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Haven
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 rows 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. In such a place, what will survival mean?
Three men vow to leave the world behind them. They set out in a small boat for an island their leader has seen in a dream, with only faith to guide them. What they find is the extraordinary island now known as Skellig Michael. Haven has Emma Donoghue’s trademark world-building and psychological intensity—but this story is like nothing she has ever written before.
Three men vow to leave the world behind them. They set out in a small boat for an island their leader has seen in a dream, with only faith to guide them. What they find is the extraordinary island now known as Skellig Michael. Haven has Emma Donoghue’s trademark world-building and psychological intensity—but this story is like nothing she has ever written before.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 23, 2022
627 people are currently reading
16.5k people want to read
About the author
Emma Donoghue
71books12.7kfollowersGrew up in Ireland, 20s in England doing a PhD in eighteenth-century literature, since then in Canada. Best known for my novel, film and play ROOM, also other contemporary and historical novels and short stories, non-fiction, theatre and middle-grade novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,962 reviews
April 1, 2025
Shortlisted for The Dublin Literary Award 2024
Last year I realized that I liked this prize shortlist more than the Booker’s. As a result, I decided to read as many books as I could from this year’s list as well. I left out the big ones for later (maybe).
Who would have thought that I would like a book about three monks stranded on a barren island? Not I, since I am not a fan of religious or survivalist novels. This book is both, but I found it compelling. I really do not understand the low rating.
Haven is a historical fiction who tries to imagine how a monk settlement on Skellig Michael was established in the middle ages.
For anyone who does not know, Skellig Michael is an unfriendly small island on the Irish coast populated only by birds. It looks like this:
Why would anyone want to live there? Divine intervention, you guessed it. We are in seventh-century Ireland, where a scholar and priest called Artt dreams God telling him to leave the sinful world behind and settle in a place where nobody ever walked. He also dreams about the two monks who would be his companions, young Trian and old Cormac. While they row down the river Shannon in search of an isolated spot, they drift out into the Atlantic and land on the steep, barren, birds infested island. They soon realize that it would be very hard to survive on the island, let alone build a monastery. There is no running water, no trees for shelter, an no other animals than birds. They left their past monastery with few possessions and the ones they have do not seem to be enough. Artt is an extremely strict and devout man, he makes the other two pray constantly and insists that they do not need to do anything, that God will provide. He prioritizes the building of a cross and the copying of sacred texts to building of shelter and some comfort. The inhumane conditions and hardship will seed conflict between Artts� fanatical teachings and the other two monks.
I was expecting to be bored but I found the struggle for survival and the relationship dynamic between the monks to be quite interesting and plausible. I also liked the Emma Donoghue’s writing style
Last year I realized that I liked this prize shortlist more than the Booker’s. As a result, I decided to read as many books as I could from this year’s list as well. I left out the big ones for later (maybe).
Who would have thought that I would like a book about three monks stranded on a barren island? Not I, since I am not a fan of religious or survivalist novels. This book is both, but I found it compelling. I really do not understand the low rating.
Haven is a historical fiction who tries to imagine how a monk settlement on Skellig Michael was established in the middle ages.
For anyone who does not know, Skellig Michael is an unfriendly small island on the Irish coast populated only by birds. It looks like this:
Why would anyone want to live there? Divine intervention, you guessed it. We are in seventh-century Ireland, where a scholar and priest called Artt dreams God telling him to leave the sinful world behind and settle in a place where nobody ever walked. He also dreams about the two monks who would be his companions, young Trian and old Cormac. While they row down the river Shannon in search of an isolated spot, they drift out into the Atlantic and land on the steep, barren, birds infested island. They soon realize that it would be very hard to survive on the island, let alone build a monastery. There is no running water, no trees for shelter, an no other animals than birds. They left their past monastery with few possessions and the ones they have do not seem to be enough. Artt is an extremely strict and devout man, he makes the other two pray constantly and insists that they do not need to do anything, that God will provide. He prioritizes the building of a cross and the copying of sacred texts to building of shelter and some comfort. The inhumane conditions and hardship will seed conflict between Artts� fanatical teachings and the other two monks.
I was expecting to be bored but I found the struggle for survival and the relationship dynamic between the monks to be quite interesting and plausible. I also liked the Emma Donoghue’s writing style
September 21, 2022
As a devoted fan of author, I truly loved the idea of three religious men’s journey to discover an island to build their sacred place! But honestly I have second thoughts about the entire execution which was flat, extra slow, a little boring. And big revelation about one of the character’s biggest secret didn’t properly fit in story progression.
It was short, quick read for me! I wish it could be great answer for my expectations to read another masterpiece created by the author.
I keep my hopes up for the next work of hers!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
It was short, quick read for me! I wish it could be great answer for my expectations to read another masterpiece created by the author.
I keep my hopes up for the next work of hers!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
June 16, 2022
We keep seeking perfection because it never was the intent for it to dwell within ourselves.
Emma Donoghue presents a complex, detailed, mind knotting experience in Haven. She reaches back in time to the 7th century down the Shannon River, off the jagged coast of Ireland, and into the far-flung positions of The Great Skellig. Here we experience its spikes of rock amid the crashing waves of the turbulent sea.
And nestled in the countryside is a monastery filled with the young and old who have dedicated their lives to God and the salvation of the souls of others. The abbot will grant permission for three of these monks to travel to the unknown seeking a place of solace and of a restorative nature.
Trian is the youngest and has been at the monastery since he was thirteen. Always hungry and always clumsy, Trian is the first to volunteer. Cormac has been a convert for fifteen years since the death of his wife and children from the plague. He suffered with the illness but was spared. And Artt is the elusive stranger, scholar, priest who will become their Prior.
Donoghue has designed her novel to be one of human observation. In the preparation itself, we notice how each monk insists on taking the bare minimum aboard the small boat. Vital items are cast aside as extravagance. And such sacrifice will jeopardize the advancement of this undertaking.
Prior Artt has had a dream of an island in the southwest. He knows only that. And the vow of blind obedience will be at the core of it all. The gifts of fortitude and knowledge will suffer under the extremes of obedience. And the deemed weakest of the links may be the strongest.
Without question, Emma Donoghue has a profound gift when transferring idea to page. Her novels are among my favorites for her ability to describe and portray the human spirit so superbly. Haven is not an easy read. It simmers in its telling and weighs heavily in its descriptors. It will definitely not be for everyone. But if you have a deep inquisitive mind, you'll want to see this to the end. The journey of these three will stay with you long after.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to the talented Emma Donoghue for the opportunity.
Emma Donoghue presents a complex, detailed, mind knotting experience in Haven. She reaches back in time to the 7th century down the Shannon River, off the jagged coast of Ireland, and into the far-flung positions of The Great Skellig. Here we experience its spikes of rock amid the crashing waves of the turbulent sea.
And nestled in the countryside is a monastery filled with the young and old who have dedicated their lives to God and the salvation of the souls of others. The abbot will grant permission for three of these monks to travel to the unknown seeking a place of solace and of a restorative nature.
Trian is the youngest and has been at the monastery since he was thirteen. Always hungry and always clumsy, Trian is the first to volunteer. Cormac has been a convert for fifteen years since the death of his wife and children from the plague. He suffered with the illness but was spared. And Artt is the elusive stranger, scholar, priest who will become their Prior.
Donoghue has designed her novel to be one of human observation. In the preparation itself, we notice how each monk insists on taking the bare minimum aboard the small boat. Vital items are cast aside as extravagance. And such sacrifice will jeopardize the advancement of this undertaking.
Prior Artt has had a dream of an island in the southwest. He knows only that. And the vow of blind obedience will be at the core of it all. The gifts of fortitude and knowledge will suffer under the extremes of obedience. And the deemed weakest of the links may be the strongest.
Without question, Emma Donoghue has a profound gift when transferring idea to page. Her novels are among my favorites for her ability to describe and portray the human spirit so superbly. Haven is not an easy read. It simmers in its telling and weighs heavily in its descriptors. It will definitely not be for everyone. But if you have a deep inquisitive mind, you'll want to see this to the end. The journey of these three will stay with you long after.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to the talented Emma Donoghue for the opportunity.
