Overview

In Clear, Carys Davies takes us to a remote Scottish island in the mid nineteenth century during the Highland Clearances. Ivar has lived alone on the island for years when John Ferguson arrives with orders to remove him. What begins as a task driven by policy and profit shifts into something quieter and more human as the two men struggle to communicate, survive, and understand one another in an unforgiving landscape.

Writing & Voice

We found the writing spare, controlled, and beautifully precise. Davies uses few words, but every sentence feels considered. The silence of the island is reflected in the style, giving the story a calm surface that hides deep emotional weight. The result feels gentle and tense at the same time.

Characters

The novel centres on two very different men. Ivar is rooted in the land and shaped by isolation, while John arrives carrying grief and doubt beneath his official role. Watching their guarded relationship develop, often without shared language, gives the book its emotional core and quiet power.

Themes

Clear explores displacement, belonging, and the human cost of political decisions. It looks at land as both home and commodity, and asks what is lost when systems ignore individual lives. We were struck by how the novel finds compassion without softening the reality of harm.

What Worked

• A stark and atmospheric setting that shapes every moment of the story.
• Emotional restraint that makes the quiet moments feel powerful.
• A fresh angle on the Clearances through personal encounter rather than history lesson.

Minor Quibbles

• Its brevity may leave some readers wanting more time with the characters.
• The restrained style may not suit those looking for a dramatic historical epic.

Final Thoughts

Clear is a subtle and moving novel that shows how quiet encounters can reveal deep truths about loss, power, and compassion.

Rating: ★★★★☆ / 5