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Call of the Undertow
A beautifully written, haunting tale of motherhood, guilt, myth and redemption set on the rugged coast of Caithness at Scotland’s furthest edge.
When Maggie Thame, a childless forty-something from Oxford, relocates to a remote village at Scotland’s most northern edge, it’s clear she’s running away. But to the villagers the question remains, from what?
Pursuing her career as a freelance cartographer, she lives in self-imposed isolation, seeking refuge in the harsh beauty of her surroundings. This is disturbed when she falls into an uneasy friendship with Trothan Gilbertson, a strange, other-worldly local nine-year old. Like Maggie, it’s unclear where Trothan really comes from, and what secrets might be lurking in his past. The lives of both become intertwined, with violent consequences that will change the destinies of woman and boy forever, forcing Maggie to confront the tragic events that first drew her to this isolated place.
In this, her debut novel, award-winning writer Linda Cracknell explores themes of motherhood, guilt, myth and the elemental forces of nature in a lyrical, taut and haunting account of damaged lives seeking redemption.
When Maggie Thame, a childless forty-something from Oxford, relocates to a remote village at Scotland’s most northern edge, it’s clear she’s running away. But to the villagers the question remains, from what?
Pursuing her career as a freelance cartographer, she lives in self-imposed isolation, seeking refuge in the harsh beauty of her surroundings. This is disturbed when she falls into an uneasy friendship with Trothan Gilbertson, a strange, other-worldly local nine-year old. Like Maggie, it’s unclear where Trothan really comes from, and what secrets might be lurking in his past. The lives of both become intertwined, with violent consequences that will change the destinies of woman and boy forever, forcing Maggie to confront the tragic events that first drew her to this isolated place.
In this, her debut novel, award-winning writer Linda Cracknell explores themes of motherhood, guilt, myth and the elemental forces of nature in a lyrical, taut and haunting account of damaged lives seeking redemption.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2013
1 person is currently reading
336 people want to read
About the author
Linda Cracknell
28 books9 followersLinda Cracknell writes short stories, novels, drama for BBC Radio Four, and creative non-fiction. She won the Macallan/Scotland on Sunday short story competition, and was shortlisted for the Scottish First Book Award for her story collection Life Drawing (Neil Wilson Publishing, 2000) and the Robin Jenkins Literary Award for environmental writing. Her second story collection A Searching Glance was published by Salt in 2008. She was the recipient of a Creative Scotland Award in 2007 for a project linking walking and writing. She edited the anthology A Wilder Vein (Two Ravens, 2011) and has contributed wide range of other anthologies and magazines. She lives in Highland Perthshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 24, 2021
Call of the Undertow is an intriguing atmospheric read, set in a remote Scottish village.
Maggie is childless and single, she relocates from Oxford to a remote village at Scotland’s northern most edge. She is a cartographer and continues her work remotely from her new home.
From the start it is hinted that she is running from something. She seeks isolation and long lonely walks on the beach. Begrudgingly, she does form a friendship, as such, with Graham who runs the nature reserve on the cliff edge. Through him she introduced to a school party and then invited to the school to give a talk on cartography.
One child stands out in the class.....Trothan Gilbertson, a strange, ethereal, local nine-year old. They fall into a odd friendship.
Like Maggie, it's unclear what secrets might be in his past.
As this beautifully written book comes to a close, Maggie is eventually forced to confront her friendship with the child and her reason for coming to such a remote part of the country.
This is Linda Cracknell debut novel published in 2013. An unusual book that will stay with me a long time. 4.5 ⭐️
Maggie is childless and single, she relocates from Oxford to a remote village at Scotland’s northern most edge. She is a cartographer and continues her work remotely from her new home.
From the start it is hinted that she is running from something. She seeks isolation and long lonely walks on the beach. Begrudgingly, she does form a friendship, as such, with Graham who runs the nature reserve on the cliff edge. Through him she introduced to a school party and then invited to the school to give a talk on cartography.
One child stands out in the class.....Trothan Gilbertson, a strange, ethereal, local nine-year old. They fall into a odd friendship.
Like Maggie, it's unclear what secrets might be in his past.
As this beautifully written book comes to a close, Maggie is eventually forced to confront her friendship with the child and her reason for coming to such a remote part of the country.
This is Linda Cracknell debut novel published in 2013. An unusual book that will stay with me a long time. 4.5 ⭐️
June 6, 2017
I really enjoyed this. I read it while on holiday in Sligo and Donegal, on the beach, while looking at the same Ocean (more or less) that the protagonist was walking beside in the story.
