Описание: Artist Margaret Talbot has fought harassment, blocked opportunities, low pay and assault to enter the male dominated world of publishing in 1901. Her husband, John, has stood by her with support and affection.
Margaret suffers the loss of a child in stillbirth and nearly dies. Afterwards, John suddenly withdraws all physical and emotional support. Margret loses her ability to express herself in painting and questions if she really is an artist. She had thought she had conquered the harassment and prejudice from men. Now that all seems a battle without victory.
The Talbots travel to a fishing village. Margaret encounters many people. A man carries a funeral urn containing his wifes ashes and speaks to it as it she was still live. An elderly woman becomes a mentor while another accuses Margaret of being a witch. One young woman named Sara skips and jumps and sings nonsense songs. Margaret fears this is a sign of a deep, childhood trauma, but some in the village say that Sara is a selkie, a paranormal creature from Celtic mythology who lives on the land as a human and in the sea as a seal. Margaret finds it hard to believe that selkies exist, yet she observes Sara acting in the most peculiar ways as she is inexplicitly drawn to this woman.
Through their influences and her own self-determination, Margaret strives to discover who she is and what she truly wants.
Beyond the Shallow Bank contains descriptive passages of the sea which are wonderfully poetic. The writing in this book has both depth and psychological complexity, as well as humor, in the interactions of its large cast of village characters. Perhaps best of all, for the lifelong reader, it is a book to sink into, put down reluctantly, and wonder about long afterwards.
Susan Haley
Author of Petitot and Getting Married in Buffalo Jump (The source of a TV Movie)
A portion of the profits from Beyond the Shallow Bank will be donated to womens projects.
