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.