December 11, 2022
Why I chose to read this book:
1. I like 's writing style and really enjoyed reading her three earlier novels; and,
2. September 2022 was my self-declared "Historical Fiction Month".
Praises:
1. I love a strong character-driven novel! As I followed Prior Artt and two fellow monks, old Cormac and young Trian on their quest to found a monastery on a remote island devoid of other people (but a whole lot of birds!), I could understand the monks' initial unquestioning obedience which eventually led to exasperation, anger, depression, fear, and finally, mutiny. Even Prior Artt's ultimate decisions, though frustrating, were believable to his character;
2. the setting lends itself vividly to this story of survival. Occurring during the 7th century on the steep, bare island of Skellig Michael (of Star Wars fame as Luke Skywalker's hideaway), I was entranced by Cormac's cleverness in creating unique ways to make-do, and I felt Trian's deep appreciation of nature;
3. I was moved by the sentence on p. 34 ..."Trian wonders why men vie to amass possessions, when they can't even hold onto their own skin for longer than God allots; and,
4. as I was reading, my mind came up with several possible scenarios as to how this story could end, including the one the author chose. Actually, any one of them would have been satisfying to me!
Overall Thoughts:
I never doubted the unwavering observances and beliefs the two lower-order monks followed early on in this story, because that's just the way it was during that time period, but I do think the story's time frame was plausible when these men began questioning their circumstances. Many readers may have been turned off by this belief system, but as a practicing Catholic myself, I firmly believe something my local priest has stated, "We know that we do not put our faith in Christ's followers, but in Christ himself." This is something that all Christians should bear in mind!
Recommendation?
If you're looking to read a fast-paced, action-packed novel, look elsewhere. But if you appreciate a page-turner depicting the believable growth and/or downfall of characters living in a harsh environment, then give this book a look-see!
1. I like 's writing style and really enjoyed reading her three earlier novels; and,
2. September 2022 was my self-declared "Historical Fiction Month".
Praises:
1. I love a strong character-driven novel! As I followed Prior Artt and two fellow monks, old Cormac and young Trian on their quest to found a monastery on a remote island devoid of other people (but a whole lot of birds!), I could understand the monks' initial unquestioning obedience which eventually led to exasperation, anger, depression, fear, and finally, mutiny. Even Prior Artt's ultimate decisions, though frustrating, were believable to his character;
2. the setting lends itself vividly to this story of survival. Occurring during the 7th century on the steep, bare island of Skellig Michael (of Star Wars fame as Luke Skywalker's hideaway), I was entranced by Cormac's cleverness in creating unique ways to make-do, and I felt Trian's deep appreciation of nature;
3. I was moved by the sentence on p. 34 ..."Trian wonders why men vie to amass possessions, when they can't even hold onto their own skin for longer than God allots; and,
4. as I was reading, my mind came up with several possible scenarios as to how this story could end, including the one the author chose. Actually, any one of them would have been satisfying to me!
Overall Thoughts:
I never doubted the unwavering observances and beliefs the two lower-order monks followed early on in this story, because that's just the way it was during that time period, but I do think the story's time frame was plausible when these men began questioning their circumstances. Many readers may have been turned off by this belief system, but as a practicing Catholic myself, I firmly believe something my local priest has stated, "We know that we do not put our faith in Christ's followers, but in Christ himself." This is something that all Christians should bear in mind!
Recommendation?
If you're looking to read a fast-paced, action-packed novel, look elsewhere. But if you appreciate a page-turner depicting the believable growth and/or downfall of characters living in a harsh environment, then give this book a look-see!
June 19, 2022
‘this is the place. the higher up, the closer to heaven. on this islands peaks, our prayers will be halfway to gods ears already.�
skellig michael is an imposing island. with harsh, jutting summits and steep, narrow paths, its an island that screams unforgiveness. and i just found this particular story to be a little too humble, a little too one-note to do the islands history and atmosphere justice.
i do think the story itself is very interesting. i love a good survival plot, so i was looking forward to reading about three monks settling an inhabitable island in the name of god. i just wish there had been a greater sense adventure when it came to their actual island experience.
and with the writing being as nice as it is and the characters so quiet, again, i just think the narrative is a little too meek for heart of the story. if i wasnt so interested in the particular history of the island, i probably would have been bored by it all.
so a good book to pick up for readers who have a particular interest in the topic, but i dont think this will appeal to the mass majority.
thank you so much, little brown and company, for the ARC!
� 3.5 stars
skellig michael is an imposing island. with harsh, jutting summits and steep, narrow paths, its an island that screams unforgiveness. and i just found this particular story to be a little too humble, a little too one-note to do the islands history and atmosphere justice.
i do think the story itself is very interesting. i love a good survival plot, so i was looking forward to reading about three monks settling an inhabitable island in the name of god. i just wish there had been a greater sense adventure when it came to their actual island experience.
and with the writing being as nice as it is and the characters so quiet, again, i just think the narrative is a little too meek for heart of the story. if i wasnt so interested in the particular history of the island, i probably would have been bored by it all.
so a good book to pick up for readers who have a particular interest in the topic, but i dont think this will appeal to the mass majority.
thank you so much, little brown and company, for the ARC!
� 3.5 stars
July 18, 2022
I am a huge fan of Emma Donoghue. And while this is beautifully written, it lacks oomph. It drags and it was hard to get an emotional connection with any of the three main characters. Artt arrives at an Irish monastery in the 7th century. He has a vision of starting a new monastery, far away from civilization. He takes off with two other monks and they set up on an island miles off the coast of Ireland. Slowly, their supplies run out but Artt refuses to allow them to return back to civilization to replenish their supplies. He even initially refuses to allow them time to build shelter for themselves, deeming the work of the Lord (copying the Psaltery) more important.
The book focuses on fanaticism,obedience and faith. What makes someone truly a saint? Artt believes God will provide. As someone who believes God expects us to use the brains he gave us, I struggled with this blind faith. I also couldn’t help but wonder where Artt’s pride and belief in himself fit into this hardheadedness. The ending was predictable, despite one minor twist I didn’t see coming.
My thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advance copy of this book.
The book focuses on fanaticism,obedience and faith. What makes someone truly a saint? Artt believes God will provide. As someone who believes God expects us to use the brains he gave us, I struggled with this blind faith. I also couldn’t help but wonder where Artt’s pride and belief in himself fit into this hardheadedness. The ending was predictable, despite one minor twist I didn’t see coming.
My thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advance copy of this book.
September 14, 2022
Masterfully presented dynamics between three Irish monks who in the 7th century undertake a task to settle down on an island. Incredible power play between fanaticism, life experience and innocence. Loved it!
August 21, 2022
Haven by Emma Donoghue is a historical fiction novel about the dangerous effects of blind faith and obedience. Artt, a scholar, priest, and hermit has a dream while visiting Cluain Mhic Nois monastery in Ireland sometime in the seventh century. He believes God has told him to take two monks and head to an unknown island. He chooses the young Trian and the older Cormac as his companions. He requires them to take a vow of obedience to him, even though he acknowledges that such a vow tends to make sheep of men.
The group of three becomes the first landing party on Skellig Michael off the coast of Southwest Ireland. Artt is much more concerned with setting up a chapel and copying scripture than he is with taking care of basic necessities, such as food, shelter, and fuel. He foolishly believes that God will provide everything. He also believes that future generations will forever bless the name of the mission's founder, holy Artt. Artt treats Trian and Cormac as his inferiors in all matters and punishes them if they question his authority. The two take their vow of obedience seriously, even when their survival is at risk.
