This novel is remarkable on many levels. It charts the life of the Coombs clan of Barter Island Maine. The tales are all interwoven within the context of some form of heroism. From the heroism of the Coombs women who bear pregnancy, solitude, and mainland snobbery to that of the Coombs men whose adventures revolve around their work, (lobstermen) and the call of young Henry Coombs to enlist in the ARMY for WWI.
In a time where literature and movies tend to glorify criminals, con men, and other scofflaws, reading Mr. Scott's realsitic account of honest men and women who are nobly defined by their work and the stark environement which surrounds and defines them is an act of pleasure. Storms, war, miscarriages and the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918 assault the Coombs of Barter Island. But with grace and humility, the author proves to be a grand detective of the human spirit, and through the cumulative power of this tale, the reader discovers within the Coombs collective soul all that which is resilient, good and enduring about humanity. A joy to read.

This novel is remarkable on many levels. It charts the life of the Coombs clan of Barter Island Maine. The tales are all interwoven within the context of some form of heroism. From the heroism of the Coombs women who bear pregnancy, solitude, and mainland snobbery to that of the Coombs men whose adventures revolve around their work, (lobstermen) and the call of young Henry Coombs to enlist in the ARMY for WWI.
In a time where literature and movies tend to glorify criminals, con men, and other scofflaws, reading Mr. Scott's realsitic account of honest men and women who are nobly defined by their work and the stark environement which surrounds and defines them is an act of pleasure. Storms, war, miscarriages and the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918 assault the Coombs of Barter Island. But with grace and humility, the author proves to be a grand detective of the human spirit, and through the cumulative power of this tale, the reader discovers within the Coombs collective soul all that which is resilient, good and enduring about humanity. A joy to read.