The
author was one of the most significant Scottish writers of the
present century and this was his final novel. He uses it, through
a tale of emotional and physical turmoil, to raise some impossible
questions about the mystery of life. The action, both deeply tragic
and ironically humorous, takes place against the backdrop of the
remote coastal Highlands where the influences of nature and Celtic
tradition propel the protagonists to their destiny. The questions
remain unanswered but the novel ends with a final glimmer of hope
and renewal.