2.5 stars, rounded up. A scream of incandescent rage against the patriarchy, and masculine violence against women. Wyld interleaves the bleak and brutal stories of three women separated by time (the 17th century, the late 1940s, the present) but united by a shared sense of place: the eponymous rock formation off the Scottish coast.

Positives: She succeeds admirably in channeling the Fleabag-ish voice of Viv, a contemporary Londoner fleeing a troubled past, and the cut-glass tones of Ruth, a Englishwoman in the 1940s married to a cheating husband. Both women are living in the same haunted house in Scotland, and both are haunted by depression, alcoholism, loneliness, and a history of abuse, and their stories parallel and illuminate each other in clever ways,

Negatives: Some truly cringeworthy patches of overwrought Gothic prose, and the minor female character of Maggie seemed cribbed from Ali Smith. The male characters are one-dimensional caricatures of narcissistic cruelty and brutal violence, and the plot is a catalogue of parallel instances dehumanization, victimization, and imprisonment. The novel would have been much stronger without the third narrative strand: the thinly-researched tale of Sarah, a young girl accused of witchcraft.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pantheon for supplying me with an ARC in exchange for this honest and unbiased review.

Written like a gothic novel this one explores toxic masculinity through the eyes of three women, in different time periods.

While the stories are engaging, I personally would have liked more exploration of the story of Sarah because I was left wanting.

The other stories however were, at times, hard to read, but are important. But this story does not encourage the reader to hate all men and is not a statement that men are all awful, it encourages you to appreciate the good men too.

I found parts of this story to be complicated. Sometimes I got characters and their stories mixed up, but perhaps that was just me. There also seemed to be parts where there was so much going on and sometimes more is just more.

This story is beautifully written and compelling. It is a complicated tale filled with detail - this story is much more than it may seem at first glance, and is filled with nuanced and well thought out characters.


Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the chance to read this book!

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Bass Rock explores the lives of women in three different periods. Evie Wyld's writing was fantastic and visceral. The places described felt real and brought back memories of places I had been. The dialogue felt snappy and realistic. The 25%-65% of this book I loved and sped through. I especially enjoyed the sisters' relationship during the most recent time period.

However, as a whole, the book felt disjointed and did not come together. There were many lose ends that were left hanging. I'm still not sure why there were ghosts. I personally am very wary of violence against women in books, as it can easily become about plot and shock value. There were a series of vignettes featuring violence against women that I felt were not tied in well enough. The end felt sped through.

Three stars for this one.

In Wyld’s latest novel the well known Bass Rock in North Berwickshire forms the physical backdrop to the main stories. It has existed over geological time but has accrued a number of historical myths and legends around it. It is its inevitable longevity that is most significant to a tale that runs across generations and centuries exploring themes around the inequality of women, how they are controlled (or not), of violence against them (and children), and how they resist and survive these things. The novel’s format is to present interweaving tales across four “periods” and these are interleaved with both memories and “ghosts” who travel between them.
In the current Viviane has been asked to housesit and clear the home of her step-grandmother - Ruth. This is to provide her with an occupation and income as she is struggling with life. There are references to a breakdown after her father’s death that left her in a mental hospital. Told as her personal testimony her fragility is still clear. But by becoming involved in more of the past, this visit will reinvent the tenor of her relationships with her mother, older relatives and her sister and she ends standing in a much stronger place.
Ruth, another key character, arrived in the house just after the Second World War and her marriage to widower Peter who has sons Christopher and Michael (Viviane’s father). She too has had mental difficulties as a result of the war, the loss of her brother and a series of miscarriages. She has to bed into an alien community with its own established rituals and regimes. Peter it turns out is having an affair (and illegitimate daughter), but is trying to convince Ruth this is not true under threat of her being sectioned. She makes an unlikely alliance with the housekeeper Betty – a woman with deep local roots, who has seemingly incidentally a sister “placed” into an institution. Behind the polite facades there are deeply concerning “other” realities.
The third theme is set in (maybe) the 17th century. Food is scarce, society is breaking down, marginal families are under attack both physical and with allegations of witchcraft – with all that entailed. The fourth theme is into an even deeper and more intangible historical past where with uncertainty of invasion and occupation threats women could be randomly attacked by strangers and discarded as dangerous nuisances.
This novel is strongly women focussed, the tales being seen largely through their eyes. Through it runs their lack of political power, relative lack of financial resources and the vulnerability this gives them. Even those from the wealthier families (and educated) can find themselves at risk. So this is a book not just about growing support networks, but more critically the compromises women might make to keep themselves secure. These might include being profoundly disloyal to the women around them, albeit often this is matched by simple acts of kindness taken at risk to themselves. The ongoing extent of the importance of the latter is quietly hinted at. Over the course of history women’s rights (and securities) have supposedly improved, but against that are ongoing family histories and impacts – with the worst being hidden, even from quite close family members.
Bizarre then to say that this fine and astute tale is also a compelling read. Wyld draws the reader along at pace, no doubt because this book is firmly about people. All seem real, whether for better or worse. Maybe it is the female support and continuity across the years that gives reassurance. But the ‘40s – modern settings will link directly to most readers’ lives and so the tale will be real and relevant to most. Incidents will resonate at a greater or lesser level, at the same time as placing them within their wider ongoing history and family continuum. So this story is deeply relevant to the present as well as the past

