“There are many ways to go about writing historical fiction. Two of the most common are situating the reader in the past by using archaic language and imagery—or language and imagery that feel archaic—and helping the reader find commonality with characters situated in the past by letting them speak and behave in ways that feel familiar. Each of these stylistic choices has its own pleasures and pitfalls. Greig has chosen the latter path, and the resulting story is a small treasure... The story is messy in the ways that being human is always messy. And it’s messy in ways that make the 9th-century Hebrides feel real. A bloody and beautiful sojourn in the distant past.”
Read the full starred review in Kirkus Reviews.