While the subject matter is fascinating, I found myself bored at times with the slowness of this character-focused story. Also, I was not too fond of the flowery language that was often used. For example: “The sea is quite glassy as if God’s poured oil on it. As the red berry of the sun floats up into the sky, Trian can see everything: the silken fabric of the ocean, stretched out smooth with barely a ripple; flocks of voracious cormorants and moaning puffins working the water.�
3-stars. This novel will be published on August 23, 2022. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
The group of three becomes the first landing party on Skellig Michael off the coast of Southwest Ireland. Artt is much more concerned with setting up a chapel and copying scripture than he is with taking care of basic necessities, such as food, shelter, and fuel. He foolishly believes that God will provide everything. He also believes that future generations will forever bless the name of the mission's founder, holy Artt. Artt treats Trian and Cormac as his inferiors in all matters and punishes them if they question his authority. The two take their vow of obedience seriously, even when their survival is at risk.
While the subject matter is fascinating, I found myself bored at times with the slowness of this character-focused story. Also, I was not too fond of the flowery language that was often used. For example: “The sea is quite glassy as if God’s poured oil on it. As the red berry of the sun floats up into the sky, Trian can see everything: the silken fabric of the ocean, stretched out smooth with barely a ripple; flocks of voracious cormorants and moaning puffins working the water.�
3-stars. This novel will be published on August 23, 2022. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2022
Set largely on Skellig Michael, one of the Skellig islands off the southwestern coast of Ireland, this begins on the first fast-day following Easter in Cluain Mhic Nóis, a monastery in County Offaly on the River Shannon. A place where strangers visit to study with one of the teachers, or to take a step away from the demands of life, to restore their soul, if you will.
’Chatter, argument, laughter; the hubbub of Gaelic rises and fills the hall like smoke.�
Six years Trian has been there, living among the monks when he is called upon to ferry this man, Artt, he’d only met the day before. Artt with the ’bearing of a warrior king� who carries himself as though he is in a constant state of pious appeal. A man who, as a child, sought out a life of divinity at the tender age of seven, and continued to reach for higher understanding until he had outgrown each of the holy men who had shared their wisdom, and traveled throughout Ireland sharing the Gospel on this ’pagan-gripped continent�converting several tribes along the way.
When Artt has a dream, a dream he is sure is a gift from above, a dream so real he can feel it and see it in his mind, he knows he has been chosen for a mission. This mission is so real to him, he requests a blessing of forming a sanctuary.
’Father, I have had a dream�
He shares his dream, his vision of the three of them, himself, a young monk and an old one. Artt, Trian and Cormac. A trinity, if you will, of chosen men. Men chosen, not by him, but by God.
’A vision…An island in the sea. I saw myself there. As if I were a bird or an angel, looking down on the three of us.�
‘I was with an old monk, and a young one�.an instruction to withdraw from the world…with two companions, find this island, and found a monastic retreat.�
I loved this variation on an immram, an Old Irish tale with a sea journey to the Otherworld, and a hero. A blend of Christianity with Irish mythology. A story of a man looked upon as a holy leader, a man who believes in his vision and insists on others following his way despite the destruction it will bring. A man who seeks to convince others that his is the true and only way, despite the peril to all involved. A parable that explores themes that seem all the more relevant to our times.
Published: 23 Aug 2022
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Little, Brown and Company
March 30, 2024
Three monks set off from a monastery in southwest Ireland in a small boat for a destination that God has yet to reveal. They navigate the River Shannon and emerge into the North Atlantic, where the currents and wind drive them south of the Iveragh Peninsula. A heavy fog lifts and before them the jagged blade of Skellig Michael juts from the sea, alive with thousands of birds, mosses, and one rowan tree, but nothing else. It is 600 AD.
Haven is a slim novel of agonizing beauty and claustrophobic fanaticism. It tells the story of the charismatic, cruel Brother Artt, who is intent on establishing a remote monastery in the most difficult of conditions as proof of his piety; Brother Trian, an uncertain young man who was given up to the monastery by his impoverished family when he was a child; and the elderly Cormac, a skilled builder, farmer, and storyteller who became a monk after he lost his wife and children to the plague.
Trian and Cormac begin their journey in awe of Artt, who has travelled far beyond Ireland to bear witness to God's dominion and Christ's sacrifice.
By the end, these faithful pilgrims are twisted by bitterness, confusion and fear.
Emma Donoghue, who excels in making our hearts race with tense stories set in confined spaces, whether it's a small, locked shed with no windows and no escape, a maternity ward in the middle of a pandemic, or a remote island with no fresh water and no shelter from the elements, subverts the historical fiction paradigm. Instead of offering a doorstop tome with generations of characters, chapters of world-building and plots within subplots, Haven is spare and raw, spanning just a year. Her depictions of life on this sacred, mysterious, beautiful rock are sublime and disturbing, and the ending could not be more perfect.
One could chose to read Haven at face value: the tale of three men guided and misguided by their faith, brought to their knees not by God, but by Mother Nature.
I, however, read it both as a wonderfully harrowing story of survival and as an allegory of the dangers of blind faith and groupthink. Mindlessly following any dogma, whether political, cultural, religious, or scientific, turning a deaf ear to your own inner voice for fear of being othered or cast out has led us down a dark societal road and stranded us on islands of our choosing. Trian and Cormac doubted, questioned, knew inherently that what they were being asked to believe and do was the folly of a delusional egotist, but silenced themselves � to their great peril. We can look not all that far back in history to see what happens when crowdmind takes over and shudder at the atrocities committed, but for the first time in my lifetime, I am living through it. And in her wise and subtle way, I believe Emma Donoghue sees it, too.
Haven is a slim novel of agonizing beauty and claustrophobic fanaticism. It tells the story of the charismatic, cruel Brother Artt, who is intent on establishing a remote monastery in the most difficult of conditions as proof of his piety; Brother Trian, an uncertain young man who was given up to the monastery by his impoverished family when he was a child; and the elderly Cormac, a skilled builder, farmer, and storyteller who became a monk after he lost his wife and children to the plague.
Trian and Cormac begin their journey in awe of Artt, who has travelled far beyond Ireland to bear witness to God's dominion and Christ's sacrifice.
By the end, these faithful pilgrims are twisted by bitterness, confusion and fear.
Emma Donoghue, who excels in making our hearts race with tense stories set in confined spaces, whether it's a small, locked shed with no windows and no escape, a maternity ward in the middle of a pandemic, or a remote island with no fresh water and no shelter from the elements, subverts the historical fiction paradigm. Instead of offering a doorstop tome with generations of characters, chapters of world-building and plots within subplots, Haven is spare and raw, spanning just a year. Her depictions of life on this sacred, mysterious, beautiful rock are sublime and disturbing, and the ending could not be more perfect.
One could chose to read Haven at face value: the tale of three men guided and misguided by their faith, brought to their knees not by God, but by Mother Nature.
I, however, read it both as a wonderfully harrowing story of survival and as an allegory of the dangers of blind faith and groupthink. Mindlessly following any dogma, whether political, cultural, religious, or scientific, turning a deaf ear to your own inner voice for fear of being othered or cast out has led us down a dark societal road and stranded us on islands of our choosing. Trian and Cormac doubted, questioned, knew inherently that what they were being asked to believe and do was the folly of a delusional egotist, but silenced themselves � to their great peril. We can look not all that far back in history to see what happens when crowdmind takes over and shudder at the atrocities committed, but for the first time in my lifetime, I am living through it. And in her wise and subtle way, I believe Emma Donoghue sees it, too.
August 19, 2022
7th century Ireland. The novel starts when Artt, a most respected man of the church, arrives at the monastery. He is dismayed by all he sees, and soon states that the monastery and blasts the place for its laziness, spite and lust. He says he has been sent a vision by our lord to build Ina place not inhabitated by man where they can live purely and work to give glory to our maker. He takes two men of the monastery with him, an older man Cormac, who lost his family from the black death and Triann, a younger man given to the church by his family.
When they arrive, after several days, on an Skellig Michael, deserted except for birds, they find a barren, rock laden place to build their new church. It now becomes a matter of survival. Little to eat, hard work and Artt, a heavy taskmaster, is a fanatic, his answer to all, is that the Lord will provide. They do whatever they can't survive and some of it makes for difficult reading.