I found this a fast yet atmospheric read. The language is poetic and simply beautiful (my own language has failed me here). The feeling is of being isolated among the beauty Scotland’s most northerly coast.
The central protagonist is Maggie, a cartographer. She has left her in Oxford full of bakeries and social activities for a small cottage in the isolated far north of Scotland (in the white area of the map). She has run away from her past. Her ex-husband seems to understand this and her sister assumes it’s a temporary arrangement. She continues her work as a cartographer from home and becomes known to the locals as the map lady. Then as part of a school visit to the local primary school she meets Trothan, strange, quiet, longhaired child who also spends much of his time alone. Trothan also loves maps but his tell the stories of both the local legends and current goings on. This can only lead to trouble.
I love the nod to the Selkie myth contained within the novel and I actively choose to believe this myth is true for the purposes of this story. If you do not know the legends of Selkies I would STRONGLY recommend you look them up or you will miss something. Sealskin is a great place to start if you want to read about the central Selkie myth in novel form but Wikipedia will get you there too.
Like many others I read this as a result of the positive reviews of others who had purchased it as part of Moth Box (I was too late to purchase the moth box itself when it was on sale). I will definitely be reading this author again.
I found this a fast yet atmospheric read. The language is poetic and simply beautiful (my own language has failed me here). The feeling is of being isolated among the beauty Scotland’s most northerly coast.
The central protagonist is Maggie, a cartographer. She has left her in Oxford full of bakeries and social activities for a small cottage in the isolated far north of Scotland (in the white area of the map). She has run away from her past. Her ex-husband seems to understand this and her sister assumes it’s a temporary arrangement. She continues her work as a cartographer from home and becomes known to the locals as the map lady. Then as part of a school visit to the local primary school she meets Trothan, strange, quiet, longhaired child who also spends much of his time alone. Trothan also loves maps but his tell the stories of both the local legends and current goings on. This can only lead to trouble.
I love the nod to the Selkie myth contained within the novel and I actively choose to believe this myth is true for the purposes of this story. If you do not know the legends of Selkies I would STRONGLY recommend you look them up or you will miss something. Sealskin is a great place to start if you want to read about the central Selkie myth in novel form but Wikipedia will get you there too.
Like many others I read this as a result of the positive reviews of others who had purchased it as part of Moth Box (I was too late to purchase the moth box itself when it was on sale). I will definitely be reading this author again.
August 13, 2015
From a Scottish writer who deserves to be better known, the spooky and atmospheric tale of the connections between a troubled mapmaker and her mysterious young protégé.
The northern Scottish setting and the power of history and mythology will certainly remind readers of Sarah Moss’s Night Waking and Amy Sackville’s Orkney, but Cracknell’s is a more satisfying story than either of those novels, with strong prose building the subtle and memorable suspense plot.
Cracknell masterfully evokes the wild coast of Scotland, the almost unearthly nature of the lingering summer light in northern climes – where all is moonlight, crashing waves, elusive seals (or are those selkies?), and the wheeling and crying of seabirds. There is something deliciously creepy about the novel’s setting, with derelict farm buildings and an abandoned church also serving as backdrops.
An eerie and evocative debut novel: read it and be transported.
(See my full review at Nudge.)
The northern Scottish setting and the power of history and mythology will certainly remind readers of Sarah Moss’s Night Waking and Amy Sackville’s Orkney, but Cracknell’s is a more satisfying story than either of those novels, with strong prose building the subtle and memorable suspense plot.
Cracknell masterfully evokes the wild coast of Scotland, the almost unearthly nature of the lingering summer light in northern climes – where all is moonlight, crashing waves, elusive seals (or are those selkies?), and the wheeling and crying of seabirds. There is something deliciously creepy about the novel’s setting, with derelict farm buildings and an abandoned church also serving as backdrops.
An eerie and evocative debut novel: read it and be transported.
(See my full review at Nudge.)
