Overview

In The Bass Rock, Evie Wyld tells a powerful story about women, violence, and survival across centuries. The novel is set on the Scottish coast near North Berwick and moves between three time periods: the seventeenth century, the 1950s, and the present day. Each section follows a woman living under different forms of threat and control, yet their lives echo one another in striking ways. The Bass Rock itself looms in the background throughout, a constant presence watching over generations of fear, endurance, and resistance.

Writing & Atmosphere

We found the writing intense and beautifully controlled. Wyld captures the harsh beauty of the coastline with real clarity, from rough seas to isolated houses and shifting skies. The atmosphere is dark and unsettling, but never careless. Scenes of cruelty are handled with restraint, which makes them land harder. The novel takes its time, allowing each period to settle before drawing quiet links between them.

Characters

The three central characters, Ruth, Viv, and Sarah, are separated by hundreds of years, but their experiences feel closely connected. Ruth is a post war woman trying to survive a controlling marriage. Viv returns to the family home in the present day and begins to uncover painful truths. Sarah is a young girl accused of witchcraft and forced to flee. Each voice is distinct, and we felt real care in how their inner lives are shown. Together, their stories build a shared portrait of endurance.

Themes

This is a novel about how violence against women repeats itself through history. Wyld shows how trauma is carried through families, places, and memory. Folklore, superstition, and silence all play a role in keeping harm hidden. At the same time, the book honours survival, kindness, and the small acts that allow people to endure. The past is never finished here, it lingers in the land and in the body.

What Worked

• Powerful atmosphere: the coastal setting is vivid and unsettling.
• Clear structure: three timelines that speak to one another.
• Strong character focus: each woman feels fully realised.
• Thoughtful themes: handled with care and intelligence.

Minor Quibbles

• The shifting timelines ask for close attention from the reader.
• The subject matter is heavy and emotionally demanding.

Final Thoughts

We found The Bass Rock to be a fierce and deeply moving novel. It is unsettling, beautifully written, and impossible to forget. A book that sits with you long after reading.

Rating: ★★★★½☆ (4.5/5)