This novel, though beautifully written, will not appeal to all. It is quiet, contemplative and moves, at times achingly slowly. But it is a novel of time and place, of parables told a with a real historical background, and skilled characterizations. Once I adjusted myself to the slowness, and gave myself up to the gorgeous prose and the predicament of these men, I savored their story. I thought the ending was a long time coming.
When they arrive, after several days, on an Skellig Michael, deserted except for birds, they find a barren, rock laden place to build their new church. It now becomes a matter of survival. Little to eat, hard work and Artt, a heavy taskmaster, is a fanatic, his answer to all, is that the Lord will provide. They do whatever they can't survive and some of it makes for difficult reading.
This novel, though beautifully written, will not appeal to all. It is quiet, contemplative and moves, at times achingly slowly. But it is a novel of time and place, of parables told a with a real historical background, and skilled characterizations. Once I adjusted myself to the slowness, and gave myself up to the gorgeous prose and the predicament of these men, I savored their story. I thought the ending was a long time coming.
April 10, 2024
Now Shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award 2024
Donoghue takes us to the 7th century to tell a story about radicalization and fanaticism: In a dream, the famous Irish sage Brother Artt has a vision in which God tells him to take two monks, middle-aged Brother Cormac and young Brother Trian, to an uninhabited island in the Atlantic Ocean in order to turn it into a bastion of God. The three travel to , shown on the front cover of the novel (the island really holds a monastery which is a UNESCO World Heritage, but its history differs from the fictional version in the book). There, prior Artt requires his two monks to perform more and more unpractical, illogical, and dangerous acts to honor God at the expense of their own well-being and, ultimately, survival.
The text is a claustrophic chamber play about the perversion of faith, about fanaticism (and to me, strangely reminiscent of , which deals with a wannabe cult leader that goes insane and is an allegory on German fascism). Practical Cormac became a monk late in life after the plague killed his family, younger Trian was given to the monastery as a child and carries a secret that, when it gets revealed, is the catalyst for the finale (although it remains a mystery to me why the author chose exactly that to be his secret - it feels like she just hints at very current debates that do not convincingly relate to the story). The two monks are fantastically rendered characters, their prior and his motivations remain somewhat enigmatic though.
All in all, this novel is atmospheric and beautifully written, but it does not have all that much to say: Fanaticism = bad. Although it's relatively short, it still feels too long. This should have been a novella or a short story.
Donoghue takes us to the 7th century to tell a story about radicalization and fanaticism: In a dream, the famous Irish sage Brother Artt has a vision in which God tells him to take two monks, middle-aged Brother Cormac and young Brother Trian, to an uninhabited island in the Atlantic Ocean in order to turn it into a bastion of God. The three travel to , shown on the front cover of the novel (the island really holds a monastery which is a UNESCO World Heritage, but its history differs from the fictional version in the book). There, prior Artt requires his two monks to perform more and more unpractical, illogical, and dangerous acts to honor God at the expense of their own well-being and, ultimately, survival.
The text is a claustrophic chamber play about the perversion of faith, about fanaticism (and to me, strangely reminiscent of , which deals with a wannabe cult leader that goes insane and is an allegory on German fascism). Practical Cormac became a monk late in life after the plague killed his family, younger Trian was given to the monastery as a child and carries a secret that, when it gets revealed, is the catalyst for the finale (although it remains a mystery to me why the author chose exactly that to be his secret - it feels like she just hints at very current debates that do not convincingly relate to the story). The two monks are fantastically rendered characters, their prior and his motivations remain somewhat enigmatic though.
All in all, this novel is atmospheric and beautifully written, but it does not have all that much to say: Fanaticism = bad. Although it's relatively short, it still feels too long. This should have been a novella or a short story.
October 30, 2022
I've enjoyed several other historical novels by Emma Donoghue but Haven?
It could be that my tastes have changed since I last read Ms. Donoghue -some other reviewers have loved this book - or it could be that it's boring.
We've got these three dudes, monks, who are on adelusional divinely inspired mission to set up shop on a remote island away from civilization. Aart is the Prior and is bat-shit crazy if you ask me, sadistic too.
He swears the other two monks, a young man and an older one, to obedience and off they go in a tiny boat in search of their new home. They take few supplies because their boat is so small, and because Aart believes "God" will supply them with all they need.
This is a slow book and I prefer slow to action-packed. However, I like slow when it is intellectually stimulating and/or about the inner lives of the characters.
Haven was neither of these.It was about the men finding the island and then figuring out how to survive.
CW: There was a lot of bird hunting and killing, some of it graphic, which would have ruined the book for me even if I'd been enjoying it. (I wasn't.)
I found the story pointless. There's a tiny twist at the end which I think the author could have revealed early on and used it to build tension (would the Prior find out?) throughout the novel, rather than just tossing it in at the end as an afterthought.
I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars, mainly because I don't want to give a book by Emma Donoghue only 2.... but that's all it is in my estimation so I'll leave it at that and not be generous.
It could be that my tastes have changed since I last read Ms. Donoghue -some other reviewers have loved this book - or it could be that it's boring.
We've got these three dudes, monks, who are on a
He swears the other two monks, a young man and an older one, to obedience and off they go in a tiny boat in search of their new home. They take few supplies because their boat is so small, and because Aart believes "God" will supply them with all they need.
This is a slow book and I prefer slow to action-packed. However, I like slow when it is intellectually stimulating and/or about the inner lives of the characters.
Haven was neither of these.It was about the men finding the island and then figuring out how to survive.
CW: There was a lot of bird hunting and killing, some of it graphic, which would have ruined the book for me even if I'd been enjoying it. (I wasn't.)
I found the story pointless. There's a tiny twist at the end which I think the author could have revealed early on and used it to build tension (would the Prior find out?) throughout the novel, rather than just tossing it in at the end as an afterthought.
I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars, mainly because I don't want to give a book by Emma Donoghue only 2.... but that's all it is in my estimation so I'll leave it at that and not be generous.
August 9, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown & Company for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
From the Publisher: 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 rows 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. In such a place, what will survival mean?
MY THOUGHTS :
I would never have imagined that the tale of three 7th century monks living on an isolated island trying to live a pure and simple life would grip me. But in the early morning hours of that Sunday morning, I couldn't stop turning the pages. Would I have appreciated a little more tension and revelations of secrets earlier on? Yes, I certainly would have liked that. But the atmosphere that Emma Donoghue builds is fantastic. As Artt becomes more and more fundamental in his beliefs, I truly felt myself fearful for Cormac and Trian. Truthfully, I was totally expecting something brutal and absolutely devastating in the ending. That being said, there was still a tinge of unexplainable feelings that did wash over me. In the nearly three weeks since I have read it, I am still mulling over some of those scenes. While it didn't walk away with feeling that it was a clear 4 star read, I would safely put this at a 3.5.
Expected Publication Date 23/08/22
ŷ review published 26/07/22
#Haven #NetGalley.
From the Publisher: 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 rows 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. In such a place, what will survival mean?
MY THOUGHTS :
I would never have imagined that the tale of three 7th century monks living on an isolated island trying to live a pure and simple life would grip me. But in the early morning hours of that Sunday morning, I couldn't stop turning the pages. Would I have appreciated a little more tension and revelations of secrets earlier on? Yes, I certainly would have liked that. But the atmosphere that Emma Donoghue builds is fantastic. As Artt becomes more and more fundamental in his beliefs, I truly felt myself fearful for Cormac and Trian. Truthfully, I was totally expecting something brutal and absolutely devastating in the ending. That being said, there was still a tinge of unexplainable feelings that did wash over me. In the nearly three weeks since I have read it, I am still mulling over some of those scenes. While it didn't walk away with feeling that it was a clear 4 star read, I would safely put this at a 3.5.
Expected Publication Date 23/08/22
ŷ review published 26/07/22
#Haven #NetGalley.
