The Adversary
In the early 19th century in the remote coastal town of Mockbeggar in the Dominion of Newfoundland, a wedding is to take place between Abe Strapp, the scoundrel son of a wealthy merchant, and the young daughter of a rival English trader. Strapp aims to expand his business, thereby dominating the area. However, an objection from the Widow Caines—Abe’s sister—scuttles the wedding. Caines, herself a businesswoman, is fiercely competing with Abe for the region’s scarce fisheries and other resources. The sibling rivalry sets up campaigns between them involving feuding, violence, and ploys that affect the locals, who take sides. The lives of innocents are adversely impacted. Additionally, the community is overwhelmed by natural elements (storms, floods, and pandemics) and external forces (pillaging privateers). All the vengeance, turmoil, and battles set the stage for an intense ending.
Michael Crummey begins this engaging novel with an evocative first line: “There was a killing sickness on the shore that winter and the only services at the church were funerals.” This opening strikingly indicates what will follow. Destruction, pain, suffering, and death abound in the novel. In his acknowledgements, Crummey mentions, “Plenty of looting and pilfering went into the writing of this book,” along with his list of references. Besides historical accounts from the period, Crummey has aptly used The Dictionary of Newfoundland English to inject slang into the dialogue and realism to the narrative. As noted in the publisher’s blurb, the novel is indeed “uncompromising” in detailing the various groups’ pain and suffering caused by rivalries, ambition, and greed. Crummey has skillfully illustrated these universal themes in his depictions of his strong adversaries, which continue to play out over the years. The novel provides a good perspective on the forces that shaped Canada’s Maritimes region. Highly recommended.
