Review by Amethyst21 -- Black Beach by Olivia Rana
3 posts
[Following is a volunteer review of "Black Beach" by Olivia Rana.]
Black Beach is a beautiful story based on Icelandic folklore. Olivia Rana describes the struggle and misunderstanding that gifted persons undergo when faced by the cynicism of modern society. This book immerses the reader in the life of the Einarsson family, especially Fríða and her struggle to save the Huldufólk (Hidden People), a tremendous duty passed down from her father, Jón Einarsson (Pabbi). Their shared gift to see into a world that few others can serve to bring Fríða closer to her father, yet distances her from her sister and the people of Vík.
The book alternates between two periods of Fríða's life to give a complete account of her journey with the Huldufólk. The story starts in 1953, Vík, Iceland, where we are introduced to Fríða as a child. In this period, the reader learns about the Huldufólk and gets an insight into the Einarsson's family dynamic. When it is discovered that Fríða, and not Katrín, inherits the sight to see the Huldufólk, Fríða becomes the new favourite daughter. This leads to envy and hurtful actions between the sisters and results in a rift between Fríða and Katrín that lasts a lifetime.
The story then alternates to the year 2021 in Reykjavík, Iceland. Fríða is an older woman suffering from what seems to be Alzheimer's. She resides at a nursing home to get full-time care. Her grown daughter, Alda has struggled her entire life to believe and understand her mother's fascination with the Hidden People and rocks. She adds an important narrative in this period. Alda provides a grounded and scientific perspective that contrasts with her mother's whimsical world.
In both periods, the Huldufólk are being threatened by the tides of modernisation as the people of Vík seeks to build a harbour at Black Beach. Fríða with the help of her Huldufólk friend, Pálína undergoes many trials in her journey to save Black Beach, the home of the Huldufólk.
A disappearance act by the elder Fríða from her room at the nursing home begins a perspective-changing journey for her daughter, Alda. Alda's search for her mother is a rescue mission and also a discovery of the woman who raised her.
This was such a beautifully tragic tale. It's harshness made it very real and heart-rending. I was in a turmoil over a lot of what happened in this book. So much of what happened in Fríða's childhood could have been different. Her father's clear favouritism towards the special child, with a blatant disregard for the other, was so wrong. Why did their mother condone the behaviour? I was so mad when she sent Fríða away like she was crazy instead of believing in her. However, the many grievances Fríða endured made the journey more realistic and touching.
There are a lot of themes here that we can relate to in our lives. Have you ever been rejected by your classmates or family and made to feel like you do not belong? Have you ever been denied the affections of someone you love? Have you ever allowed fear to make you cruel to others? Have you ever fought for something that no one else understands? Have you ever sacrificed for the sake of others? These are some of the topics you will find in the Black Beach.
Olivia Rana did a marvellous job with this story. I love and dislike books that pull at my heartstrings and lingers in my mind. At the end of the book, I was in a love-hate relationship with it. This book was well-edited and written. Despite the constant shift in periods, I was never confused. The layout of the chapters and the alternate periods allowed me to understand Fríða's story better. The descriptions of Iceland, it's folklore, the familial core of the book and the journey to save something unseen by others was outstanding. Who is to say that there are not people living in the rocks, at one with Mother Nature. This is a beautiful tale of faith and courage. I recommend it to all readers. I enthusiastically rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Black Beach
View: on Bookshelves |
Black Beach is a beautiful story based on Icelandic folklore. Olivia Rana describes the struggle and misunderstanding that gifted persons undergo when faced by the cynicism of modern society. This book immerses the reader in the life of the Einarsson family, especially Fríða and her struggle to save the Huldufólk (Hidden People), a tremendous duty passed down from her father, Jón Einarsson (Pabbi). Their shared gift to see into a world that few others can serve to bring Fríða closer to her father, yet distances her from her sister and the people of Vík.
The book alternates between two periods of Fríða's life to give a complete account of her journey with the Huldufólk. The story starts in 1953, Vík, Iceland, where we are introduced to Fríða as a child. In this period, the reader learns about the Huldufólk and gets an insight into the Einarsson's family dynamic. When it is discovered that Fríða, and not Katrín, inherits the sight to see the Huldufólk, Fríða becomes the new favourite daughter. This leads to envy and hurtful actions between the sisters and results in a rift between Fríða and Katrín that lasts a lifetime.
The story then alternates to the year 2021 in Reykjavík, Iceland. Fríða is an older woman suffering from what seems to be Alzheimer's. She resides at a nursing home to get full-time care. Her grown daughter, Alda has struggled her entire life to believe and understand her mother's fascination with the Hidden People and rocks. She adds an important narrative in this period. Alda provides a grounded and scientific perspective that contrasts with her mother's whimsical world.
In both periods, the Huldufólk are being threatened by the tides of modernisation as the people of Vík seeks to build a harbour at Black Beach. Fríða with the help of her Huldufólk friend, Pálína undergoes many trials in her journey to save Black Beach, the home of the Huldufólk.
A disappearance act by the elder Fríða from her room at the nursing home begins a perspective-changing journey for her daughter, Alda. Alda's search for her mother is a rescue mission and also a discovery of the woman who raised her.
This was such a beautifully tragic tale. It's harshness made it very real and heart-rending. I was in a turmoil over a lot of what happened in this book. So much of what happened in Fríða's childhood could have been different. Her father's clear favouritism towards the special child, with a blatant disregard for the other, was so wrong. Why did their mother condone the behaviour? I was so mad when she sent Fríða away like she was crazy instead of believing in her. However, the many grievances Fríða endured made the journey more realistic and touching.
There are a lot of themes here that we can relate to in our lives. Have you ever been rejected by your classmates or family and made to feel like you do not belong? Have you ever been denied the affections of someone you love? Have you ever allowed fear to make you cruel to others? Have you ever fought for something that no one else understands? Have you ever sacrificed for the sake of others? These are some of the topics you will find in the Black Beach.
Olivia Rana did a marvellous job with this story. I love and dislike books that pull at my heartstrings and lingers in my mind. At the end of the book, I was in a love-hate relationship with it. This book was well-edited and written. Despite the constant shift in periods, I was never confused. The layout of the chapters and the alternate periods allowed me to understand Fríða's story better. The descriptions of Iceland, it's folklore, the familial core of the book and the journey to save something unseen by others was outstanding. Who is to say that there are not people living in the rocks, at one with Mother Nature. This is a beautiful tale of faith and courage. I recommend it to all readers. I enthusiastically rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Black Beach
View: on Bookshelves |
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