August 31, 2022
I read this so quickly and easily, the story flowed and I was absorbed in it. I picked this up without reading the blurb and so had no idea it was an imagined account of the first monks to arrive on Skellig Michael. Years ago anything Celtic would catch my eye and one of my favourite books is about this island, and I find the whole idea of a settlement in such an inhospitable place absolutely fascinating and of course, the little beehive stones huts they left behind. (Now the Skellig is famous for being Luke Skywalkers hideaway!)
Emma Donoghue has written a fascinating account on what life would’ve been like for these monks, the fanatical leader Artt; Cormac, an old monk with building skills and young Trian, obedient and a lover of nature. Perhaps my interest in the subject matter makes me the perfect audience for this book. I loved it!
Emma Donoghue has written a fascinating account on what life would’ve been like for these monks, the fanatical leader Artt; Cormac, an old monk with building skills and young Trian, obedient and a lover of nature. Perhaps my interest in the subject matter makes me the perfect audience for this book. I loved it!
October 18, 2022
Amazing!
What a terrific historical fiction!
The setting is in the seventh century Ireland.
The story is slow, but gripping.
It’s all about the writing, which I thought was exquisite.
The descriptions were vivid and the storyline was very believable with a surprising twist.
The characters were interesting. Only 3 men, following their beliefs, searching for the perfect place to honour God. They go on an “adventure�, with almost no equipment and very little resources, relying constantly on their faith: “God will provide�. Such blind obedience�
I’m not a religious person, but I was fascinated by the author’s imagination.
I trust that she must have spent hours doing research.
The book is not that big, with only 272 pages, but I do recommend the audiobook narrated by Aidan Kelly.
The narration is, in my opinion, so good that there is no need to increase the speed.
This was a very pleasant experience.
What a terrific historical fiction!
The setting is in the seventh century Ireland.
The story is slow, but gripping.
It’s all about the writing, which I thought was exquisite.
The descriptions were vivid and the storyline was very believable with a surprising twist.
The characters were interesting. Only 3 men, following their beliefs, searching for the perfect place to honour God. They go on an “adventure�, with almost no equipment and very little resources, relying constantly on their faith: “God will provide�. Such blind obedience�
I’m not a religious person, but I was fascinated by the author’s imagination.
I trust that she must have spent hours doing research.
The book is not that big, with only 272 pages, but I do recommend the audiobook narrated by Aidan Kelly.
The narration is, in my opinion, so good that there is no need to increase the speed.
This was a very pleasant experience.
August 16, 2022
Last year’s most unlikely bestseller was “Matrix,� a novel by Lauren Groff about an obscure medieval poet named Marie de France and a 12th-century nunnery. Maybe two years of covid seclusion had primed us for a story of monastic adventure, and certainly Groff’s rich style helped the book sing to many readers. But in addition to her enormous fan base � which includes Barack Obama � the novel succeeded because it eschewed fusty Christian theology and projected modern feminist ideals onto its ancient canvas.
Now comes Emma Donoghue, another popular and critically acclaimed novelist, with “Haven,� a monastic story of her own. But Donoghue has ratcheted up the stakes by taking on a trifecta of bestseller killers: First, she moves the clock back even further, to around 600 A.D. Second, she portrays a culture inhabited only by men. And third, her characters live and move and have their being in an atmosphere fully imbued with their primitive Christian faith.
In short, very few readers have been praying for a novel like this. But “Haven� creates an eerie, meditative atmosphere that should resonate with anyone willing to think deeply about the blessings and costs of devoting one’s life to a transcendent cause.
The novel opens with a kind of preface set at Cluain Mhic Nóis, a relatively new monastery with about three dozen monks in the center of Ireland. Not 200 years have passed since St. Patrick converted the island to Christianity, but. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
Now comes Emma Donoghue, another popular and critically acclaimed novelist, with “Haven,� a monastic story of her own. But Donoghue has ratcheted up the stakes by taking on a trifecta of bestseller killers: First, she moves the clock back even further, to around 600 A.D. Second, she portrays a culture inhabited only by men. And third, her characters live and move and have their being in an atmosphere fully imbued with their primitive Christian faith.
In short, very few readers have been praying for a novel like this. But “Haven� creates an eerie, meditative atmosphere that should resonate with anyone willing to think deeply about the blessings and costs of devoting one’s life to a transcendent cause.
The novel opens with a kind of preface set at Cluain Mhic Nóis, a relatively new monastery with about three dozen monks in the center of Ireland. Not 200 years have passed since St. Patrick converted the island to Christianity, but. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
December 27, 2022
Haven is set in 7th century Ireland. Artt, a scholar and a priest, has a dream to found a monastery on an island off the Irish coast in the Atlantic Ocean. He is supposed to take only two or three monks with him. It’s supposed to be a sacred wandering. Artt picks an older monk Cormack who is skilled at gardening and building. The second pick is a young monk Trian who is eager to trade his mundane existence for an adventure, but he lacks any skills. Artt believes that three is the most sacred number: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I found the progression of their journey to their destination slow, too descriptive. I was hoping that once they find the island the pace would pick up, but it didn’t.
I connected with the characters initially, but quickly got disconnected as I didn’t find them well-developed.
The premise of the story sounded fascinating to me, but I didn’t connect with this style of writing and characters.
I found the progression of their journey to their destination slow, too descriptive. I was hoping that once they find the island the pace would pick up, but it didn’t.
I connected with the characters initially, but quickly got disconnected as I didn’t find them well-developed.
The premise of the story sounded fascinating to me, but I didn’t connect with this style of writing and characters.
December 24, 2022
Any time I think I have it bad I might go back to read this book. Anytime I am annoyed by somebody I might think about the Prior, Artt, in this book and be instantly mollified (well, I could be with Artt right now...oh! Thank God I’m not!).
Three monks on a small craggy island off of Ireland many centuries ago (~600 A.D). One of them, Prior Artt, has a vision that he is destined to build a church away from society. In his dream he sees himself doing this with the aid of a young monk and an old monk. So he selects two from the monastery, and off they go in a crap-ass boat and eventually end up on an island. It’s not like Gilligan’s Island let me tell you.
Prior Artt is a zealot. No doubt many people like him existed. I just wouldn’t want to be under his supervision.
I read this book fairly quickly and skimmed over some paragraphs in which Donoghue was describing how the monks did various things on the deserted bereft island (such as building an altar, building a chapel, building a fire, making a pen out of a bird’s feather). The book was heavy on details on all that and a lot more and I guess I got a bit bored, and hence my skimming. 😏
But I had an overall good impression of the book and was satisfied with the ending. 3.5 stars
Note:
� Margaret Atwood and Sarah Moss liked the book a lot...they had enthusiastic blurbs on the back cover of the book)
Reviews
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Three monks on a small craggy island off of Ireland many centuries ago (~600 A.D). One of them, Prior Artt, has a vision that he is destined to build a church away from society. In his dream he sees himself doing this with the aid of a young monk and an old monk. So he selects two from the monastery, and off they go in a crap-ass boat and eventually end up on an island. It’s not like Gilligan’s Island let me tell you.
Prior Artt is a zealot. No doubt many people like him existed. I just wouldn’t want to be under his supervision.
I read this book fairly quickly and skimmed over some paragraphs in which Donoghue was describing how the monks did various things on the deserted bereft island (such as building an altar, building a chapel, building a fire, making a pen out of a bird’s feather). The book was heavy on details on all that and a lot more and I guess I got a bit bored, and hence my skimming. 😏
But I had an overall good impression of the book and was satisfied with the ending. 3.5 stars
Note:
� Margaret Atwood and Sarah Moss liked the book a lot...they had enthusiastic blurbs on the back cover of the book)
Reviews
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August 20, 2022
Seventh Century, Ireland
Artt, a scholar and priest, had a dream telling him to leave the sinful world behind. So, he sets out with Cormac and Trian. As the drift off into the Atlantic they come across a rocky island (Skellig Michael) and claim it for God. The island is relatively bare save for the rocks and thousands of birds who live there. The island is a bleak setting where survival is paramount and the search for food is important and following rules is paramount.
I had both the kindle and audiobook versions of this book. I found myself going back and forth between the two but have to say the narrator had the perfect voice for this book.
