Galore by Michael Crummey
Galore by Michael Crummey tells the story of a Newfoundland island and the families that live there from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s.
Synopsis
The inhabitants of Newfoundland live hard lives, only surviving by fishing the ocean that surrounds them. A lousy year at sea means death by starvation and frostbite to the poorest families. During one such bad year, a whale beaches on their shore, leaving the islanders rejoicing. The villagers know the whale will feed them and bring enough money to support the community for another year. When one of the oldest and wisest older women of the village slices open the stomach, none of them expects a man’s body to spew out. Even less expected, was for the albino looking man to cough and splutter to life.
Galore by Michael Crummey review
Spanning several years, Galore follows two leading families and how their lives intertwine through the generations. With a religious vein throughout, the story comes is fable-like in style. The characters are brilliantly vivid, especially during the first half of this book where the story really grabs you. Saying that, it does leave you with the feeling of waiting for something to happen and that the main story will be about the stranger found in the whale. This is not the case as he fades out as the central character, and the book becomes a collection of tales of different characters and events.
Although the second half of this book does not feel as strong as the first, the islander characters make the book an enjoyable and worthwhile read that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
If you liked Galore by Michael Crummey, you’d love Rush Oh! by Shirley Barrett.
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