A review by catsloverain
The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Beautifully written on the sentence level, but I felt somewhat confused. Not totally sure how the little interjections at the end of each section added to the book. The novel was often repetitive, with characters experiencing identical circumstances, with the same imagery and language. The third storyline, which is somehow supposed to underpin the other two, felt weak and unclear. So many details were dropped in and then never addressed again. Ultimately the focus on showcasing male violence and the ways women are conditioned to accept created a book where neither of the main female leads (Ruth or Viv) did almost nothing and had no idea why they did the few things they did do. I came away with a feeling like the whole book takes place in one of those nightmares where you can't make any noise no matter how hard you try. I can see why these things were done and how this might have been the intended effect, but I felt dissatisfied by the number of details and plot strands left completely vague.