The Shore is a collection of short stories all based on a series of small islands off the coast of Virginia. Two inter-related families and the women who define them are followed across several generations and decades in this captivating tale. From an illegitimate daughter of a plantation owner escaping her controlling father to s young girl trying to protect her younger sister from a father decimated by drugs the reader witness just how strong and resiliant women of the islands are.
This was a great collection of short stories that jump back and forth in time spanning two families tied to the islands. I quickly found myself immersed in each of the stories and enjoyed finding out where they fit in the family tree provided at the beginning of the novel. Many of the stories in this collection were powerful and intense, that stay with the reader long after the story is complete. Taylor’s writing is transformative and evocative and takes the reader on the journey of these long suffering women. I loved the twist it takes towards the end where the book delves into the future in a way that is reminiscent of David Mitchell in Cloud Atlas, another favourite of mine. Taylor traverses this path well and I enjoyed travelling into the future.
The Shore is compelling and unique, a collection of short stories that is well worth picking up and in my opinion deserving of more attention and accolades. Short story collections can often fly under the radar and if you are considering trying one, let it be this adventurous collection.