September 20, 2017
I loved this, and, actually, the more I think about it, the more I grow to love it. This book has a quiet, understated power. The setting, on the wild northern coast in Scotland, was perfection, perfectly atmospheric, adding to the subtle spookiness and mystery of the story. Cracknell beautifully describes the crashing waves of the coastline, the sounds seabirds, and the creepiness of abandoned buildings around an insular, vaguely unwelcoming village. New arrival, our protagonist Maggie, is attracted to this land, hoping to find some kind of escape from her old life. Middle-aged, childless, and newly single, Maggie is tormented by feelings of guilt and shame. At first, I felt at such a distance to Maggie, that I found it hard to understand or feel sympathetic towards her, but Cracknell develops this wonderfully, and, as Maggie's story unravels, the reader begins to make sense of her and why she finds the outside world so terrifying. The plot revolves around the development of a rather unusual friendship between Maggie and an odd young schoolboy. Certainly, a quiet book, one that starts slow and then builds and I think there are several different possible interpretations on what follows. Having finished, I'm already questioning what I thought I knew, near the start of the book, about this rural community and those characters who fail to assimilate with the rest of the village.
February 6, 2017
This book was 100% not for me. Everything (the premise, the fact that a kid is one of the main characters, the writing style) was screaming "Do not pick me up!".
But I had to, because it was in the November Moth Box.
In a sense I'm glad I discovered a new author & I'm still really interested in picking the other book up, but it just wasn't for me.
The plot was uninteresting for me - we followed Maggie as she started living in a remote village in Scotland (a really fascinating setting, I admit) after something mysterious happened to her. I kind of figured it out a little bit before it was explicitly told but after the reveal the author just didn't elaborate on that.
Maggie started "befriending" a kid of this village, but I found that the bond between them wasn't strong enough for me to feel attached.
I found myself skimming some parts after the halfway point and just reading dialogues, trying to find a sense in what was going on and I didn't.
I feel like I went into this novel knowing that it wasn't my thing and at the same time the novel didn't do anything to convince me that it could be my thing.
But I had to, because it was in the November Moth Box.
In a sense I'm glad I discovered a new author & I'm still really interested in picking the other book up, but it just wasn't for me.
The plot was uninteresting for me - we followed Maggie as she started living in a remote village in Scotland (a really fascinating setting, I admit) after something mysterious happened to her. I kind of figured it out a little bit before it was explicitly told but after the reveal the author just didn't elaborate on that.
Maggie started "befriending" a kid of this village, but I found that the bond between them wasn't strong enough for me to feel attached.
I found myself skimming some parts after the halfway point and just reading dialogues, trying to find a sense in what was going on and I didn't.
I feel like I went into this novel knowing that it wasn't my thing and at the same time the novel didn't do anything to convince me that it could be my thing.
August 16, 2017
Maggie Thame has relocated to the atmospheric Caithness Coast of Scotland from Oxford, England. Forty, childless and newly single, she harbours a deep guilty feeling of shame. She longs to escape her memories and start life anew. Still, she is plagued by disturbing dreams of a girl's tiny red polka dot shoe...
"An hour or two's walk helped with ideas for work as well as keeping her body from seizing up and rescuing her mind from its shadows."
A freelance cartographer, Maggie can work from anywhere, so she rents 'Flotsam Cottage' and continues working on her maps. To take a break from her work, she walks for hours at a time - familiarizing herself with her new surroundings. As she gradually meets some of the locals during her rambles, she becomes known to them as 'The Map Lady'. She becomes enchanted by the plethora of wildlife in the area, and likes to sit quietly on the cliffs watching the puffins frolic.
The local primary school teacher invites her to speak to the class about her cartographic skills. It is then that she meets a peculiar young boy named Trothan Gilbertson. He seems 'different'. An odd child who is ostracized by his peers and seems to have little parental supervision. At first she was uncertain as to whether he was male or female as his hair was worn very long and he wore wellies that were quite feminine. Pale blue with white daisies. He is very skilled at making maps however, so Maggie gradually takes him 'under her wing' and advises him how to further improve his skills. Unsettling though, as he seems to come and go at will, turning up at Maggie's cottage uninvited and letting himself in... Trothan draws a map of the local area that is worthy of entering in a competition.
Maggie also meets Graham who works at the local 'bird center'. He educates her on the myriad birds who inhabit the area and it is to Graham that she runs when she is attacked by nesting terns.
When Maggie's sister Carol comes to Scotland to visit, she persuades Maggie to drive her around the area and visit the local pub. Until then the school teacher, Trothan and Graham were her only friends. Carol doesn't seem to approve of the strange boy and is uncomfortable with the wild, nature-rich locale which her sister has chosen to call home.
As the weeks pass, Maggie forms a strong attachment to Trothan. She worries that he is neglected by his parents, and begins to think motherly thoughts toward him.
"If she'd been this child's mother she wouldn't have stood back and let him be ignored and ostracized; working alone, playing alone; tolerated rather than encouraged."
