The Innocents

September 23, 2019
In his fifth novel, Crummey (Sweetland) imparts another heartfelt, extraordinary perspective on survival in the rugged isolation of his homeland of Newfoundland, this time from two pre-adolescent, newly orphaned siblings, after illness fells their infant sister and parents. Evered and Ada Best endure inconceivably severe weather conditions; their 19th-century livelihoods are at the mercy of nature—will they harvest enough fish to trade for necessary winter provisions? Besides the biannual visits of the ship, ironically named The Hope and run by an unscrupulous money-man, the brother and sister only have each other for companionship. Happenstance brings a captain and his cook to their cove—just in time to save a feverish Ada from near death; later a ship full of sailors looking to replace their mainmast arrives, temporarily enlivening their existence. Against the sensitive portrayal of how two naïfs handle their budding sexuality, these fortuitous encounters underscore Evered’s and Ada’s innocence about life and the larger world. Crummey delivers profound insight into how individuals grapple with the forces of nature, not only in the unpredictable environment, but in the mystifying interior of their temperaments, drives, and character. This story of how two guileless youngsters navigate life will have a deep emotional impact on its readers.

Listeners will be riveted by Mary Lewis's accomplished narration of this harrowing audiobook about survival under extreme circumstances. Eleven-year-old Everett and nine-year-old Ada have just buried both parents and their younger sister and are now living on their own in an isolated cove in nineteenth-century Newfoundland. Lewis sensitively conveys the unbearable burdens these children endure as they manage to survive for years on meager provisions while combating serious illnesses. Modern listeners will be incredulous at the disinterest in the children's welfare from the occasional visitor to the cove. Lewis skillfully renders each character's regional accent and the precise formality of the language of that time. The complicated bond and resilience of Everett and Ada will fascinate listeners. M.J. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine