Show Me 5 Saturday

Currently hosted by Jenners at Find your Next Book Here

1 Book I read:

The Gathering Night by Margaret Elphinstone

2 Words that describe the book...........Mesolithic Age

3 Settings where it took place or characters you met:

1. The Auk people, a tribe of hunter-gathers who live in cold area somewhere near the Arctic sea and move during the seasons to different camps , sometimes as a family group and at certain times all coming together at the gatherings.

2. The family at the centre of the story whose son Bakar goes hunting one day and never returns: an event that will be the catalyst for his mother to move towards becoming a shaman, a Go Between and will change all their lives in some way.

3. Kemen - a stranger from the Lynx tribe who arrives among them following a tidal wave that wipes out most of his people.

4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:

1. I liked the format used: the story begins at a Gathering several years after the events that take place in the book. Seated around the campfire the family are telling the story of that time with each member having their turn to speak so we see through the eyes of several different people.

2. I liked Margaret Elphinstone's descriptive prose: whether she is describing the natural world, everyday life, shamanic rituals and spirituality it all comes vividly to life.

3. I liked the way the mystery of Bakar's disappearance and how it was connected to Kemen was slowly developed and then built up to a very tense and exciting climax.

4. I liked that this book was a mixture of history, mystery and fantasy.

5 Stars or less for my rating:

Four stars for this one..............I enjoyed it very much and will look for more from this author.