An unsettling event happens at a school awards night. In presenting his map, Trothan has simultaneously divulged the secrets of the village. The following day, Trothan goes missing and the police and some journalists interrogate Maggie. Alas, it seems her personal 'history' in Oxford has followed her to her new home...
This debut novel's setting was indeed almost like a character unto itself. Rich in atmosphere, and written with skill, it is more literary fiction than mystery, though it does contain some mysterious elements. The reader's mind cannot help but think of Scotland's mystical history. Of seals and of selkies. I realize that the ending of this novel might be too 'open-ended' for some, but I'm grateful that I finally got to read "Call of the Undertow". I recommend it to readers who enjoy character-rich novels with a strong sense of place.
To view my full review including pictures of the beautiful setting of the novel, visit my blog:
https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
"An hour or two's walk helped with ideas for work as well as keeping her body from seizing up and rescuing her mind from its shadows."
A freelance cartographer, Maggie can work from anywhere, so she rents 'Flotsam Cottage' and continues working on her maps. To take a break from her work, she walks for hours at a time - familiarizing herself with her new surroundings. As she gradually meets some of the locals during her rambles, she becomes known to them as 'The Map Lady'. She becomes enchanted by the plethora of wildlife in the area, and likes to sit quietly on the cliffs watching the puffins frolic.
The local primary school teacher invites her to speak to the class about her cartographic skills. It is then that she meets a peculiar young boy named Trothan Gilbertson. He seems 'different'. An odd child who is ostracized by his peers and seems to have little parental supervision. At first she was uncertain as to whether he was male or female as his hair was worn very long and he wore wellies that were quite feminine. Pale blue with white daisies. He is very skilled at making maps however, so Maggie gradually takes him 'under her wing' and advises him how to further improve his skills. Unsettling though, as he seems to come and go at will, turning up at Maggie's cottage uninvited and letting himself in... Trothan draws a map of the local area that is worthy of entering in a competition.
Maggie also meets Graham who works at the local 'bird center'. He educates her on the myriad birds who inhabit the area and it is to Graham that she runs when she is attacked by nesting terns.
When Maggie's sister Carol comes to Scotland to visit, she persuades Maggie to drive her around the area and visit the local pub. Until then the school teacher, Trothan and Graham were her only friends. Carol doesn't seem to approve of the strange boy and is uncomfortable with the wild, nature-rich locale which her sister has chosen to call home.
As the weeks pass, Maggie forms a strong attachment to Trothan. She worries that he is neglected by his parents, and begins to think motherly thoughts toward him.
"If she'd been this child's mother she wouldn't have stood back and let him be ignored and ostracized; working alone, playing alone; tolerated rather than encouraged."
An unsettling event happens at a school awards night. In presenting his map, Trothan has simultaneously divulged the secrets of the village. The following day, Trothan goes missing and the police and some journalists interrogate Maggie. Alas, it seems her personal 'history' in Oxford has followed her to her new home...
This debut novel's setting was indeed almost like a character unto itself. Rich in atmosphere, and written with skill, it is more literary fiction than mystery, though it does contain some mysterious elements. The reader's mind cannot help but think of Scotland's mystical history. Of seals and of selkies. I realize that the ending of this novel might be too 'open-ended' for some, but I'm grateful that I finally got to read "Call of the Undertow". I recommend it to readers who enjoy character-rich novels with a strong sense of place.
To view my full review including pictures of the beautiful setting of the novel, visit my blog:
https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
February 6, 2017
DNF page 89, 35%
I had high hopes for this book when I bought it early last year - it seemed to contain themes and settings I absolutely love. But, alas, it didn't deliver. The writing style very much suits the story, but didn't suit my tastes. There is much description of the land around where Maggie lives, but it's done in the style of cartography, meticulously naming where natural structures are in relation to others and using many topographical and botanical words I was unfamiliar with. If I had wanted to paint the picture of the scene in my mind, I would have been looking up picture after picture on the internet, interrupting my reading. I was not intrigued by any of the characters, including Maggie. There wasn't enough introspection for a book about isolated people. The chapters moved quickly because they were all about moving and doing, not thinking and feeling, which is what I need from most of my books. And, for such a short book, it took a long time to get to anything resembling an overarching plot. By page 50, my normal DNF cutoff point, I hadn't even met the second main character, Trothan. I was hoping this book would be mysterious and hauntingly beautiful, but most scenes were full of awkwardness. Call of the Undertow has all of the pieces I would normally love, but presents them in a way I unfortunately don't love.
