Book review: Clear by Carys Davies (Granta Books, £9.99)

CLEAR by Carys Davies was my favourite 10/10 read of 2025, so much so that I still haven’t stopped thinking about it. I had read one of Davies’s previous novels, WEST (Granta Books, £9.99) and enjoyed its economy of language. I chose to read CLEAR after I spotted it had been Longlisted for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2025, and - given my penchant for books set on remote islands surrounded by the sea - I ordered it immediately. This is the sort of novel I loved so much I wanted to press it into people’s hands (and I subsequently bought more copies to do exactly that.) CLEAR is set in 1843. Its main protagonist, John Ferguson, is a poor church minister who leaves his wife, Mary, when he is sent to a tiny Scottish island to evict its sole occupant, Ivar, who lives alone with his animals. Marooned together on the island, John and Ivar become tentative friends, as Ivar nurses an injured John back to health. Such a brief novel at just 146pp, it packs a powerful punch, featuring not only an extraordinary plot twist I simply didn’t see coming, but also beautiful turns of phrase, subtle humour, and tender emotion. This is historical fiction at its best, featuring a truly modern sensibility. The writing is taut and pared down (I salute any author with the bravery to create a chapter only half a page in length) and the use of language is magical. Do read it. You won’t regret it.

CLEAR by Carys Davies (Granta Books)