In seventh-century Ireland, a scholar and priest called Artt has a dream telling him to leave the sinful world behind. Taking two monks - young Trian and old Cormac - he travels down the river Shannon in search of an isolated spot on which to found a monastery. Drifting out into the Atlantic, the three men find an impossibly steep, bare island inhabited by tens of thousands of birds, and claim it for God. Their extraordinary landing spot is now known as Skellig Michael. But in such a place, far from all other humanity, what will survival mean?In seventh-century Ireland, a scholar and priest called Artt has a dream telling him to leave the sinful world behind. Taking two monks - young Trian and old Cormac - he travels down the river Shannon in search of an isolated spot on which to found a monastery. Drifting out into the Atlantic, the three men find an impossibly steep, bare island inhabited by tens of thousands of birds, and claim it for God. Their extraordinary landing spot is now known as Skellig Michael. But in such a place, far from all other humanity, what will survival mean?
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(@picadorbooks, 18 August 2022, e-book, 272 pages, borrowed from @GlasgowLib via @BorrowBox)
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I really enjoyed Heaven. I've read other books by the author so wanted to read this. The books apparently based on a true story, but I wasn't familiar with it so came to the book with fresh eyes. This is a very short book, but it felt like a much denser read. I'm not religious but I still enjoyed the story of Artt and his pilgrims. The story is powerful and moving.