Atmospheric and richly characterized, THE BASS ROCK is an intricately woven and haunting canvas of the lives, secrets, successes and failures of three women. Evie Wyld is a wonderfully gifted writer, with an unflinching eye and a wise and rare voice. A fascinating--if sometimes challenging--read.

DNF
I re-started this book three times, and I am still lost.
Perhaps this can be blamed on CV-19, and I will pick it up at another time and love it, but right now, I can't get it to gel.

Despite containing many trigger warnings for violence against women and children, this was a compelling and gut-wrenching read that doesn't shy away from describing complex relationships between women and the various kinds of abuse they suffer at the hands of their families and communities, as well as within their own minds. The characters are rarely "likeable" in the traditional sense, but they are eminently sympathetic and realistically drawn. Though a lesser book would hit you over the head with the haunted house story, this is so much more interesting than that.

It took some time to get into this book as I was confused regarding the time shifts of the 3 different inter-related women. There is nothing to indicate who was who and when was when. Chapter titles indicating who the reader was with - and when - would have been helpful. What did 'n' mean or the Roman numerals? They didn't add up and there was no indication at the beginning or end of the book to help out.
Having said, that, I did enjoy what I could understand and, if I'd known who was who I probably would have been more engaged with the story. I wanted to be but I felt it was hard work to stay with it.

I loved this. I have never read anything by Evie Wyld before but I'll definitely be seeking out her previous novels. The Bass Rock is an atmospheric, beautifully written novel concerning the three lives of women separated by generations but linked by place and the relationships they find themselves in. Fantastic, and one I keep thinking about.

One of those books that is so different from the rest and that is a good thing! I believe I’ve read one other book by Wyld and enjoyed it as well.

The Bass Rock says men are historically trash.

It tells the story of three different women. First we have Sarah in the 1700s who has been accused of witchcraft. Sarah’s sections are narrated by Joseph, the son of the man that saved her. Ruth’s section is told in third person and takes place in the 1940s. Ruth has married a widow who has two sons. She wants to be a bigger part of the boys’ lives, but is treading lightly as she doesn’t want to impose. Viv’s section is told in first person and set in modern day. Viv’s had a mental breakdown after the death of her father and her family gives her the job of clearing some things out at the house by the Bass Rock. We hear more from these women as the years go on… as women are allowed more of a voice, more autonomy. It’s a beautifully structured and phenomenally written novel that deals with the violence of women, the control that men feel that they have. It’s incredibly tense and eerie. It’s vivid and horribly relatable. It is, I think, a perfect novel. And one that I think will interest people who read loads of different genres. You’re going to want to pre-order this book.

The Bass Rock is an exploration of toxic masculinity and its effect on women; it took me a few pages to really get into the story, but after that it was a deeply interesting story and I could not put it down. The lives of these three women are connected by the place near the Bass Rock in Scotland, and by the similarities in what they experience with the violence of men, who seek to control their lives, in some way or another. It was very interesting especially to see the connections between Ruth and Viviane, both having been institutionalized and living with the ghost of, presumably, Sarah.

The Gothic tones of the story is emphasized by the bleak, cold setting of the Scottish village, the violence that you can feel increasing as it goes on and, of course, the ghost.  The Bass Rock encompasses gendered violence throughout generations, the emotional and physical damage, from gaslighting to murder. The character of Maggie, Viv's friend, seems to embody the witch/rage of all women, which is very interesting - she's angry, she's free and shameless, and always on high alert. Oh, there are also interludes, a few pages of a story of unnamed women suffering violence in the hands of men, which aren't part of the story (unless I missed something), but really added an extra layer of rage.

I was impressed by the story and left it a bit stunned - at first I hadn't realized it would be quite so intense, and I'm furious at how so much of what these women live through echoes our reality so perfectly. I could not connect so well with Sarah's story, perhaps it's a bit more removed in time from me and that's why, or maybe because it was told through the point of view from a boy. Otherwise, this was, as promised by the synopsis, compulsively readable.

There are several trigger warnings for this book, grief, alcoholism, paedophilia and many, many kinds of violence against women. None of it is gratuitous or too graphic, but it's painful to read nonetheless.

