The Caver: A Novel

by Carol Burnham

Claire, an American writer, returns to the island of Kithera, “for answers” and befriends a café owner who offers to teach her Greek. But certainty is difficult in the land of myth and “trickster” light. Even her new tutor, who possesses a “strange consonance” with the island, becomes for her, an object of intrigue. When an amiable new neighbour extends an invitation on the day they meet, Claire declines, indicating that she needs to be alone for a while, but subsequently is persuaded to attend a dinner party. There she meets George, a caver from Malta, and falls inexplicably in love. She travels to Crete and ventures alone up a mountain to the remote village where she can be with him near his project. Then the unexpected occurs. Claire comes to Greece in search of answers and finds, instead, a stubborn but beautiful mystery.

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book too short. I wanted my trip to this Greek Island to last longer. Carol Burnham's descriptions are transportive - I wanted more. I wanted more drift and less editing. I felt the story moved too fast. I enjoyed the book very much and recommend it. I just wanted more.