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A review by nietzschesghost
The Story Keeper by Anna Mazzola
4.0
I am all too aware of how powerful a location or setting in a book can be which is partly why I chose to read this. I frequently visit both the Inner (Skye) and Outer (Harris & Lewis) Hebrides and love the sparseness of the landscape, the people, and the beautiful beaches that could easily pass as those from an exotic tropical island. I was drawn to this not just because I know the Island extremely well but also due to the fact that I knew that some of the descriptions of the area should be magical and wanted Mazzola to transport me back there. I was lured in by the promise of stories namely myths and legends of which I am a huge fan. Put those together and you have a near perfect book for me. And I haven't even mentioned the murder mystery aspect of it yet!
It's 1857 and Audrey Hart has travelled to the Isle of Skye to collect the folktales of the crofting community. Not long after arriving from London she discovers the body of a young girl that has been washed up on the beach and the crofters then inform her that the girl had not been the first to go missing. They believed that the "Sluaigh" had taken them but Audrey struggles to go along with that and decides to investigate for herself. Who could be responsible for such dastardly crimes on the tiny island? Could there be any link to what happened to Audrey's mother many years before?
It is evident from "The Story Keeper" that folklore can both unite and divide. When Audrey first arrives on Skye the crofters and the wider community were wary of her fuelled by the fear and paranoia that the stories created in them. However, once they begin to trust and open up to her things go from strength-to-strength. This is a meticulously researched tale that certainly comes across as authentic and magestic. Mazzola's prose is magnificent and brings the scenery to life. I loved that there were many layers to this novel and it could be said to have the characteristics of a few different genres. The characterisation was excellent, I especially appreciated the strong female lead in Audrey. She is an independent woman who has no qualms about moving from her "hometown" of London to the Western Isles, something I can't imagine a lot of women doing in the 19th century.
All in all, this was as amazing as I thought it would be and, as I predicted, the scenic descriptions were my favourite part. I know that the next time I am over there for a holiday I will be asking about the folklore of the island and will also be on the lookout for a book where all of the different tales are compiled. I could've done with Audrey's collection to mull over! I have no hesitation in recommending this beautiful book to everyone but I can imagine it particularly appealing to those who like historical fiction, folklore, myths and legends, and a mystery with a strong sense of time and place.
Many thanks to Headline/Tinder Press for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
It's 1857 and Audrey Hart has travelled to the Isle of Skye to collect the folktales of the crofting community. Not long after arriving from London she discovers the body of a young girl that has been washed up on the beach and the crofters then inform her that the girl had not been the first to go missing. They believed that the "Sluaigh" had taken them but Audrey struggles to go along with that and decides to investigate for herself. Who could be responsible for such dastardly crimes on the tiny island? Could there be any link to what happened to Audrey's mother many years before?
It is evident from "The Story Keeper" that folklore can both unite and divide. When Audrey first arrives on Skye the crofters and the wider community were wary of her fuelled by the fear and paranoia that the stories created in them. However, once they begin to trust and open up to her things go from strength-to-strength. This is a meticulously researched tale that certainly comes across as authentic and magestic. Mazzola's prose is magnificent and brings the scenery to life. I loved that there were many layers to this novel and it could be said to have the characteristics of a few different genres. The characterisation was excellent, I especially appreciated the strong female lead in Audrey. She is an independent woman who has no qualms about moving from her "hometown" of London to the Western Isles, something I can't imagine a lot of women doing in the 19th century.
All in all, this was as amazing as I thought it would be and, as I predicted, the scenic descriptions were my favourite part. I know that the next time I am over there for a holiday I will be asking about the folklore of the island and will also be on the lookout for a book where all of the different tales are compiled. I could've done with Audrey's collection to mull over! I have no hesitation in recommending this beautiful book to everyone but I can imagine it particularly appealing to those who like historical fiction, folklore, myths and legends, and a mystery with a strong sense of time and place.
Many thanks to Headline/Tinder Press for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.