The Shore
The Shore is a collection of barrier islands set in the Chesapeake Bay, and also a collection of various stories about the people who live on those islands, and whose lives are tossed with violence as well as love. The chapters are set in various time periods from 1874 on, but not necessarily in chronological order. The book, as a whole, explores the desperation of learning to survive in a society where self-preservation depends solely upon the individual.
As the novel begins to unfold, layers of stories show the brutal aspects of a drug-infused lifestyle, but also the healing possibilities from medicinal herbs. In gripping detail, a house that is a prison for one offers the sanctuary of home to another. Spanning multiple generations and even projecting into the future, the narratives delve into the theme of survival at all costs, where small kindnesses triumph over miseries and one person’s life force reaches through the generations to touch different souls.
I must admit that I had difficulty, at times, trying to figure out which family a particular character belonged to, but as the book concluded I enjoyed the revelations about several of the characters. Sara Taylor’s masterful use of descriptive language brought the barrier islands and their inhabitants vividly to life.
