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A review by opheliapo
Sightlines by Kathleen Jamie
4.0
'Its all happening out there, and all you have to do, girl, is get your foot out of your eye.' (p.176)
I came into this book, at first, a little disappointed. I had previously read and very much enjoyed Kathleen Jamie's whimsical poetry, which I felt perfectly captured Scottish mores, so her extended and considerably more symbolistic prose threw me. I enjoyed each story very much, but It so often felt as though she was pushing for something deeper, that simply was not there.
However, as the book drew on I started to appreciate Jamie's way of viewing the world around her more and more. It is innocent, over-imaginative, and at times a little cheesy, but there is a visual wisdom in the way that she expresses herself; a purposeful decision not to mature. It made her interactions with the scientists and naturalists around her all the more obscure, and at times laughable, but it was fun. Hence, regardless of it's flaws, Sightlines did not contain a single dull paragraph.
In particular, the stories about whales struck me the most, as they seemed to strike my storyteller. As close as I felt to them in my mind, I yearned to see through Jamie's eyes in reality. She conjured up a fascination that I didn't know existed within me before, that I believe will stick with me. Even now my heart has plucked up at the thought of these grand mammals, both living and long dead.
In short, Jamie has a plucking nature, a genuine passion, and a narrative I will happily return to.
I came into this book, at first, a little disappointed. I had previously read and very much enjoyed Kathleen Jamie's whimsical poetry, which I felt perfectly captured Scottish mores, so her extended and considerably more symbolistic prose threw me. I enjoyed each story very much, but It so often felt as though she was pushing for something deeper, that simply was not there.
However, as the book drew on I started to appreciate Jamie's way of viewing the world around her more and more. It is innocent, over-imaginative, and at times a little cheesy, but there is a visual wisdom in the way that she expresses herself; a purposeful decision not to mature. It made her interactions with the scientists and naturalists around her all the more obscure, and at times laughable, but it was fun. Hence, regardless of it's flaws, Sightlines did not contain a single dull paragraph.
In particular, the stories about whales struck me the most, as they seemed to strike my storyteller. As close as I felt to them in my mind, I yearned to see through Jamie's eyes in reality. She conjured up a fascination that I didn't know existed within me before, that I believe will stick with me. Even now my heart has plucked up at the thought of these grand mammals, both living and long dead.
In short, Jamie has a plucking nature, a genuine passion, and a narrative I will happily return to.