Photo: Supplied.
BY ANNE CROWLEY
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAID
“It’s no ordinary existence on the rugged isle of Muckle Flugga. The elements run riot and the very rocks that shape the place begin to shift under their influence. The only human inhabitants are the lighthouse keeper, known as The Father, and his otherworldly son, Ouse. Them, and the occasional lodger to keep the wolf from the door.
“When one of those lodgers – Firth, a chaotic writer – arrives from Edinburgh, the limits of the world the keeper and his son cling to begin to crumble. A tug of war ensues between Firth and the lighthouse keeper for Ouse’s affections – and his future. As old and new ways collide, and life-changing decisions loom, what will the tides leave standing in their wake?” Source: Goodreads.
MY THOUGHTS
Muckle Flugga is real: the northernmost island and lighthouse in Scotland. The lighthouse was built by the Stevenson family, to which Robert Louis Stevenson (RLS) belonged. A word of warning, though: if you mention this book to anyone, pause first and get the title straight in your head – it is easy to get wrong!
This is a quirky atmospheric book, with an oddball story and elements of fantasy; yet it also explores brokenness, trauma, loss and grief, possessiveness, and love, loyalty, compassion and goodness – ‘Because sometimes it’s okay to look the other way when the ugly parts of someone you love are showing.’
The extreme remoteness and rugged tempestuousness of the ocean and landscape are vividly depicted, providing a fitting backdrop for The Father, who seems almost of the same nature: as volatile as the waves he illuminates. Although violent, he is complex enough to, at times, elicit some sympathy.
Ouse, by contrast, is a gentle soul: a mercurial artist known for his brilliant knitwear and rugs, and a dedicated caretaker fascinated by the small details of island plant and animal life. For much of the novel, The Father and Ouse are the only two people on Muckle Flugga, so the book concentrates closely on their characters and relationship, along with island, the lighthouse and the ocean who also seem like characters.
The prose is beautiful, and the word choice precise – so precise that regular use of a dictionary is useful. Incidentally, all the characters are named after bodies of water.
Ouse seeks guidance from his imaginary friend, RLS, who first appeared to him on the day his mother died. As Firth pressures Ouse to leave the island, RLS helps Ouse grapple with the tug of war between Firth and The Father. ‘There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.’ ‘To be what we are, to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.’
Some members of my book group found Firth likeable, seeing him as motivated by good intentions and a desire to “free” Ouse from The Father’s control. To me, he seemed manipulative and self-serving, and I felt a strong sense of foreboding while waiting to learn what Ouse would decide. Would he escape The Father’s control, only to fall under Firth’s?
The drama towards the end builds like the massive storm battering the island – a fitting crescendo. Magnificent! And the ambiguous ending leaves room for optimism. A good read!