I had high hopes for this book when I bought it early last year - it seemed to contain themes and settings I absolutely love. But, alas, it didn't deliver. The writing style very much suits the story, but didn't suit my tastes. There is much description of the land around where Maggie lives, but it's done in the style of cartography, meticulously naming where natural structures are in relation to others and using many topographical and botanical words I was unfamiliar with. If I had wanted to paint the picture of the scene in my mind, I would have been looking up picture after picture on the internet, interrupting my reading. I was not intrigued by any of the characters, including Maggie. There wasn't enough introspection for a book about isolated people. The chapters moved quickly because they were all about moving and doing, not thinking and feeling, which is what I need from most of my books. And, for such a short book, it took a long time to get to anything resembling an overarching plot. By page 50, my normal DNF cutoff point, I hadn't even met the second main character, Trothan. I was hoping this book would be mysterious and hauntingly beautiful, but most scenes were full of awkwardness. Call of the Undertow has all of the pieces I would normally love, but presents them in a way I unfortunately don't love.
February 7, 2017
Big thanks to Mercedes for introducing me to this book through her Moth Box. It was such a beautiful book. So atmospheric, akin to the way Burial Rites was atmospheric, and also something that really dug into your heart and stuck there. I get really attached to the characters and was very invested in what was happening and hoping for this outcome or that. It was just a very beautifully written, quite, subtle book that had be absolutely addicted.
June 11, 2017
I received this book in the first MothBox subscription box and am really glad I had the opportunity to read something I never would have normally picked up or heard about.
It is a fascinating and subtle read following the cartographer Maggie Thame as she moves to a remote village in Scotland to seemingly get away from something horrible that has happened in her life. She seems desperate to keep herself to herself, but that isn't always possible in such a small village with questions being asked by those showing an interest.
She also builds up a very unlikely friendship with the 9 year old Trothan, and their friendship is slightly strange but they both seem to connect and share a love of maps and exploring.
I enjoyed the pace of this book as the story unfolded quite slowly and deliberately and was full of emotion as it shows damaged souls trying to find themselves again, amidst the stunning scenery of the remote scottish village.
Highly recommended
It is a fascinating and subtle read following the cartographer Maggie Thame as she moves to a remote village in Scotland to seemingly get away from something horrible that has happened in her life. She seems desperate to keep herself to herself, but that isn't always possible in such a small village with questions being asked by those showing an interest.
She also builds up a very unlikely friendship with the 9 year old Trothan, and their friendship is slightly strange but they both seem to connect and share a love of maps and exploring.
I enjoyed the pace of this book as the story unfolded quite slowly and deliberately and was full of emotion as it shows damaged souls trying to find themselves again, amidst the stunning scenery of the remote scottish village.
Highly recommended
February 8, 2017
Loved the rural setting, all the descriptions of the village, seaside and Scottish wildlife was excellent. Just the atmosphere and nature in general was captured really well, I think I enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery more than the story. Not that the story was bad, it was just very quiet and slow going. There were only two prominent characters. Maggie and Trothan, and there wasn't much going on apart from them developing a friendship of sorts through map making, and there were some elements of mystery, fairy tale and magical realism thrown in.
Maggie wasn't a particularly compelling character, I wasn't all that interested in her tortured past, her fascination/relationship with Trothan was the most interesting thing about her, mainly because of how weird she was in latching on to a strange boy she had no relation to.
Didn't much like the ending, would have liked to know what actually happened to Trothan instead of it being left as a mystery.
Maggie wasn't a particularly compelling character, I wasn't all that interested in her tortured past, her fascination/relationship with Trothan was the most interesting thing about her, mainly because of how weird she was in latching on to a strange boy she had no relation to.
Didn't much like the ending, would have liked to know what actually happened to Trothan instead of it being left as a mystery.
January 4, 2014
A lovely book, atmospheric, shocking and fascinating. It’s about a cartographer (which is a mapmaker, but you knew that…) who moves to an almost blank space on her map – the north coast of Scotland - where she works on an atlas about Nigeria at the same time as learning about the many layers of truth about the not even slightly blank landscape she’s living in.
The plot is moved along by a visit to a local school to talk about maps and atlases, which leads to an odd friendship with a boy who starts making his own unconventional local map.
I loved the book because I love the north coast of Scotland, I love the connection between maps and stories, and I also because recognised several of the local legends the boy Trothan decides to mark on his map. I also loved it because I too visit schools to talk about books, though thank goodness I’ve never ended up involved with a missing person enquiry afterwards.
