Review by An_ubis77 -- Black Beach by Olivia Rana
6 posts
[Following is a volunteer review of "Black Beach" by Olivia Rana.]
Black Beach by Olivia Rana is the story of Fria Einarsson, a young girl blessed with the ability to see and communicate with a race of hidden people known as the Huldufolk who can only be seen by people blessed with the gift of a second sight. In 1953, the Huldufolk were displaced from their homes when the town began the construction of a new harbor, which led to a terrible curse unleashed on the town. Misfortune, accidents and even death plagued the town until Frida intervened.
The year is 2021, beliefs have changed and memories are long forgotten, and now, more than 60years later, the harbor is getting reopened. With age not on her side, deteriorating health, failing memory and disbelief from everyone, her daughter included, Frida strives to restore balance to nature and save the town.
The author expertly made the pages come alive, she made me feel sad when Frida cried, and discouraged when no one believed her, angry when she was accused wrongly and happy when she felt joy. The strained relationship between Frida and her daughter Alda mirrors that of Siddalee and her mother in the book “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood”. I loved how she showed that families aren’t perfect, that mistakes can be made and we can hurt each other without meaning to, but also that there is a chance for redemption, reconciliation and forgiveness. Relentlessness is a virtue that ran across all major character and I found this inspiring.
The coherent way the supernatural theme of the story is presented in the book is really commendable. It is precise, logical and quite believable, even if you’re a skeptic, this would still be an enjoyable book. The time period was split between Frida as a young girl and as an old woman but thanks to the author Olivia Rana, it wasn’t confusing to keep track of the time. There is a heading that shows the date before any time jump but even without the heading, you would have no difficulty knowing which period the story was happening.
I disliked that there were some events that had no buildup whatsoever, no buildup means there was no climax, which made it hard to relate to those events and I believe it made those events lose major significance. Also Frida’s treatment at the hospital might be a trigger for some readers especially those that have spent some time in such hospitals.
I recommend this book to readers of all ages that enjoy books about family relationships mixed with supernatural themes rooted in Icelandic folklores. This book was professionally edited as there were very few errors; I noticed a wrong name switch on page 77. There were two parts in the book that had sexual content, the first is on page 135, it was a short mild description, the other happened on page 159, there was some kissing and the rest was implied, I’d rate it as a 1 out of 5 for eroticism. I found the book very interesting and would definitely have no problem picking it up later to read again, this is why I give the book a rating four out of four stars.
******
Black Beach
View: on Bookshelves |
Black Beach by Olivia Rana is the story of Fria Einarsson, a young girl blessed with the ability to see and communicate with a race of hidden people known as the Huldufolk who can only be seen by people blessed with the gift of a second sight. In 1953, the Huldufolk were displaced from their homes when the town began the construction of a new harbor, which led to a terrible curse unleashed on the town. Misfortune, accidents and even death plagued the town until Frida intervened.
The year is 2021, beliefs have changed and memories are long forgotten, and now, more than 60years later, the harbor is getting reopened. With age not on her side, deteriorating health, failing memory and disbelief from everyone, her daughter included, Frida strives to restore balance to nature and save the town.
The author expertly made the pages come alive, she made me feel sad when Frida cried, and discouraged when no one believed her, angry when she was accused wrongly and happy when she felt joy. The strained relationship between Frida and her daughter Alda mirrors that of Siddalee and her mother in the book “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood”. I loved how she showed that families aren’t perfect, that mistakes can be made and we can hurt each other without meaning to, but also that there is a chance for redemption, reconciliation and forgiveness. Relentlessness is a virtue that ran across all major character and I found this inspiring.
The coherent way the supernatural theme of the story is presented in the book is really commendable. It is precise, logical and quite believable, even if you’re a skeptic, this would still be an enjoyable book. The time period was split between Frida as a young girl and as an old woman but thanks to the author Olivia Rana, it wasn’t confusing to keep track of the time. There is a heading that shows the date before any time jump but even without the heading, you would have no difficulty knowing which period the story was happening.
I disliked that there were some events that had no buildup whatsoever, no buildup means there was no climax, which made it hard to relate to those events and I believe it made those events lose major significance. Also Frida’s treatment at the hospital might be a trigger for some readers especially those that have spent some time in such hospitals.
I recommend this book to readers of all ages that enjoy books about family relationships mixed with supernatural themes rooted in Icelandic folklores. This book was professionally edited as there were very few errors; I noticed a wrong name switch on page 77. There were two parts in the book that had sexual content, the first is on page 135, it was a short mild description, the other happened on page 159, there was some kissing and the rest was implied, I’d rate it as a 1 out of 5 for eroticism. I found the book very interesting and would definitely have no problem picking it up later to read again, this is why I give the book a rating four out of four stars.
******
Black Beach
View: on Bookshelves |
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