Orkney

A middle-aged literature professor takes his new wife, a former student, to a remote cottage in Orkney for their honeymoon. He intends to work on his research while she spends time walking along the beach and gazing at the sea. The professor narrates their days in the cottage as he observes his much younger wife from the window of his study. His academic focus begins to slip as he becomes increasingly preoccupied with watching her and documenting her every move in his notebook. The stark Orkney landscape serves as backdrop to this story of obsession and isolation. The boundary between reality and myth begins to blur as the professor's observations of his wife intersect with his research on 19th century folklore and feminine water spirits. This novel explores themes of possession, observation, and the limits of truly knowing another person. Through its isolated setting and single viewpoint, it raises questions about the nature of desire and the role of the watcher versus the watched.

Readers note Sackville's lyrical prose and vivid descriptions of the Orkney landscape. Many highlight the dreamy, ethereal quality of the writing and the way it mirrors the folklore woven through the story. Positive reviews focus on: - Poetic language and atmospheric setting - Complex portrayal of obsession and relationships - Integration of mythology - Unique narrative perspective Common criticisms: - Slow pacing frustrates some readers - Characters feel distant and hard to connect with - Plot development takes a back seat to description - Some find the writing style too heavy-handed Ratings: Goodreads: 3.4/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 3.7/5 (80+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (90+ ratings) Sample reader comment: "Like watching waves roll in - hypnotic but repetitive. The prose is beautiful but the story barely moves." - Goodreads reviewer "The descriptions of Orkney are stunning but I never felt I understood the characters' motivations." - Amazon reviewer

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🌊 The novel's setting, the Orkney Islands, consists of approximately 70 islands off Scotland's northern coast, creating an appropriately mystical and isolated backdrop for the story's exploration of myth and obsession. 📚 Author Amy Sackville wrote this novel, her second book, while teaching creative writing at Kent University, where she continues to work as a senior lecturer. 🧜‍♀️ The unnamed wife in "Orkney" draws parallels to selkies—mythological seal-creatures from Scottish folklore who can shed their seal skins to become human on land. 🏆 The book won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and was shortlisted for the Encore Award and the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction. 💑 The 60-year age gap between the novel's main characters sparked significant literary discussion about May-December relationships in contemporary fiction.