There is a feeling of mystery and myth to this book, but there is no airy fairy fantasy. You can draw your own conclusions and I suspect there are several right ways to interpret the shocking events at the end of the book.
This is a beautiful novel. It's slow to start, then it builds up in layers - which is apparently how a map is created - into a wonderful picture of a woman, a community and a glimpse of a very unusual child. But only a glimpse, because one of the pleasures of this book is that it gives no absolute answers.
The plot is moved along by a visit to a local school to talk about maps and atlases, which leads to an odd friendship with a boy who starts making his own unconventional local map.
I loved the book because I love the north coast of Scotland, I love the connection between maps and stories, and I also because recognised several of the local legends the boy Trothan decides to mark on his map. I also loved it because I too visit schools to talk about books, though thank goodness I’ve never ended up involved with a missing person enquiry afterwards.
There is a feeling of mystery and myth to this book, but there is no airy fairy fantasy. You can draw your own conclusions and I suspect there are several right ways to interpret the shocking events at the end of the book.
This is a beautiful novel. It's slow to start, then it builds up in layers - which is apparently how a map is created - into a wonderful picture of a woman, a community and a glimpse of a very unusual child. But only a glimpse, because one of the pleasures of this book is that it gives no absolute answers.
December 19, 2016
I want to wallow in the cold Scottish waters of this story but this book was a full on 5 star read for me.
I received this through my Moth Box Books Subscription box this month and is published by Freight Books a smaller and new publisher to me.
Linda Cracknell's scenic and character descriptions draw you in and pull you like a harpie to the sea's of the northern Scottish coastline.
The main story is that of Maggie, a female cartographer who has moved away from her Oxford home to escape the encompassing grief of an event that has taken place and impacted greatly on her. When she arrives to the small Scottish village, she is pretty much left to her own devices until such time as she befriends Graham in the local bird watching office. From this point her exposure to the small community she is living in opens up to her and she is asked by the local school to do a presentation and instil some interest in their students for a project they are doing.
Trothan is one of the students in the cartography presentation, he stands out immediately with his quirky looks and concentration on Maggie during her class. They strike up a mutual friendship based on their interest in maps.
This fondness takes them on a journey together through the beautiful landscape of coastal Scotland, abandoned churches and mythology as Trothan creates his own map.
This book lyrically draws you through the reason for Maggie's arrival in Scotland, her new friendships in Scotland and a shocking exposure leading to a turn of events nobody will expect.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough, if you want a good winter read, this highly atmospheric book is the one for you.
I received this through my Moth Box Books Subscription box this month and is published by Freight Books a smaller and new publisher to me.
Linda Cracknell's scenic and character descriptions draw you in and pull you like a harpie to the sea's of the northern Scottish coastline.
The main story is that of Maggie, a female cartographer who has moved away from her Oxford home to escape the encompassing grief of an event that has taken place and impacted greatly on her. When she arrives to the small Scottish village, she is pretty much left to her own devices until such time as she befriends Graham in the local bird watching office. From this point her exposure to the small community she is living in opens up to her and she is asked by the local school to do a presentation and instil some interest in their students for a project they are doing.
Trothan is one of the students in the cartography presentation, he stands out immediately with his quirky looks and concentration on Maggie during her class. They strike up a mutual friendship based on their interest in maps.
This fondness takes them on a journey together through the beautiful landscape of coastal Scotland, abandoned churches and mythology as Trothan creates his own map.
This book lyrically draws you through the reason for Maggie's arrival in Scotland, her new friendships in Scotland and a shocking exposure leading to a turn of events nobody will expect.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough, if you want a good winter read, this highly atmospheric book is the one for you.
December 24, 2013
A beautiful, mesmerising book. I've been a fan of Linda Cracknell's writing for years and her first novel didn't disappoint. Her descriptions of the countryside, coastline and people of the far north of Scotland are poetic and arresting, her turns of phrase original and devastating, "sleeplessness had made a blade of her" being my particular favourite. The plot draws the reader through without being overdone and over-prominent and the novel ends on a perfect note of melancholic optimism. Now I've finished this, I'm going to revisit her two short story collections.
October 29, 2013
The long awaited first novel from Linda Cracknell doesn't disappoint. Written in her usual confident style, this story of a young woman trying to come to terms with a past tragedy is subtle and yet intriguing. Great sense of place.
January 2, 2017
Ambient, intriguing and a solid read.
September 20, 2014
I was recommended this book by a friend who reviewed it in Northwords Now a few months earlier. I bought it and read it and enjoyed it so much that I chose it for my local book reading club.
