Such an interesting and different story! John and Ivar's bonding, born out of necessity for help and human connection is beautiful and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.

A story about the clearances of the Orkney Islands by English landowners, a way of life that no longer exits and the people affected by it.

A poor minister who is working to start a new church after breaking with his old one, takes on the job of traveling to a remote Orkney island to inform the last resident that he must leave. His wife does not agree with the plan but supports him anyway. John makes his way to the island where he ends up injured and in the care of the resident, Ivar. Unable to speak each other's language, the two manage to form a friendship and understand each other. John's wife Mary decides to go after him after learning of similar jobs that have not ended well.

The characters are well drawn, the setting and descriptions of the island are amazing, and the story of friendship and understanding is engrossing.

Thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for the ebook. In the 1840’s, a Scottish minister reluctantly takes on the job of evicting a lone farmer on an island that a company has taken over. The minister has a debilitating fall and the farmer takes him in to heal. The two men speak different languages, but find a way to be with each other that is unlike any relationship they’ve had before.

This is beautifully written but I felt sort of disconnected. I don’t know if it’s my own ignorance or reading habits because I can’t find fault with the writing or story.

"Clear" transports readers to the rugged shores of a remote Scottish island in the 1840s, where an impoverished minister, John, faces an unexpected journey of resilience and connection. Tasked with evicting the island's last inhabitant, Ivar, John's encounter with the solitary man transforms into a tale of unlikely companionship and profound understanding.

As John grapples with his duty and Ivar confronts his solitary existence, a silent dialogue unfolds between them, bridging the gap of language and culture. Through the meticulous crafting of a shared dictionary, they navigate their differences and unearth the bonds that unite them, against the backdrop of the tumultuous Scottish Clearances.

John is an unemployed Scottish minister who accepts the job of clearing out Ivar, the sole inhabitant of a small island, because somehow he would be in the way of the sheep that the owner of the island intends to raise there. (As an aside, some people are just mean.) John’s wife Mary is concerned for him, and her concern is justified when John is injured in a fall on the island. Ivar (unaware of John’s mission) nurses John back to health and the two men develop a friendship, despite the fact that they can’t speak the same language.

Chekhov advised that a playwright should never put a loaded gun on the stage if it isn’t going to go off. So once a gun was introduced at the beginning of this book, and repeatedly referred to, I expected the gun to be fired. The presence of that gun created a tension throughout the book. However, this spare, elegant, subtle story had a more quiet impact than a gunshot. It was really lovely. I have enjoyed this author’s writing style in the past, but this was my favorite of the three books I’ve read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

In 1840's Scotland, land owners were busy evicting farmers from their land because they had found a way to make even more money. "Clear" is the gorgeously imagined and executed story of a broke and conflicted minister hired to evict the last remaining resident from a remote island. Things quickly grow complicated when the minister takes a serious fall and is nursed back to health by the hermit. All of his official papers were ruined when he fell and there is a serious language barrier to deal with. What follows during the month on the island is a touching story of the power of human connections.

It takes an accomplished writer to make such a beautiful story seem effortless. I was set on giving an enthusiastic 5* review until I turned the last page and the story felt unfinished. Still an excellent read that I recommend without hesitation.

I received a drc from the publisher via NetGalley.

During the infamous Scottish clearances, John, a minister trying to earn a living, agrees to travel to a remote island beyond the Orkneys to remove the last and only occupant, Ivar. When John’s wife, Mary learns that some of the clearances have ended violently, she impulsively begins her own journey to the island in order to get John out of this potentially dangerous situation. Meanwhile, John becomes seriously injured in a fall and is taken care of by Ivar. As he recovers, John becomes fascinated by Ivar’s unusual language and dedicates his healing time to learning to communicate with Ivar, who is unaware of John’s true mission. All is revealed about the time that Mary arrives and the situation is resolved quickly.
I’ had some knowledge of the clearances prior to reading this book but was interested in a more personal fictional account. I found Ivar’s character fascinating and the relationship that developed between him and John was unexpected and made the book more interesting. Mary’s role was also a creative addition to this story and I certainly enjoyed her determination. This book was disappointingly very short and I think it had much more potential. There were really only three characters and I wish each of them was developed more and I would like more of their backstories. I kind of liked the mysteriousness of the relationship between the two men but wanted more of a story once Mary arrived on the scene. The book just seemed to end abruptly. For me, this book had great potential that just wasn’t carried out.