Speaking of the book, it is hard for me to rate. The writing is beautiful, and the descriptions are vivid and so well done. Everything takes place in a slow fashion. I am not a slow build/slow book fan but this one worked as I imagined their days full of toil, building, and transcribing must have felt. Plus, this is not an action book. It's a book about the men, their faith, their days, and their survival.
Beautifully written, thought out and researched.
#HAVEN #NetGalley
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little, Brown & Company, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
Artt, a scholar and priest, had a dream telling him to leave the sinful world behind. So, he sets out with Cormac and Trian. As the drift off into the Atlantic they come across a rocky island (Skellig Michael) and claim it for God. The island is relatively bare save for the rocks and thousands of birds who live there. The island is a bleak setting where survival is paramount and the search for food is important and following rules is paramount.
I had both the kindle and audiobook versions of this book. I found myself going back and forth between the two but have to say the narrator had the perfect voice for this book.
Speaking of the book, it is hard for me to rate. The writing is beautiful, and the descriptions are vivid and so well done. Everything takes place in a slow fashion. I am not a slow build/slow book fan but this one worked as I imagined their days full of toil, building, and transcribing must have felt. Plus, this is not an action book. It's a book about the men, their faith, their days, and their survival.
Beautifully written, thought out and researched.
#HAVEN #NetGalley
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little, Brown & Company, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
May 27, 2023
I struggled to get into Haven. I requested this one based on the author. However, it is very different from her other books. While I enjoyed slower pace stories, I found it hard to stay focused on the story. I wanted to enjoy the themes explored here but lost interest because of the achingly slow pace. I kept thinking about all the other books I would rather be reading and gave up 50%.
I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley
I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley
August 1, 2022
I had a really hard time getting into this story. The idea around this book and the concept of 3 religious men and their story intrigued me. This book was too slow, it took to long to get off the ground.
I love Emma's books and will keep a candle burning for her next best seller! Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC.
I love Emma's books and will keep a candle burning for her next best seller! Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC.
January 18, 2022
The Great Skellig falls away below the Plateau like green silk, and Artt’s suddenly filled with triumph. To think that he and his monks have travelled all this way, to the hidden haven saved for them since Creation. They’ve begun their work, and God looks on it and calls it good.
In an Afterword at the end of , author Emma Donoghue describes a jagged island off the southwest coast of Ireland � known as “Skellig Michael� since the early Eleventh Century, but likely first inhabited by monks around the year 600 � and it’s in this time and place that she has chosen to set her story of a “living saint� and the two monastic brothers whom he enlists to found a new order at the uninhabited edge of the world. Donoghue is a master of historical fiction and she perfectly captures this time of stink and strain and superstition. She is also a writer who has lately taken to criticising the historical wrongdoings of the Catholic Church in her novels � which is a totally fair perspective for her to write from, but with a tale that focuses on a character who embodies the worst of the Church’s hubris, hypocrisy and misogyny, there weren’t a lot of surprises in this narrative; as pride goeth before a fall, so too does the reader anticipate a final reckoning. Certainly not a waste of time � Donoghue’s scenes and sentences are as engaging as ever � but this didn’t add up to anything special to this reader. (Note: I read an ARC through NetGalley and passages quoted may not be in their final forms.)
Artt finds himself wondering if perhaps tales will be told about him. Is it arrogance to think it? The legend of how the priest and scholar Artt set off, with just two humble companions, in a small boat. The extraordinary pair of islands he found in the western ocean; how he claimed the higher one for God, and founded a great retreat in the clouds. The glory of the books reproduced there, and then generations of the copies� offspring. The ceaseless hum of prayer always rising from that little hive.
Artt � a learned scribe and famed converter of pagan hordes � has a dream in which he and two fellow monastic brothers found a new order in the empty ocean. The brothers from his dream � one old and hunchbacked and the other young and gangly � are readily released from their vow of obedience to the worldly Abbot of Cluain Mhic Nóis (if only to get rid of the priggish and judgmental Artt), and several days into a frightful water journey, the trio land on the larger of a pair of sheer-cliffed “skelligs�. While the older monk, Cormac � trained in masonry and gardening � would like to immediately start building a shelter and planting food, and the younger, Trian � an observant naturalist from a clan of fishermen � would like to start planning trading trips in order to barter for the things not found on their hump of isolated rock, their godly Prior, Artt, charge the men with building their monastery � carving a gigantic cross, building a stone chapel, locating an open-aired scrivenery � assuring the others that God will provide for their bodily needs. What could go wrong with a plan like that?
As the narrative unspools, Cormac � a garrulous storyteller, to Artt’s silence-loving displeasure � is forever telling young Trian tales of the saints, and as they occur so often, they honestly began to feel like filler. “I’m put in mind of the voyages of holy Breandán and his seventeen companions,� Cormac will say, or he’ll relate the story of holy Brigit’s pupil Darlugdach (who put embers in her own shoes when she was tempted to go to a man in the night); we learn the tales of blessed Molua, holy Colm Cille, and of the time the austere Comgall caught some thieves, etc. When Artt tells a story for the improvement of young Trian, it’s generally along the lines of, “The wisest Church Fathers, and the ancients before them, all agree that a woman is a botched man, created only for childbearing,� or referring to the legendary Sionan as “this perverse daughter of Eve�. When Artt quotes the Gospel in ways that confound the other monks, Cormac thinks, “He doesn’t need to fathom the depths of scripture, only follow and obey.� And it is the vow of obedience � to a self-aggrandising fanatic � that will lead to hunger, exposure, and suppressed dissent; all for the glory of God (or at least for His representative on Earth).
How did it happen that they came to this place? Was there a different way the currents and breezes could have taken the boat that would have washed them up on another, gentler island, where spring and summer and autumn might have played out differently? Or have the three of them always carried this terrible tale inside themselves?
Also in the Afterword, Donoghue writes that the monks who settled Skellig Michael were “more practical� than her invented characters (bringing livestock to the island and engaging in trade to create a community that lasted centuries), so it was a conscious choice for her to inhabit her island with a prideful zealot and the underlings who were bound by vows of obedience to not push back against his denial of their corporality. And that’s certainly a fair situation for her to explore � there’s no doubt men like Artt have always existed � but the storyline unfolded predictably , and with the frequent stories of the saints feeling like so much filler, this didn’t entirely satisfy me.
October 19, 2022
An amazing novel - beautifully written, impeccably researched, a riveting read from start to finish. Haven is the imagined story of the first monks to travel to the Skelligs, a group of inhospitable small islands off the southwest coast of Ireland. It focuses on three individuals, each brilliantly characterised as they deal with the challenges of the remote location, the struggle for survival, and above all, the war between religious zeal and basic common sense. (I really didn't want this to end.) Highly recommended for those who love historical fiction and in particular Celtic settings.
July 14, 2022
Artt was legendary as a living saint, a holy man of great learning and experience of the world. He dreamed of escaping the society of fallen men, monks who wore embroidered clothing and feasted on roast swan and wine. In his dream he leaves Hibernia with two monks: Cormac, aging and skilled, and Trian, young and naïve. Artt believes that God will lead them to an uninhabited island where they can dedicate their lives to holy living. The pious Cormac and Trian agree to follow and obey Artt as their Prior.
They pack a boat with the bare necessities. A chest holding holy scripture and communion supplies. Two bags of flour to make communion host. One extra garment among them. Oats and candles and one extra sail. Goatskin flasks of water and a pouch of seeds. A crowbar. Cloaks which they can wrap themselves in for sleeping. And they set off down river, to the sea, until they come upon a desert rock filled with roosting sea birds. Artt decides this is their home.
As the monks struggle to find food and shelter on the desert island, Artt insists that prayer and God’s work come before concerns of the body. Cormac is tasked to built an alter and a chapel before they have shelter. He creates a midden to nourish his crop of greens and roots in the thin soil. Trian knows how to fish and is tasked with copying the holy scripture, standing outside, writing upon a natural rock slab.
