Book Synopsis:
From the No.1 bestselling author of The Shepherd’s Life, an unforgettable story of friendship, redemption and a life-changing voyage of discovery on a remote Norwegian island
How far do you have to go to find yourself?
One afternoon many years ago, James Rebanks met an old woman on a remote Norwegian island. She lived and worked alone on a tiny rocky outcrop, caring for wild Eider ducks and gathering their down. Hers was a centuries-old trade that had once made men and women rich, but had long been in decline. Still, somehow, she seemed to be hanging on.
Back at home, Rebanks couldn’t stop thinking about the woman on the rocks. She was fierce and otherworldly – and yet strangely familiar. Years passed. Then, one day, he wrote her a letter, asking if he could return. Bring work clothes, she replied, and good boots, and come quickly: her health was failing. And so he travelled to the edge of the Arctic to witness her last season on the island.
This is the story of that season. It is the story of a unique and ancient landscape, and of the woman who brought it back to life. It traces the pattern of her work from the rough, isolated toil of bitter winter, to the elation of the endless summer light, when the birds leave behind their precious down for gathering, like feathered gold.
Slowly, Rebanks begins to understand that this woman and her world are not what he had previously thought. What began as a journey of escape becomes an extraordinary lesson in self-knowledge and forgiveness.
My Review:
The Place Of Tides is a beautifully written, fascinating book that gives an insight into an unseen way of life. I absolutely loved the vivid way the author describes life on the island and the care needed to help the Eider ducks nest each year. It’s a life full of hardship, often being at the mercy of the weather and I found it very interesting to learn more about it.
The memoir follows the author James as he spends a season with the duck women after becoming frustrated with how his life was going. Through his work with the ducks he starts to relax , learning more about the work and about the direction he wants his life to go next. Through his work with the duck women we watch him learn more about himself as he lets go of any stress that he’s holding onto. While James was an interesting character to follow my favourite character was definitely Anna. What a woman! Strong and determined, Anna knew from a young age that she wanted to be a duck woman and continue her family’s work on the island. I loved the story of how this came about and the strength Anna shows trying to continue the work despite declining health. Through her stories we learn more about the history of the region, particularly during WW2 and the nazi occupation which I found fascinating as I’ve always loved that period of history.
Overall I really loved this book and will be recommending it to anyone wanting an uplifting, fascinating memoir. The author takes us through his time on the island from his first arrival to his departure which was very interesting to follow. The story has a great flow to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. It’s a wonderful story and one that will stay with me for a long time.
Huge thanks to @allenlanepr for providing me with a free ALC via @librofm.
About The Author:
James Rebanks is a farmer based in the Lake District, where his family have lived and worked for over six hundred years. His No.1 bestselling debut, The Shepherd’s Life, won the Lake District Book of the Year, was shortlisted for the Wainwright and Ondaatje prizes, and has been translated into sixteen languages. His second book, English Pastoral, was also a Top Ten bestseller and was named the Sunday Times Nature Book of the Year. Heralded as a ‘masterpiece’ by the New Statesman, it was shortlisted for the Ondaatje prize, and longlisted for the Rathbones Folio prize and the Orwell Prize for Political Writing.
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