Unearthed

by Emma Makarova

Scotland, 1849: Midwinter on the remote island of North Uist and twelve-year-old Morag has a terrifying encounter in the dark. Is it a beast or is there a more sinister threat which stalks the island? As the villagers turn to folklore to protect themselves, Maria, the wife of the landowner, arrives on North Uist longing to escape her past. But Maria’s past is catching up with her and time is running out – both for her and for the islanders. A delight to a gripping Gothic historical novel. Written beautifully with real power and atmosphere.” Livi Michael, author of the Succession trilogy. For fans of Hannah Kent’s Burial Rites or Sarah Perry’s The Essex Serpent, Unearthed is a story full of magic and wilderness which explores themes of social justice and gender which still resonate today. A novel for book clubs everywhere.

261 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 24, 2020

About the author

Emma Makarova was born in Melbourne, Australia and grew up in the Cotswolds, England. After studying Ancient History and Archaeology at The University of Birmingham she taught English in Hungary and then in Russia where she met her husband. In 2017, she gained a Masters with Distinction in Creative Writing for the manuscript of her novel. Two years ago she and her family decided to move to France for a new adventure, an experience she wrote about in her blog Femme Française. When she is not writing or teaching English, she can be found climbing a mountain or eating a lot of French cheese. Unearthed is her first novel.

Reviews

[RedRedtheycallmeRed · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is told in alternating chapters by Morag and Maria. Morag is twelve, and her family (like all the families in her village on North Uist) live very hardscrabble lives. Everyone remembers "The Hunger" and live with the fear that the crops will do poorly again. Morag is crushed when her schoolteacher announces the school is closing, a sign of worse things to come.

Maria is 19 and has committed the crime of being raised to love learning and books. After her scholarly grandfather that raised her dies, she sees marriage as something that can get her a bit of freedom, but she is sorely mistaken.

I found both Morag and Maria's stories equally compelling. The characters are fictional, but the history is true, and it only makes their storylines more horrifying to read. Though the circumstances are tough to read about there is an underlying message of resiliency and strength. The ending felt a bit rushed to me, although maybe I wasn't ready to leave the characters behind yet.

[Gemima · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a short historical novel it was interesting enough. The climax was intense.

[Billie-Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect understandable balance. I find a lot of historical fiction bombard you real facts that as a fantasy reader I absorb hoping they will be explained as part of the plot later, but they rarely are. This book was not like that, I felt that every historical fact and happening was used as a plot device and used well. There was so much tension, it had me tearing through the pages and thinking about the characters when I put the book down. The tone of voice was amazing; I really hated most of the male characters! The ending was just what I needed.

[Katie Shackles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended! Unearthed is an excellent book! It's a page turner for sure. It has a hint of spooky, a dash of romance, and imagery that will transport you! It was really like reading a movie. I enjoyed this book because it painted a story in great detail without compromising the readers imagination. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a touching story that is inspired by true events. 5 stars for Unearthed!

[Pia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A piece of History I was unaware of

Although a work of mostly fiction I had heard of the dreadful clearings in the 1840’s . Well written as this book is I will now delve into this part of history to learn more. Excellent. Thank you Emma Makarova for bringing this unhappy and damaging time to my notice.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little did I know when I started this book that it would be a 'family history'. My father's family were from Benbecula and he grew up on Skye. I had heard about the Highland Clearances and Emma brought it back to me in the telling of this gripping tale.

[Sarah White · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ISH. Would have been 4 but the end seemed a little rushed.