146 pages, Carys Davies weaves a tapestry of emotion and depth that is simply breathtaking. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the split of the Scottish Church and the land clearances, the story delves into the intricate dynamics of three individuals. Themes of isolation, solitude, landscape, language, friendship, family, and above all, hope, resonate powerfully throughout the narrative. The way the story wraps up is nothing short of magnificent! I wholeheartedly recommend it, and I am eagerly anticipating diving into Davies' other works. This is storytelling at its finest! Massive thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an e-arc of this novel! It was one of my favourites so far this year!

✨Clear by Carys Davies✨

Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 208
Pub Date: April 2

📚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.

📝I have mixed feelings about this book. What I enjoyed the most was the writing. It was beautiful, descriptive and melancholic. This was incredibly complimentary to the remoteness and loneliness of the island.

What I didn’t enjoy or understand were the characters. Ivar, John and Mary were never fully fleshed out. There was no time to develop an attachment to any of them and the majority of the writing was dedicated to descriptions of the island.

💫Thank you to @scribnerbooks @netgalley for my ARC💫

In the late 1840's, John Ferguson, a Scottish priest, takes on the extra task of traveling out to a faraway and remote island to deliver an unwelcome message to its lone occupant. Upon arrival John falls off a cliff, but is discovered and mended to good health by Ivar, the island's sole resident. Neither men speak a common language. However John works to learn what he can of Ivar's complex and dying language in order to complete his mission. Ivar learns the joy of human companionship after decades of solitude. John questions much of his life as he is caught up in the beauty of remoteness and language. All while John's wife Mary waits, worries, and sets off on a rescue mission.

I really enjoyed this book. It is so beautifully written. It had me thinking about my Scottish ancestry and the reason why they might have left. I will be recommending this book to many.
4.25 ⭐️