The Beachcomber
In 1711, on the Isle of Sylt on the North Sea coast, Jordis and her grandmother are considered outsiders due to their Icelandic heritage. Jordis risks her life beach-combing, raiding wrecked ships for whatever can be salvaged, while her grandmother reads the runes. But on Jordis’s sixteenth birthday, Inga, the parson’s daughter and Jordis’s only friend, learns of the love Jordis has for the young blacksmith Arjen, and jealousy wins out. Inga steals Jordis’s future. Jordis faces more challenges when villagers begin to suspect her and her grandmother of witchcraft, and these suspicions eventually lead to terrible consequences. Stripped of everything she holds dear, Jordis is forced to remake her life on the unforgiving windswept coast of this isolated island. Can she survive this test with her heart and her ability to love unscathed?
This romantic novel, the second in a trilogy set on the Isle of Sylt, can easily be read as a standalone, although I confess I now want to read the first volume in the series, The Whaler. I enjoyed The Beachcomber’s unusual setting and the well-drawn characters. The plot moved unpredictably to the conclusion, keeping me intrigued. Some interesting subplots, and one in particular, made me curious about the not yet released third volume of this trilogy. Ines Thorn is a multi-published author in Germany, and Northrop’s English translation does Thorn’s clear prose justice. Recommended for readers who enjoy unusual settings, those who enjoy sweet romances, or for anyone wanting an escapist read.