Lovely story of two men growing close to one another despite not knowing the other's language. I also learned a lot about the Scottish Clearances. Atmospheric and great character building.

Clear by Carys Davies was such a lovely reading experience. I felt the same way reading this as I did reading Claire Keegan's books. The story is tender and quiet and I felt so much for the three main characters. Highly recommend this one and it's a short, quick read. I mostly read the digital copy, but I found the audiobook on Spotify and listened to the last 25% and the narration was perfect.

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC.

This book takes place in the 1800s and follows 3 characters, a Reverend; the Reverend's wife; and a man the Reverend has been chosen to "clear" from an island.

This book was deeply touching, and the relationships between the characters is really where the book shines. I wasn't aware that the Reverend's wife was going to play such a large role in the story, but I was glad every time a section from her perspective came up, even though it meant drawing focus from the relationship that is arguably at the heart of the story: the one between John and Ivar. If I had one complaint, I think this book would be perfect if it was 100 pages longer. Everything wrapped up very neatly in a bow, and I would have liked to see Ivar and Mary interact more together, especially because they are both going to go through huge life changes. By the time Mary and Ivar meet, there are only maybe 10 pages left in the book.

I was also really absorbed by Ivar's relationship to words and how that impacted how he viewed the island. I wish that there had been a little bit more about Ivar saying goodbye to his home, and his feelings on leaving. However, this was still a really enjoyable read, and I found the relationships between the characters to be believable.

Clear by Carys Davies takes us to 1843, Scotland in the final stages of the Scottish Clearances during which rural inhabitants from the Scottish Highlands were forcefully evicted to clear the lands for sheep pastoralism. 1843 also saw the Disruption of the Church of Scotland which saw a large number of evangelical misters walk away from their jobs and their income to form the Free Church of Scotland that would be free of patronage and interference from the British Government.

As the story begins, we meet Reverend John Ferguson, an impoverished minister struggling to raise funds for his congregation, who has accepted a well-paying “temporary factoring” assignment. His task entails surveying the terrain of a remote island north of Scotland for its adequacy to meet the requirements landowners have planned and “clear” the island of its sole inhabitant, a man by the name of Ivar whose remaining family has long since left the island. Along with his papers and a calotype of his wife Mary, John also carries a pistol given to him by the landowner’s factor who assigned him to this task. Ivar lives in solitude in a stone hut with only his animals for company. Within the course of a month, John is to persuade him to leave the island. But when an accident lands him in Ivar’s care and he spends more time with Ivar connecting with him on a deep personal level despite not sharing a common language, John is conflicted over his mission. Ivar, who had been craving companionship, develops a strong attachment to John, unaware of his true reasons for being on the island. Miles away, when Mary is made aware of the potential perils John may face in his task, concerned for his safety, she takes it upon herself to travel to the island. The narrative follows these characters as their paths converge.

Clear by Carys Davies is a stunning novel that transports you to the Scottish Highlands with its vividly described settings and into the hearts of its characters in sparse yet lyrical prose. The author deftly weaves the three threads of this novel into a cohesive narrative. Please note that the pacing of the narrative is slow, which I thought suited the nature of the story and allowed a deeper and an intimate exploration of the thoughts and emotions of its characters - Ivar’s loneliness and his kindness and compassion; John’s internal conflict as he ponders over his duty, the beliefs that have governed his life and vocation and his emotions; and Mary’s determination, loyalty and sacrifice. The narrative is presented from the perspectives of John, Ivar and Mary and touches upon themes of solitude, isolation and how human connection can be forged in mysterious ways. To bear witness to two characters learning to communicate with one another despite the lack of a common language was truly humbling. The author’s use of Norn words lends authenticity to Ivar’s character and the time and place in which the novel is set. Please read the Author’s note, where she discusses the historical context of this novel and provides a brief glossary of Norn words found in the narrative. There were certain aspects that I wish would have been developed further, but this in no way detracted from my overall reading experience.

This is my second time reading Carys Davies ( my first Carys Davies novel was The Mission House, which I also enjoyed) and I was not disappointed. With its vividly described atmospheric setting, rich historical context, exquisite writing and memorable characters Clear by Carys Davies is a compelling read – the kind of story that stays with you long after you have turned the final page.

Many thanks to Scribner for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This beautiful, moody and understated love story gave a glimpse into a time and place that is not known to many. The chilly setting on a remote Scottish isle was enhanced by the author's introduction of the lost Scottish dialect. The brevity of this novel reflected the barren and sparse setting of the story, and although I wish I could have spent more time with these characters, the longing of wanting more seemed to be in sync with this haunting setting.

