Ring of Stones
Published on 30. September 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
112 pages
978-1-905614-96-7 (ISBN)
Description
The Anglesey poet and short story writer's first novella. Growing up on a remote Scottish island, Ceit is torn between possibilities that offer progress and escape, but threaten the fragile traditional existence of her world. -- Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru
The Anglesey poet and short story writer's first novella. Growing up on a remote Scottish island, Ceit is torn between possibilities that offer progress and escape, but threaten the fragile traditional existence of her world.
The Anglesey poet and short story writer's first novella. Growing up on a remote Scottish island, Ceit is torn between possibilities that offer progress and escape, but threaten the fragile traditional existence of her world.
Reviews / Votes
Ceit lives on a nameless island far off the Scottish coast at an unmentioned point in the early 20th century. Her existence is hard, lived hugger-mugger in a two roomed cottage with her parents and two brothers. Their way of life is an ancient one, steeped in Gaelic tradition and wary of outsiders. The arrival of mainlanders has seen the children schooled and the sick nursed - albeit in a very basic fashion - the single elderly nurse does her best to treat old and young with little but aspirin and sympathy.Ceit's world is close, but bright as she is, two options are held out that hold the promise of something new and exciting for her future. The priest wonders if she might have a vocation and her teachers whether she might follow in their footsteps, helping to keep the village school open when they depart (as at some point they must). But Ceit's father is unwilling to break the traditions of generations of islanders - the promise of a wage is no temptation to a man who has no need of money as the laird's rents can be paid in kind and there is nothing else to buy. As Ceit fights for her independence and begins to look outside the close confines of her family for the right to choose her own life, fate takes a hand and two momentous events change the course of things.
A short but atmospheric study of a lost way of life - a life pared to the bone by place and circumstance. -- Caroline Oakley @ www.gwales.com
Ceit lives on a nameless island far off the Scottish coast at an unmentioned point in the early 20th century. Her existence is hard, lived hugger-mugger in a two roomed cottage with her parents and two brothers. Their way of life is an ancient one, steeped in Gaelic tradition and wary of outsiders. The arrival of mainlanders has seen the children schooled and the sick nursed - albeit in a very basic fashion - the single elderly nurse does her best to treat old and young with little but aspirin and sympathy.
Ceit's world is close, but bright as she is, two options are held out that hold the promise of something new and exciting for her future. The priest wonders if she might have a vocation and her teachers whether she might follow in their footsteps, helping to keep the village school open when they depart (as at some point they must). But Ceit's father is unwilling to break the traditions of generations of islanders - the promise of a wage is no temptation to a man who has no need of money as the laird's rents can be paid in kind and there is nothing else to buy. As Ceit fights for her independence and begins to look outside the close confines of her family for the right to choose her own life, fate takes a hand and two momentous events change the course of things.
A short but atmospheric study of a lost way of life - a life pared to the bone by place and circumstance. -- Caroline Oakley @ www.gwales.com
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Blaenau Ffestiniog
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-905614-96-7 (9781905614967)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification