West

This is a short, powerful little tale that boggles the mind and also takes you to a time in history and really brings it alive. Overall, it reads like a short story, but there are some really strong voices here. I recommend saving this one for a quiet evening, a lap blanket and a cat and reading it in one sitting. I had a similar experience with [b:Clear 176443690 Clear Carys Davies https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1686502013l/176443690.SY75.jpg 183066038]. I look forward to reading more from this author.

In het verhaal “West” van Carys Davies laat een man genaamd Cy Bellman zijn dochter achter bij zijn zus en gaat op zoek naar de botten van “grote wezens” waarover hij in een artikel heeft gelezen. Hij laat zijn buurman Elmer Jackson een oogje in het zeil houden en mee helpen waar nodig, aangezien de twee dames alleen zijn. De reis naar het westen kan beginnen!

Met een prettige schrijfstijl weet Davies een mooi verhaal neer te zetten over een man die zijn droom najaagt en wat dit voor gevolgen heeft voor de mensen om hem heen. Als het goed is, is dit het eerste vertaalde werk van deze auteur in het Nederlands en ben ik benieuwd naar toekomstige boeken.

Aanrader!

Probably a 3.5. I loved the writing but, from about ⅔ into the book, I was desperately hoping it was not going to finish in the contrived way I saw it going - it did.

[3.5 stars]

West begins with a wonderful premise, a good cast of characters, and some lovely language. Then it ends. And I'm not sure how I feel about that. Part of me thinks, I could've stayed with these characters for a full 300 pages. I would've endured the journey wherever it took me. Surely this story could've gone on longer. Then again, I'm not sure. There's such a thing as a story stretched too thin, and I think West could've been a victim of this had it been much longer. Perhaps it is too long as it is. Maybe West isn't too short for a novel, but too long for a short story. The final fourth of this novella does wane a bit. I'm not sure what side of the fence I fall on, but something feels off about it and I think it has to do with length.

Overall, West is a wonderfully quick and entertaining read. The premise really sells this book. In the early 1800s, a father goes on a quest to find monstrous beasts whose bones have recently been unearthed. He leaves his daughter behind to begin her own quest into womanhood. It's a wonderful idea and I think Carys Davies pulls it off exceptionally well. I'm curious to see what else Davies can do, long or short.