A beautiful 5 stars for 'Clear' by Carys Davies. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What looks like a simple story on the surface reveals a tale of complexity and depth.
In the 1840s, a poor minister takes on a mission to 'clear' the last resident off a remote Scottish island, while his adored wife stays behind on the mainland.

But once there, our minister John has a horrible accident and ends up being rescued by this last resident, Ivar.
As Ivar nurses John back to health, they work on a way to communicate and tell each other their stories.
As their friendship builds, John is faced with a choice of either carrying out his mission to 'clear' Ivar or remaining loyal to him.
Meantime, John's wife Mary sets off on a mission to find out why her husband hasn't returned home.

The writing is stunning, and reminded me of Claire Keegan's 'Small Things Like These' and 'Foster.'
This is not a long book, but it will long stay with me. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC, my review is my own opinion.

Set in the mid-19th century, "Clear" follows John Ferguson, a Scottish minister whose split from the established church system for the newly formed Free Church places him and his wife Mary in a difficult financial situation. In an attempt to make ends meet, he accepts an unconventional job to travel to a remote island off the coast of Scotland to evict the last remaining resident there: Ivar. It's just one of many of the situations caused by the Highland Clearances, a movement where wealthy landowners forced many of the residents out in order to make room for pastoral areas.

John's journey to find Ivar is not without trouble, however, and a fall from the cliffside renders him unconscious, with a damaged leg. Ivar finds John, brings him home, and tries to nurture him to health - all while not knowing who he is or his purpose on the island. When John regains consciousness, the two attempt to communicate despite their unshared language, and as the days pass, the two come to find comfort and familiarity in each other.

Despite the lack of a concrete plot, I was immediately drawn into "Clear" from the opening passages. Davies writing is immersive and atmospheric, and she's adept at building the setting and each of the characters in her novel. The story rotates between perspectives, giving insight and clarity into John and Ivar's thoughts and backstories, and also sheds some light on Mary and her relationship with John. While the pacing can feel slow at times, it gives us enough time to understand the characters and builds the complex and evolving relationship between them. There is much more showing than there is telling, which lets the reader come to their own conclusions. I also appreciated that this novel covered a point in time I wasn't familiar about, and the author's afterword was also helpful in adding context to the events during this time.

Very much a recommended read, especially for those who enjoy shorter novels!

Clear is a beautifully written story about two strangers who come together with no obvious means of communication. One is a poor Scottish minister who takes a job to remove the one remaining occupant of a remote northern island. If not for this intersection of events in Scotland, these men would never have met. The book is a fascinating and mesmerizing read.

What a simple, joyful story. A pair of souls are separated and so each is dissatisfied with Life. Neither knows the other exists. As the wheels of Fate catch and shudder away in the eternal darkness of chimrie (Heaven in Norn), bringing Ivar the endling of his people, and John the prodigal son of the Presbyterian faith, into their close communion, the story moves its calm inexorable way forward. Every time Ivar speaks in his dying tongue (Norn went extinct around 1850 in reality), John strains to learn what his words mean, what they describe and therefore come to form in John's mind.

The fact that John, clergyman, does this work is very telling. That he does it with the man he's been sent to dispossess of his lifelong home is...crucial. That he does this work with this man after taking this job to support Mary, his newly-wed wife, left behind on mainland Scotland; that he has sided with the anti-capitalists in the Disruption of 1843 and reluctantly took this job anyway; all these details add up to an ending that I found deeply moving, satisfying, and intensely soothing. I'm not going to spoil it for you because Author Carys makes it into quite the reveal.

I do not for a second believe it could have ended this way. I am sure it could have happened this way, though. But...well...1843, Presbyterians, human jealousy...it was a huge stretch for me to get over even one of those hurdles to accept that situation as presented as the ending of the story.

I will not downgrade this beautifully written fairy tale for lacking verisimilitude. I will go with the logic that Author Carys employs, and recommend the same course to you in your own read of the story.

Which, it being a short, fast read with the kind of language use that makes me wish this is what y'all called poetry, should be done soonest.

*NB: the blogged review has links to sources of more information

Thank you to Scribner, Net Galley and the author for the ARC.

