Beamis12

Such a different, yet compelling story, set before World War I in an isolated part of Canada, Witless Bay, Newfoundland. Fabian, grows up here, a place where everyone knows everyone else, where gossip is spread almost instantaneously, where it takes over a month a get a reply to a letter. 

The novel starts with Fabian admitting to having killed someone, but this is so much more than a murder mystery. It is also a coming of age story, a story where the setting and Fabian's love for birds and the drawing of them, is a huge part of Fabian's life. 

I loved the clean and clear prose, the characters names are so quirky, the story drew me in, quietly and slowly.  I became immersed in this island and the lives of it's inhabitants. I absolutely adored the character of Margaret, she does and sees things in her own way which is hard to do on a small island.  Also loved all the descriptions of the birds and I did  look up several of these birds to see what they looked like. It was just an added bonus to this quiet but satisfying read.