On Wednesday we had the delight of welcoming Carys Davies to Mainstreet for the first time. Ordinarily at Mainstreet, we try to not overlap on the books that we read to cover as many titles as possible. However, Clear broke that rule and was read and loved by everyone. Every now and then a book appears that you want to press into the hands of every customer and Clear is one such book.

Carys, in conversation with Stuart Kelly, spoke about her writing process and the importance of language in each of her novels, saying that “language is like birdsong.”

About Clear:

1843. On a remote Scottish island, Ivar, the sole occupant, leads a life of quiet isolation until the day he finds a man unconscious on the beach below the cliffs. The newcomer is John Ferguson, an impoverished church minister sent to evict Ivar and turn the island into grazing land for sheep. Unaware of the stranger’s intentions, Ivar takes him into his home, and in spite of the two men having no common language, a fragile bond begins to form between them.

Perfectly structured and surprising at every turn, Clear is a marvel of storytelling, an exquisite short novel by a master of the form.

‘Clear is astute, moving, unexpected’ – Penelope Lively

‘The writing style is one of clarity and reserved sensibility punctuated with an end-game needle jab. Not to be missed’ – Annie Proulx

‘A compact, taut and brilliant novel … I loved every page’ – Anthony Doerr

‘A narrative of such intensity that the reader’s desire is to finish the book at a sitting’ – Bernard MacLaverty

‘An exquisite, hopeful masterpiece. Magical and humane … a celebration of love and courage’ – Rachel Joyce

‘A wonderfully humane and moving depiction of loneliness and the connections forged between strangers that transcend all barriers, even language’ – Clare Chambers

You can watch the full event over on our YouTube channel HERE.