Snake Ropes, Jess Richards
Snake Ropes is Jess Richards’ debut novel. It’s set on a remote island off Scotland, where trade is the only connection to the outside world. Mary is allowed to deal directly with the tall men, the traders, for the first time, and after they leave, she discovers that her little brother Barney is missing. The tall men are to blame in her mind and she sets out to find Barney. Morgan is the undertaker’s daughter and moved to the island from the mainland years ago. She has never been outside the house, is a voracious reader, and longs to leave. These two girls’ lives parallel each other, told in each girl’s voice. The island is shrouded in mystery and has a mystical quality like no other. Mary can sense the past experiences of the house keys she feels compelled to steal. Morgan plots to escape her imprisonment. Eventually the girls’ lives intersect and they help each other find resolution and freedom.
The book is well written and has a genuine feel of the island, likely a by product of Richards’ childhood in Wales and southwest Scotland watching the ferries going to and from Northern Ireland. The language spoken on the island is unique and takes a little getting used to at the start, but seems natural after a few chapters. The plot is well-crafted and is not easy to guess the ending. I enjoyed the book quite a bit and read it in a couple of sittings. This novel is an impressive start to what will likely be the first of many quality efforts by Tess Richards. Highly recommended.
See Jess Richards’ website here:
http://jessrichards.com/