My Goodreads rating can be found here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6380420592

I am so conflicted about rating this book. I planned on giving it 5 stars up until the 85% mark when things took a major turn. However, I can’t say that I regret reading it because the sense of place and the beautiful prose were so good that I can almost forgive the ending. In fact, I am going to make up my own ending and pretend that’s how it went - it just means that I’ll have to give a disclaimer when recommending this book so that no one thinks I enjoyed that left turn.

I love the way this book explored language and the delight of digging deeper into how words come to be, as well as the role that one’s surroundings play in shaping their language. This passage stood out to me especially:
“He wondered, looking at the columns of words, none of which he could read—neither the ones on the left in John Ferguson’s tongue nor the ones on the right in his own—if there was a word in John Ferguson’s language for the excitement he felt when he ran his finger down the line between the two columns of words, which seemed to him to connect their lives in the strongest possible way—words for “milk” and “stream” and the flightless blue-winged beetle that lived in the hill pasture; words for “halibut” and “byre” and the overhand knot he used in the cow’s tether; words for “house” and “butter,” for “heather” and “whey,” for “sea wrack” and “chicken.”

A recent episode of @whatshouldireadnext discussed quiet novels — how fitting, as the entire time I was reading CLEAR I was stuck by the quietness of it all. Literally (the only two inhabitants on the island don’t speak the other’s language), tonally (quiet, quietly are used a whopping 21 times in a book less than 200 pages!), visually (foggy shores, misty sea spray), as the girlies say ✨ the vibes are vibin’ ✨

Set in 1843 near the end of the Scottish Clearances (a part of history I hadn’t heard about until this book), CLEAR follows two men, a minister tasked with evicting a farmer from the remote island he calls home. Shortly after arriving, John suffers a nasty fall and in being nursed back to health by Ivar, the pair form a surprising bond.

Ivar spends his days at his spinning wheel, weeding his garden, roaming the island with his old horse. John has his wife and his church. As John’s strength returns, the two men find themselves in a comfortable existence, going for walks, crafting a simple dictionary and slowly learn to communicate.

The men take turns cooking dinner, dancing around the fire. Were it not for the reasons behind John’s arrival on the island, this would make for a cozy read. Even the ending, a scene that in the hands of another author would be action-packed and loud, had a hopeful quality to it.

Despite its tiny size, CLEAR was a powerful, beautiful tale — you’re doing something right if you get cover blurbs from Claire Fuller, Hernan Diaz, Anthony Doerr, and Annie Proulx! While I’m shocked it took this long for Davies to fall under my radar, I’m thrilled to have a ready-made backlist to dive into; she sounds very much like an author who would write specifically for *me*. Sometimes it’s the quiet novels that speak the loudest — do yourself a favor and grab a copy!

Carys Davies' Clear is one of those deceptively brief, simple reads that can leave readers thinking that nothing much is going on. In fact, all kinds of things are going on, but they're presented on a human, rather than an epic, scale. So, things going on: the split in the Church of Scotland, when a significant proportion of ministers left the established church to form a new church in which clerical livings were not dependent on the whims of rich land owners; the clearing of public lands and small holdings in order to capitalize on the much-less-labor-intensive and much-more-profitable (for a small number of landowners) grazing of sheep; and the loss of small, localized languages and the cultures they represented, particularly on islands off of Scotland that had isolated populations.

Davies brings these issues into intersection with one another in a novel set in the mid-19th Century that focuses on a Scots minister who has left the established church and the last crofter on a North Sea island. John Ferguson, the minister, is anxious about money having left the established church. He takes an unusually well-paying job—removing Ivar from the only home he's ever known—without really thinking through the implications of his actions. When John is badly injured shortly after arriving on the island, and before he has made his purpose clear to Ivar, Ivar takes on John's care, nurturing John over a period of months as he heals.

The two build an unusual and deep friendship, despite their lack of a common language. John begins work on a dictionary of the language Ivar speaks, and the two gradually become able to communicate increasingly complex and subtle ideas. But John knows that eventually a ship will be landing at the island assuming John has prepared Ivar for his relocation—which is much more an exile than a change of setting.

Davies' novel moves slowly, with much of the action being interior—the thoughts John and Ivar have that they cannot or do not want to communicate to one another. This is a book that can be read in an evening, but will stick with readers for a long, long time. Read it when you're ready for careful observation and alert to nuance.

If you're so inclined, you can use Clear as a lens to consider the growing wealth gaps in the present day. Davies doesn't address this theme directly, but I felt it rising again and again as I worked my way through Clear. How does a society get to a point where a very few can dispossess the great many? What are the myriad losses we suffer as a result?

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.