George Hills, one of a handful of crew and passengers who survived the wreck of a steamship off the coast of Australia in 1859, becomes obsessed with the strange woman he glimpsed in the ship's hold and who kept him alive for 8 days, then disappeared after their rescue. Believing that she put a "spell" on him, he embarks on a quest to find her — to the detriment of his family. He must know: who, what is Bridget Ledwith? Meanwhile, George's eldest son Henry, a precocious child fascinated with nature, could lose half of his very soul, the voice that has been his constant companion since birth.
The author used one of her ancestors' terrible experience as a starting point to create this startlingly original tale. Can it be called historical science fiction? One thing is certain, this is a strange and captivating story of desperately needing to belong. Reading Bridget's dreamlike reminiscences felt like drifting on gentle currents towards an unknown and unseen place. This novel came highly recommended by Simon Savidge, and rightly so.
I purchased this book online.
Rating: ****½
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