Haven

 Haven by Emma Donoghue

The story of three monks who set out by boat from an established monastery to search for an uninhabited island on which to found another. Artt, a priest and scholar the other two call Father; Cormac, advanced in years but still handy with tools; and Trian, a boy whose parents abandoned him at the monastery because he was different; are led by Artt's vision to a small and barely livable island of mostly rock. It has only one tree, little soil for planting, and no fresh water - but Artt believes that if God has chosen this place, He will provide what is needed to survive there.

Cormac builds a cistern to collect rain water and grows a few greens in a shallow garden, while Trian hunts birds and catches what little there is from the sea for food. Hunger becomes a constant companion and distraction from the tasks Artt has set for them. Trian is to begin a new copy of the Scriptures and Cormac to carve a cross from stone to mark the island for Christ. Shelter for themselves and the meagre supplies they brought with them must wait.

They struggle through the summer, but as the weather cools and birds leave the island, Cormac begins to doubt they can survive the winter. And he questions Artt's decisions, who refuses to let them go for supplies, insisting "We've looked our last on the filthy world."

Tension builds slowly, so slowly I found myself looking ahead to see if something, anything, was going to happen, but as their situation become more desperate and Artt's sanity more doubtful, it got intense.

A thoughtful story that raises questions about isolation, faith, and the line between blind obedience and common sense. Trian and Cormac got into my head and my heart and will stay there a long time I think. Wonderful characters. Great story. 

The Cartographers

 The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

What a riveting story...if you're open to a bit of magical realism. At the first sign of it I was inclined to roll my eyes, but once I reminded myself that I read fiction because I want to experience different realities and stretch my imagination, I settled in to enjoy the story. And then I had a hard time putting it down. 

Nell Young, cartographer, was fired from her job at the New York Public Library by her own father after they disagreed on the value of some old maps. Seven years later, when her father is found dead in his office, Nell finds one of those maps hidden in his locked desk drawer and sets out to discover why it was significant to him. What she uncovers is beyond anything she could have imagined - a stunning family secret, a conspiracy of silence that threatens to become dangerous, and an empty town that exists in defiance of the laws of physics. 

I was drawn to this book by the promise of maps and libraries, but with its unusual plot and mounting tension it was even better than I expected. Good reading.    

Angel Landing

Angel Landing by Alice Hoffman

Natalie is a therapist whose lawyer boyfriend, Carter, heads up an environmental group opposed to a nearby nuclear power plant, the same power plant recently damaged by a small explosion that put it out of commission.

Michael, an employee of the plant, walks into Natalie's office soon afterwards and confesses to having deliberately caused the explosion, albeit not for environmental or political reasons. 

Things get complicated when Natalie begins to fall for Michael, risking her career and her relationship with Carter. Carter agrees to defend Michael, remaining oblivious to Natalie's feelings. 

An interesting premise, but I found the characters unrelatable, even unlikable. Finishing it only to see how it ended, I'd give it a 2 out of 5.