After their supplies run out, they use the birds and their eggs for food, then the oil and the bodies of the birds for fuel, and then are reduced to eating raw fish and seaweed. Cormac pleads to return to shore for supplies, but is told they will never leave, never return to the pollution of human society. God will provide, Artt tells them.
In Haven, Emma Donoghue explores a faith that is idealistic, unmoving, inhuman. We have seen this time and again, whenever ideals are held closer than the beauty of the Earth and love of its people. It is a faith that put to death women and girls believed to be witches. It rounded up and killed people whose religion was different. We read about it in history books, and we see it today.
Trian’s observation of the birds and nature mesmerizes him, raises questions. Trian feels guilt at massacring such abundance, an ominous pre-shadowing of humankind’s depletion of the abundance of the Earth. Donoghue’s descriptions of the island’s native flora and fauna are exquisite.
That’s the problem with a vow of obedience. It tends to make sheep of men.
from Haven by Emma Donoghue
The crisis comes when Trian’s secret is out, and Cormac must decide between obedience and his own moral conscious, deciding if he is Artt’s man, or Christ’s.
Donoghue was inspired by Skellig Michael and the monks that lived on the jagged island since 1044.
I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
They pack a boat with the bare necessities. A chest holding holy scripture and communion supplies. Two bags of flour to make communion host. One extra garment among them. Oats and candles and one extra sail. Goatskin flasks of water and a pouch of seeds. A crowbar. Cloaks which they can wrap themselves in for sleeping. And they set off down river, to the sea, until they come upon a desert rock filled with roosting sea birds. Artt decides this is their home.
As the monks struggle to find food and shelter on the desert island, Artt insists that prayer and God’s work come before concerns of the body. Cormac is tasked to built an alter and a chapel before they have shelter. He creates a midden to nourish his crop of greens and roots in the thin soil. Trian knows how to fish and is tasked with copying the holy scripture, standing outside, writing upon a natural rock slab.
After their supplies run out, they use the birds and their eggs for food, then the oil and the bodies of the birds for fuel, and then are reduced to eating raw fish and seaweed. Cormac pleads to return to shore for supplies, but is told they will never leave, never return to the pollution of human society. God will provide, Artt tells them.
In Haven, Emma Donoghue explores a faith that is idealistic, unmoving, inhuman. We have seen this time and again, whenever ideals are held closer than the beauty of the Earth and love of its people. It is a faith that put to death women and girls believed to be witches. It rounded up and killed people whose religion was different. We read about it in history books, and we see it today.
Trian’s observation of the birds and nature mesmerizes him, raises questions. Trian feels guilt at massacring such abundance, an ominous pre-shadowing of humankind’s depletion of the abundance of the Earth. Donoghue’s descriptions of the island’s native flora and fauna are exquisite.
That’s the problem with a vow of obedience. It tends to make sheep of men.
from Haven by Emma Donoghue
The crisis comes when Trian’s secret is out, and Cormac must decide between obedience and his own moral conscious, deciding if he is Artt’s man, or Christ’s.
Donoghue was inspired by Skellig Michael and the monks that lived on the jagged island since 1044.
I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
August 26, 2022
Haven is unlike other historical fiction I have read in its setting, 7th century Ireland monastic life, and it’s specific direction-monks seeking isolated life away from monasteries in sites apart from other people such as offshore, unpopulated islands.
A guest arrives at an Irish monastery. His name is Artt and he is known as a blessed man and scholar. While visiting, he has a dream that he leaves this place with two of the brothers, one young one old, and they row on the river out to the sea and on south until they find an island, the right island, to found their community. He is granted his wish to follow this dream, ask these two brothers to pledge obedience to him and receives needed supplies. Artt will be the Prior with Cormac and Trian as the brothers who pledge fealty.
Some of my favorite parts are those sections which reflect the three men’s thoughts and internal struggles, especially once they are on the island. Artt’s thoughts are concerned with God and his wishes but also with Artt’s legacy. Cormac reflects on his pagan wife and family lost to plague before his conversion to Christianity and also he thinks constantly about practical steps he must carry out for their success and survival. Trian speculates about man’s place in the world as opposed to the birds and fish he seeks for dinner and how God separates all. Trian, as the youngest, is the food gatherer, a position he takes seriously.
The author provides some history in a note at the end which relates that the island of Greater Skellig of this novel has been known as Skellig Michael since before 1044.
I recommend this book for those who want a “quieter� book that does deal in basics of human life: belonging, faith, society, brotherhood and what these can truly mean when three people are on their own, separated from the rest of society.
Thanks to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
A guest arrives at an Irish monastery. His name is Artt and he is known as a blessed man and scholar. While visiting, he has a dream that he leaves this place with two of the brothers, one young one old, and they row on the river out to the sea and on south until they find an island, the right island, to found their community. He is granted his wish to follow this dream, ask these two brothers to pledge obedience to him and receives needed supplies. Artt will be the Prior with Cormac and Trian as the brothers who pledge fealty.
Some of my favorite parts are those sections which reflect the three men’s thoughts and internal struggles, especially once they are on the island. Artt’s thoughts are concerned with God and his wishes but also with Artt’s legacy. Cormac reflects on his pagan wife and family lost to plague before his conversion to Christianity and also he thinks constantly about practical steps he must carry out for their success and survival. Trian speculates about man’s place in the world as opposed to the birds and fish he seeks for dinner and how God separates all. Trian, as the youngest, is the food gatherer, a position he takes seriously.
The author provides some history in a note at the end which relates that the island of Greater Skellig of this novel has been known as Skellig Michael since before 1044.
I recommend this book for those who want a “quieter� book that does deal in basics of human life: belonging, faith, society, brotherhood and what these can truly mean when three people are on their own, separated from the rest of society.
Thanks to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
September 7, 2022
Artt is a priest who lures two other monks into leaving the sinful world behind and creating a new monastery on a small, uninhabited island. The island is really nothing more than an arid pile of rocks. Trian and Cormac are ensnared by Artt’s insane zealotry. Somehow it is God’s will that the 3 men live without reasonable food, water and shelter.
This book is slow, boring and (blessedly) short. Maybe there is some parable here that I am missing because I am not religious, but I really didn’t get the point. This was not the right book for me. The men spent their time praying, building things to honor God (but not to live in), fishing, lugging stones and killing birds for food and oil. I was rooting for the birds.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
This book is slow, boring and (blessedly) short. Maybe there is some parable here that I am missing because I am not religious, but I really didn’t get the point. This was not the right book for me. The men spent their time praying, building things to honor God (but not to live in), fishing, lugging stones and killing birds for food and oil. I was rooting for the birds.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
June 5, 2022
Emma Donoghue is a master of creating tension-ridden psychological dramas in confined spaces.
Her break-out book, Room, demonstrated this unique skill. And now, in Haven, she once again holds eager readers in her sway � this time, in seventh-century Ireland in the isolated and rocky spot now known as Skellig Michael.
Expect a slow burn of a story. Emma Donoghue has obviously done massive research and the novel is fascinating in its recreation of an ancient time and a foreboding destination. Depending solely on God’s will, the three monks exist on a day-to-day basis on a land that offers little in food, drink, and shelter and how they manage to get by is fascinating to learn.
But like any Emma Donoghue novel � and I’ve read the last six of them � the suspense and the drama ignite, because the author’s desire is not to just tell, but to delve deeply and explore the human psyche.
This story is limited to three characters: a fanatical and zealous prior named Artt who dreams of forsaking the “filthy world� and its distractions in order to build a pure relationship with Christ. His two charges, Trian � a young man surrendered to the monks when he was only 13 and an older man, Cormac, a late convert who is renowned for his inspiring stories of faith � are there to help the prior fulfill his vision.
The questions she poses are compelling: Does a didactic knowledge of the Bible and a vow of obedience and extreme sacrifice justify a holier-than-thou attitude? Is nature God’s holiest language and are its glorious beings, its birds and plants, our sisters and brothers? Or have we been truly awarded domination over all of it and if so, at what cost? Should monks be as humble as slaves, even when their own survival is severely threatened and every core of their being cries out against what is being demanded?