What a fascinating, well-woven tale of different women's lives over the course of a few centuries. Evie Wyld is very pointed about male violence towards women without a lot of room for interpretation, but that is timely social commentary I can get behind. I was getting major Gothic vibes from this novel, especially the storyline following Ruth and her maid Betty in the 1950s, cooped up in their Scottish manor.

Although the writing in this novel is strong, I did not finish this one. Reading has become a bit tricky for me during Covid sheltering in place, but the violence portrayed in this book along with the slow plot did not hold my interest at this time. I may pick it up again at a later date.

I picked this up because I had heard some really interesting things about this book and thought it would be something I would enjoy.
Many thanks to Evie Wyld, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
‘The Bass Rock’ follows the story of three women, based in North Berwick during different times, Sarah in the 1700s, Ruth in the post WWII era, and Viviane in the present era. The Bass Rock itself provides a looming presence throughout the novel.
I adored this book. The writing was haunting and lyrical, a real joy to read. The backdrop of the harsh Scottish landscape, provided a constant sense of foreboding.

This was a very unique novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. Typically I am not into multigenerational stories, but I was drawn in by its setting in Scotland and the story of Sarah, who flees after being accused of being a witch. It turns out that Sarah was of least interest to me in this novel, but I’ll explain more about that below.

The novel travels mainly between the stories of three women across time, Sarah in the 1700s, Ruth in the post WWII era, and Viviane in the present era. The novel starts with Viviane traveling to Ruth’s former home in Scotland to pack things up as she struggles with the death of her father, Ruth’s stepson. Ruth’s story covers her marriage to a widower, mostly looking for a stepmother for his children. Sarah is not directly connected to rest of the narrative. She is taken in by a man and his son after she is accused of witchcraft.

Fundamentally, this novel is about men’s violence against women and other vulnerable people (i.e., young boys), rather than really about the characters or the plot (of which there is little). Little stories are also laced throughout describing violence against unknown people, not connected to the main three stories. Still, I enjoyed Ruth and Viviane’s narratives is immensely. The characters are well developed, multi-faced, and unique. The book is very sad and rage-inducing, but this is complemented by moments of warmth and humor. I laughed out loud several times throughout the book.

Evie Wyld’s writing is excellent. She did a great job representing the voices of women of three different time periods. However, I did find the story of Sarah rather weak. It seemed out of place for me, although I suspect she has a direct connection to the the two other stories that is not made explicit in the novel. It was for her story that I struggled the most to piece together what was happening, and perhaps this is because her story is told through the voice of the boy whose family she joins. There were also some supernatural components to the novel that I’m still not sure how to interpret. This may be a novel I need to reread to fully understand the connections between everything. While I was immersed in the novel from the beginning, I also struggled to put some things together, which is why I think the book needs more than one read to get everything.

Along with a strong focus on violence, another trigger warning is for alcohol abuse. I believe that it served its purpose in the novel, but I have seen other reviewers who disagreed and felt it detracted from Viviane as a character. I found it to be fairly realistic, and I think it’s always important to remember that good characters need not make good choices, nor does liking a character who makes bad choices mean you condone those choices.

I would recommend this book to those who want a glimpse into the time periods that this novel covered, as well as those who would like to delve into the topic of violence against women and children. However, for those looking for a plot-driven novel, this is the wrong choice.

The Bass Rock unfolds slowly, and conjures an air of unease; I found myself truly scared at many points - not just of the magic that hovers in the background of each chapter, but also of the violence that Wyld forefronts. At the heart of it, this is a novel about that violence, but Wyld balances it with lightness and humour. I loved how much of the effect of this novel lies in what's left unsaid or unexplored, with threads linking the narratives together. It felt all the more haunting for that.

- Nirica from Team Champaca

*Many thanks to Evie Wyld, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
This novel was not for me. I could not concentrate on the story and did not get engaged in it.

Oh my word, this book was incredible. I absolutely adored Wyld's previous novel, 'All The Birds, Singing', and was so excited for The Bass Rock.

The Bass Rock could be considered a horror novel for two reasons:
1. There is a genuinely terrifying supernatural element to the story
2. It displays just how awful living people can be

The book takes place in a specific location, following various stories that intertwine in many ways. The individual stories and characters are so well-established, and easy to follow. But this is NOT an easy read. It is disturbing, but very compelling. There was a genuine moment when I stopped reading to take a breath.

I am still thinking about all the things left unsaid, and the details not disclosed, within the lives of these amazing characters. I can easily see this being a yearly read for me. I think I can gain something new on repeat readings.

Few novels have blown me away this year, but The Bass Rock has left a massive impact. I really hope this wins many awards and gets the recognition it deserves. What a masterpiece. Wonderful.