When Tamsin and her husband Rab leave London and their busy careers behind, they hope a remote island on the Scottish Hebrides will provide exactly the kind of lifestyle change they’ve been looking for.
Once the romantic shine of their new adventure wears off, it becomes clear that rescuing, maintaining and building a croft as newcomers won’t be easy.
A true story, Calidas is adept at illustrating her emotional and mental state throughout her experiences, effectively using the Scottish and escape as a means to emphasise her plights and successes.
This is an extremely honest account of human survival in the face of unimaginable pain and loss in so many capacities.
As a reader, there were times I felt heartbroken, so poignant and stark are some of the experiences and emotions Calidas describes.
Never as relevant as it is now, Calidas’ battle with isolation and loneliness is both moving and inspiring. The desire for human contact and interaction is soothed by a deep kinship with nature, which remains steadfast no matter what.
I Am An Island, by Tamsin Calidas, published by Doubleday, £16.99.
[review rating=”4″ align = “left”]
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