As a non-believer, I have always marveled at how some “holy� people twist the message of love into a message of disdain for the world and its many varied people they believe God created. To me, we create our personal heaven and hell and diminish ourselves by ignoring our true Garden of Eden � the earth we are fortunate enough to inhabit � through our willful destruction of the planet and its wildlife. Needless to say, this book resonated with me.
The ending is both organic and unexpected. I am so grateful for @LittleBrown for enabling me to be an early reader of Haven in exchange for an honest review. This is a story unlike anything Emma Donoghue has written before. Go into this with an open mindset � this is not Room or the Wonder � and you will be rewarded many times ove� and you will be rewarded many times over.
Her break-out book, Room, demonstrated this unique skill. And now, in Haven, she once again holds eager readers in her sway � this time, in seventh-century Ireland in the isolated and rocky spot now known as Skellig Michael.
Expect a slow burn of a story. Emma Donoghue has obviously done massive research and the novel is fascinating in its recreation of an ancient time and a foreboding destination. Depending solely on God’s will, the three monks exist on a day-to-day basis on a land that offers little in food, drink, and shelter and how they manage to get by is fascinating to learn.
But like any Emma Donoghue novel � and I’ve read the last six of them � the suspense and the drama ignite, because the author’s desire is not to just tell, but to delve deeply and explore the human psyche.
This story is limited to three characters: a fanatical and zealous prior named Artt who dreams of forsaking the “filthy world� and its distractions in order to build a pure relationship with Christ. His two charges, Trian � a young man surrendered to the monks when he was only 13 and an older man, Cormac, a late convert who is renowned for his inspiring stories of faith � are there to help the prior fulfill his vision.
The questions she poses are compelling: Does a didactic knowledge of the Bible and a vow of obedience and extreme sacrifice justify a holier-than-thou attitude? Is nature God’s holiest language and are its glorious beings, its birds and plants, our sisters and brothers? Or have we been truly awarded domination over all of it and if so, at what cost? Should monks be as humble as slaves, even when their own survival is severely threatened and every core of their being cries out against what is being demanded?
As a non-believer, I have always marveled at how some “holy� people twist the message of love into a message of disdain for the world and its many varied people they believe God created. To me, we create our personal heaven and hell and diminish ourselves by ignoring our true Garden of Eden � the earth we are fortunate enough to inhabit � through our willful destruction of the planet and its wildlife. Needless to say, this book resonated with me.
The ending is both organic and unexpected. I am so grateful for @LittleBrown for enabling me to be an early reader of Haven in exchange for an honest review. This is a story unlike anything Emma Donoghue has written before. Go into this with an open mindset � this is not Room or the Wonder � and you will be rewarded many times ove� and you will be rewarded many times over.
February 16, 2023
Haven by Emma Donoghue was an irresistable and atomospheric novel set in the seventh century southwestern medieval Ireland off the coast of County Kerry. There two jagged islands are seen, the larger Skellig Michael with monks living there since 1044. And this a remarkable tale of three monks who first embark to the island led by a larger-than-life charasmatic leader and a scholar and a priest, Brother Artt. There is a lot of symbolism in this book first represented by the three monks, as in the the trinity. And such an integral part of this story is Ireland's history of early monastic settlements as evidenced by the beautiful Book of Kells housed in Trinity College in Dublin.
After a vivid dream, Brother Artt confides to the Abbot that he must embark on this journey with the two monks that were in his dream; his companions are to be Cormac, an elderly monk who came to the abby and his vocation late in life after his wife and family were violently taken from him during the plague, a survivor of many tragedies but bascially one who was skilled in architecture and building as well as gardening. And the second monk was Trian, a young and gangly youthful man that had been dropped off to the monastary six years ago but had learned to adapt to his monastic surroundings.
It is these three men that embark on this perilous journey on the River Shannon to find their haven as they leave all they hold dear behind only leaving room for the sacred sacraments as well as vellum and the quills to write the gospels. It may be a stretch but when one thinks that the Book of Kells was created over 1200 years ago and considered a masterpiece of medieval art, one must pause as it was this period of time that so many remote monastaries throughout Ireland sprang up. There is a lot of scripture and beautiful psalms and hymns to lull one to their journey, but, alas it is not without peril on so many levels. It is through this journey with these three men that this character-driven novel slowly unfolds in a crescendo as it all begins to come together. But it leaves one with so many questions: what is faith? and, whom does one trust?
"Of course the monks have shared every scrap of information and hearsay. Scholar, priest, hermit, Artt is the most famous visitor to Cluain Mhic Nois in the six years Trian's been here, and possibly in the half century since its founding. Now in its prime, familiar with many tongues, the sage is said to have read every book written, and has copied out dozens. Artt can work complex sums in his mind and chart the tracks of the stars. One of the band of solitairies who've been carrying the light of the Gospel from Ireland across a pagan-gripped continent, this soldier of Christ has converted whole tribes among the Picts, the Franks, even the Lombards."
After a vivid dream, Brother Artt confides to the Abbot that he must embark on this journey with the two monks that were in his dream; his companions are to be Cormac, an elderly monk who came to the abby and his vocation late in life after his wife and family were violently taken from him during the plague, a survivor of many tragedies but bascially one who was skilled in architecture and building as well as gardening. And the second monk was Trian, a young and gangly youthful man that had been dropped off to the monastary six years ago but had learned to adapt to his monastic surroundings.
It is these three men that embark on this perilous journey on the River Shannon to find their haven as they leave all they hold dear behind only leaving room for the sacred sacraments as well as vellum and the quills to write the gospels. It may be a stretch but when one thinks that the Book of Kells was created over 1200 years ago and considered a masterpiece of medieval art, one must pause as it was this period of time that so many remote monastaries throughout Ireland sprang up. There is a lot of scripture and beautiful psalms and hymns to lull one to their journey, but, alas it is not without peril on so many levels. It is through this journey with these three men that this character-driven novel slowly unfolds in a crescendo as it all begins to come together. But it leaves one with so many questions: what is faith? and, whom does one trust?
"The sea is quite glassy as if God poured oil on it. As the red berry of the sun floats up into the sky, Trian can see everything: the silken fabric of the ocean, stretched out smooth with barely a ripple; flocks of voracious cormorants and moaning puffins working the waters."
"Looming over the boat, the Great Skellig's sharp magnificence. To Trian it almost looks as if its rock was formed in flat layers, then the whole thing tipped sideways. 'Every valley shall be lifted up,' Isaiah promises in the Scripture. This tiny, perfect land, stood on end; a bridge to the sky. 'O bringer of good news, go up on the high mountain.'"
"For you are God, my only safe haven. Why have you cast me off?"
May 15, 2022
This is pretty much as advertised: the journey of three monks in 7th century Ireland take a boat made of hides to the open sea searching for a deserted island to escape the sin of humanity.
Well, they find it. (Not a spoiler since it's in the synopsis.) And there's not much there. Except for birds. So. Many. Birds. Their life is austere and guided by Catholic ceremony. The leader's stubborn piety over practicality quickly becomes tiresome, and the story only becomes more frustrating and strange before ending (thankfully) abruptly.
I guess I was hoping this would be more interesting than the blurb made it sound, but I wouldn't recommend it unless hearing every excruciating detail about eking out a religious living on a barren island is your thing.
With thanks to ŷ and Little, Brown and Company for this ARC giveaway.
Well, they find it. (Not a spoiler since it's in the synopsis.) And there's not much there. Except for birds. So. Many. Birds. Their life is austere and guided by Catholic ceremony. The leader's stubborn piety over practicality quickly becomes tiresome, and the story only becomes more frustrating and strange before ending (thankfully) abruptly.
I guess I was hoping this would be more interesting than the blurb made it sound, but I wouldn't recommend it unless hearing every excruciating detail about eking out a religious living on a barren island is your thing.
With thanks to ŷ and Little, Brown and Company for this ARC giveaway.
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