Interestingly, on a first reading I would have given it 3, maybe 4 stars at most. It's well-written, some engaging descriptions of the location and the heroine's interaction with Trothan (the young boy). But the plot seemed a little unsure of itself at times. However, after reading it a second time it became apparent the novel is more subtle than I realised.
Without giving away too much of the plot, the story concerns Maggie (a cartographer) escaping to the remote North-Eastern corner of Scotland. She makes it her own Terra Incognita where days become 'empty white sheets'. Content with a reclusive life, Maggie is invited against her will to speak about her work to a class at the local primary school. Here she first comes across Trothan, a loner who seems the one most interested in her presentation.
The author creates a clever balance between the cast of characters and various other elements of the plot:
Maggie and Trothan - both seeming to be pulled between two worlds - both temporary visitors rather than 'stayers'.
Their fascination with maps and map-making - Maggie intent on showing what's 'important' - Trothan looking to record the mythological landscape of the area.
The Ranger and Trothan - both passionate and knowledgeable about the local environment - but Trothan the only one to react against those who are destroying the habitat and its natural resources.
Maggie and Trothan's mother - each carrying the loss of a child on their conscience - each burdened by their own guilty secret.
There's so much that makes sense on a second reading, not least the reaction of the parents and the local community to the tragic event that forms the climax of the novel.
Interestingly the other members of the reading group felt let down by the ending. Enjoying the evocative language, the rich descriptions of the area and the way the plot unravels but finding the conclusion rather depressing.
It was only when I suggested a link with the Selkie myth (my own interpretation anyway) and the numerous clues within the text that they were able to consider a totally different outcome. More life-affirming than tragic.
I'll not spoil the fun for any readers but I laughed out loud when I discovered the almost throwaway clue where Maggie first sees Trothan in the school playground and marvels at his uncanny skills with a football. Something I'd dismissed on first reading.
So 5 stars after the second reading. And I'm looking forward to the author's next novel with pleasure.
Interestingly, on a first reading I would have given it 3, maybe 4 stars at most. It's well-written, some engaging descriptions of the location and the heroine's interaction with Trothan (the young boy). But the plot seemed a little unsure of itself at times. However, after reading it a second time it became apparent the novel is more subtle than I realised.
Without giving away too much of the plot, the story concerns Maggie (a cartographer) escaping to the remote North-Eastern corner of Scotland. She makes it her own Terra Incognita where days become 'empty white sheets'. Content with a reclusive life, Maggie is invited against her will to speak about her work to a class at the local primary school. Here she first comes across Trothan, a loner who seems the one most interested in her presentation.
The author creates a clever balance between the cast of characters and various other elements of the plot:
Maggie and Trothan - both seeming to be pulled between two worlds - both temporary visitors rather than 'stayers'.
Their fascination with maps and map-making - Maggie intent on showing what's 'important' - Trothan looking to record the mythological landscape of the area.
The Ranger and Trothan - both passionate and knowledgeable about the local environment - but Trothan the only one to react against those who are destroying the habitat and its natural resources.
Maggie and Trothan's mother - each carrying the loss of a child on their conscience - each burdened by their own guilty secret.
There's so much that makes sense on a second reading, not least the reaction of the parents and the local community to the tragic event that forms the climax of the novel.
Interestingly the other members of the reading group felt let down by the ending. Enjoying the evocative language, the rich descriptions of the area and the way the plot unravels but finding the conclusion rather depressing.
It was only when I suggested a link with the Selkie myth (my own interpretation anyway) and the numerous clues within the text that they were able to consider a totally different outcome. More life-affirming than tragic.
I'll not spoil the fun for any readers but I laughed out loud when I discovered the almost throwaway clue where Maggie first sees Trothan in the school playground and marvels at his uncanny skills with a football. Something I'd dismissed on first reading.
So 5 stars after the second reading. And I'm looking forward to the author's next novel with pleasure.
August 16, 2014
"Call of the Undertow" is refreshingly original and superbly written. In a nutshell: following a personal shock, Maggie Thame, a cartographer, feels the need to be alone, so she moves to one of the most remote parts of Scotland. Shortly after she arrives, she develops an unusual relationship with a young boy called Trothan Gilbertson and from there, the story leads to a tragedy.
In many respects Trothan became my favourite character: I could not decide exactly what motivates him and whether he is evil or just a bit strange. His odd behaviour haunts the reader, just as the rugged coast, the local myths, and the power of the sea all haunt Maggie. The stark setting creates an astonishingly powerful backdrop to the novel.As a result of the multiple themes running through the book, including guilt, loneliness and motherhood, you find yourself questioning things long after the novel has ended. Well worth a read!
