A beautiful exploration of womanhood and the sea.
In her striking debut novel, British author Charlotte Runcie explores the power of the sea and its relationship with women throughout the ages. Each page is a love letter to the wild waves and strange tides that have been present since the beginning of time. Runcie discusses the generations of women who have lived, loved and lost on the shore, connecting their stories to her own experience of pregnancy and motherhood. Her fascination with the sea is present from the start and only grows as her pregnancy progresses.
Women of the sea
The book is divided into sections, each named after one of the stars in the Pleiades – also known as the seven sisters. In referencing these mythical female figureheads, Runcie sets the tone for her book which so brilliantly blends myth with fact, contemporary ideologies, and history. She explores ancient Greek myths, Scottish folktales, art and poetry, blending imagined visions of the sea with true stories of brave and ordinary women who lived and survived along its shores. Â
Water and motherhood
Runcie beautifully captures the power and mystery of the sea with her poetic style. Her ability to connect the sea to her experience of pregnancy and motherhood is utterly compelling. The beauty and terror humans experience in the presence of the ocean matches the joy and fear Runcie feels as she prepares to give birth. Her descriptions convey both sides of the experience with lyricism and discordance. In many ways, her voice is feminist but it is also objective and personal, balancing imagination with research and poetic descriptions with factual prose. Â
In summary
While this book might not appeal to everyone, given its foray into birth and motherhood, Runcie’s narrative is wonderfully immersive. Her use of sensory detail is incredibly evocative and transports readers to the shores of past and present alongside her.
Â
*What have you been reading this month? Post a title in the comments.
Â
留言