The spirit of the area – fiction set in the Peak District
- Book: The Shadow Year
- Location: Glossop, The Peak District
- Author: Hannah Richell
A well written novel with an engrossing storyline worthy of a Shakespearean drama, and with twists and turns that sustain the book to the end.
Four friends finish University in the 1980s and decide to settle in a very remote cottage in the Peak District and see if they can maintain a simple way of life, without recourse to the modern world. Ben and Carla arrive as a couple, Mac suggests the remote cottage, Simon sees his role as being the proactive one in charge, and Kat has a huge, unrequited crush on Simon. All is well to begin with, but as the cold of Winter begins to control much of their existence, the tensions amongst the house mates start to escalate, and things start to implode. Freya, Kat’s sister unexpectedly turns up and joins the motley gathering. Gradually things start to feel pressured and skewed, as Simon take up more of the slack it is surely only a matter of time before the whole scenario descends into something from Lord of the Flies or The Beach….?
The author runs a parallel storyline, set in the modern day, Lila and Tom, who have just miscarried a baby – Lila fell down the stairs. The stress of this event permeates the fabric of their relationship and the two go on to suffer a marital crisis, as each of them mourns the loss of the 4 day old daughter Milly, each in very different ways. It is at the point that the stories converge, because Lila has been left the very cottage in The Peak District. And as the story unfolds it becomes apparent how these two stories from the modern day and the past start to interweave and the plot unfolds.
The seasons in this beautiful area of England are beatuifully described and brought to life, from the hot, shimmering Summer winds to the cold and barren landscape covered in snow. The remoteness of the cottage, with the nearby lake just come alive in the skilful hands of this author. This novel is definitely one of our favourites in 2013.
The author talks about her inspiration on our blog:
http://tripfiction.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/the-spirit-of-peak-district-in-fiction.html
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