In many respects Trothan became my favourite character: I could not decide exactly what motivates him and whether he is evil or just a bit strange. His odd behaviour haunts the reader, just as the rugged coast, the local myths, and the power of the sea all haunt Maggie. The stark setting creates an astonishingly powerful backdrop to the novel.As a result of the multiple themes running through the book, including guilt, loneliness and motherhood, you find yourself questioning things long after the novel has ended. Well worth a read!
May 16, 2016
Linda Cracknell's "Call of the Undertow" is poignant, subtle, captivating, and stays with you long after you've finished it. It focuses on cartographer Maggie Thame who has relocated from England to the north of Scotland following a trauma which we don't initially understand. We're shown how a cartographer makes a map in layers, which is also how the book reveals itself. A strange young boy, Trotham, forges a troubling relationship with Maggie, who only partially grasps the secrets within the small community. The characters are beautifully drawn, and arguably include the north of Scotland itself, its atmosphere, its landscape and its mythology.
November 11, 2021
What a gorgeous story.
Maggie's a Cartographer, escaping from her life and searching for something else, to a remote part of Scotland where she befriends a young boy. That's all you'll get from me as a synopsis.
Lyrical, magical, sad & glorious. Exquisitely written, this is a wonderful story and the kind of book I will absolutely reread.
Maggie's a Cartographer, escaping from her life and searching for something else, to a remote part of Scotland where she befriends a young boy. That's all you'll get from me as a synopsis.
Lyrical, magical, sad & glorious. Exquisitely written, this is a wonderful story and the kind of book I will absolutely reread.
February 11, 2018
I enjoyed this book. I liked both the setting and the characters.
August 21, 2017
My review is up on my blog the Strange & Ordinary
https://strange-ordinary.com/2017/08/...
https://strange-ordinary.com/2017/08/...
November 7, 2016
A book which draws you from the beginning. It tells the story of Maggie Thame who runs north to Dunnet Bay, the furthermost northerly point she can find in a bid to leave her past behind. However living in the Bay where the sheer cliffs meets the might of the sea she finds herself slowly captured, like a seal in a fishing net, into the community. In an area where the true force of nature shapes the landscape and reminders of the past are just a few feet away in ruins, sand dunes and rusting equipment she finds that there is no escape. Slowly the harsh cold landscapes thaws Maggie and she is able to move forward.
February 10, 2017
Writing: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Ending: 4/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Ending: 4/5
January 9, 2017
I didnt think that I am a fan of this book. I wanted to skim parts of the book but I should not to. I wouldnt read this book if this is not compulsory. The plot is not enganging. It is not a page-turner. It started static, the plot moves very slow, some parts did not elaborate very well leaving them hanging unrevealed (though perhaps because it is the writing style?) i dont know. But, too many questions unanswered
January 9, 2017
Great to get to know another author that I had never read before. I rather enjoyed the writing style and the mysterious feel the story puts out. I rarely do in depth reviews right after I finish a book because I prefer to take time to let it sink in before i put my thoughts out there.
Thank you Mercedes for putting out the Moth Box, I am looking forward to the other book from the box as well as the next Moth Box.
Thank you Mercedes for putting out the Moth Box, I am looking forward to the other book from the box as well as the next Moth Box.
January 23, 2017
my first reading list and definitely my first Irish-Scottish Contemporary women's fiction.
All aspects of the novel are a brand new experience for me (i guess i dont read a lot of books then). the storyline, the character, the description, all of them are totally alien for me.
anyway, its a good book tho. full of thoughtful message
All aspects of the novel are a brand new experience for me (i guess i dont read a lot of books then). the storyline, the character, the description, all of them are totally alien for me.
anyway, its a good book tho. full of thoughtful message
February 22, 2015
2.5. I can't really decide what I think of this book. It took me a long time to read as I didn't really ever feel that I got into the book. I liked the images of the area of Scotland that the book helped me imagine but I didn't really enjoy the story or like the characters that much.
August 5, 2016
Lovely and so evocative of place. Gently leading, slowly revealing the story, storm-tossing expectations. Satisfying.
May 4, 2014
It took me a while to get into this one but it's worth persisting. The author evokes the area well and the modern retelling of the selkie myth is nicely done.
January 12, 2017
Maybe a 2.5? I wanted to like this more, but sadly it just didn't grab me enough.
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