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A review by bleadenreads
The Offing by Benjamin Myers
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
4.5
This was a beautifully written novel that celebrates summer - you can almost feel the heat and sunburn.
The novel follows Robert, who is 16 and when faced with his future of working down the pit goes on a walking holiday around North Yorkshire as a sort of last summer of freedom before adulthood. On his journey Robert comes across a beautiful, but slightly run down cottage belonging to the eccentric and generous Dulcie (living the cottagecore dream) who is now one of my all time favourite characters. It is set in the summer after the end of WW2 in the North East of England - and there is an acute sense of relief in the novel that the war is over, but also immense loss with the bittersweetness of victory summed up by this quote: "For no one ever really wins a war: some just lose a little less than others." During his stay, Robert form an unlikely but beautiful friendship with Dulcie, who shows Robert a different more passionate side of life, such as books, food, poetry and writing.
The Offing is told retrospectively by an older Robert looking back on this summer so this creates quite a mature, eloquent and intelligent tone which clashes in a beautiful way with the mindset and actions of a young, naive 16 year old. The difference in tone is highlighted by young Robert's letter to his mother, which is a different insight into young Robert's mind than his mature reflections.
I absolutely loved how this book explored the power of literature and the dizzying heights experienced by Robert as he finds a new love for poetry. After I finished this book I immediately picked up a poetry collection (Fleche by Mary Jean Chan) as those passages really were inspiring. Speaking of inspiring - I adored the generosity, wisdom and passion of Dulcie SO much, which forms a sort of veil over a deep sadness. A truly intelligent cosmopolitan icon of a woman.
This novel was extremely descriptive which really places you in the setting but may be a bit too much for some. The descriptions of the North Yorkshire coast and the nature writing were mesmerising and transporting - I love this coast so much having holidayed there often as a child. I went into this expecting a thriller or dark novel but it was a beautiful summer hug of a book. This will definitely be a book I will reread.
The novel follows Robert, who is 16 and when faced with his future of working down the pit goes on a walking holiday around North Yorkshire as a sort of last summer of freedom before adulthood. On his journey Robert comes across a beautiful, but slightly run down cottage belonging to the eccentric and generous Dulcie (living the cottagecore dream) who is now one of my all time favourite characters. It is set in the summer after the end of WW2 in the North East of England - and there is an acute sense of relief in the novel that the war is over, but also immense loss with the bittersweetness of victory summed up by this quote: "For no one ever really wins a war: some just lose a little less than others." During his stay, Robert form an unlikely but beautiful friendship with Dulcie, who shows Robert a different more passionate side of life, such as books, food, poetry and writing.
The Offing is told retrospectively by an older Robert looking back on this summer so this creates quite a mature, eloquent and intelligent tone which clashes in a beautiful way with the mindset and actions of a young, naive 16 year old. The difference in tone is highlighted by young Robert's letter to his mother, which is a different insight into young Robert's mind than his mature reflections.
I absolutely loved how this book explored the power of literature and the dizzying heights experienced by Robert as he finds a new love for poetry. After I finished this book I immediately picked up a poetry collection (Fleche by Mary Jean Chan) as those passages really were inspiring. Speaking of inspiring - I adored the generosity, wisdom and passion of Dulcie SO much, which forms a sort of veil over a deep sadness. A truly intelligent cosmopolitan icon of a woman.
This novel was extremely descriptive which really places you in the setting but may be a bit too much for some. The descriptions of the North Yorkshire coast and the nature writing were mesmerising and transporting - I love this coast so much having holidayed there often as a child. I went into this expecting a thriller or dark novel but it was a beautiful summer hug of a book. This will definitely be a book I will reread.