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The characters of Ava and Evered are beautifully developed the same way they slowly discover more of the land around their cove, the reader hesitantly delves deeper into the siblings inner lives, including their desires that will ultimately becoming their undoing. There are threats coming from all sides, and almost everything is a danger in one way or another, so the story is in fact, quite plot-driven. So you can see there is quite a bit happening to keep the reader’s attention, and I never once felt like the book was meandering or boring. Besides their efforts of trying to stay alive, a few unexpected visitors come ashore, and they even venture out to a ship frozen into the ice in the dead of winter a particularly haunting scene for many reasons.Īuthor Michael Crummey, photo by Arielle Hogan Short of a twice-a-year visit from a supply ship that sells staples in return for their fish, Ava and Evered have only each other for company.

Once they spend a dark winter mourning the loss of their family, they get right back to living, which is catching fish and tending to the garden that will serve to keep them alive. It may seem unceremonious or cruel, but Ava and Evered aren’t dumb enough to waste their efforts on burying a body they can barely lift. But when their younger baby sister dies, then both their parents right after that, their youthful innocence is sent to the bottom of the ocean, right along with their father’s body that they dump off the side of their family boat. The Innocents by Michael Crummey is a surprisingly fast-paced read that makes the most of its limited character and plot devices, highlighting the fact that true writing talent can make just about any situation interesting to a reader.Īva and Evered have never left the isolated shores of their home, which is the coast of Northern Newfoundland (not exactly a hospitable area to live in the first place!).

And in the words of the author-who would want to read about that? I would actually, and I wasn’t disappointed either. Let me set the scene for you: two kids live in an extremely isolated cove, their parents die, and they are forced to harvest and catch their own food as a means of survival.