What readers think of Land, plus links to write your own review.

Land is an epic in the true sense of the word, encompassing not just a particular family, but a country, the world, the land itself. Magically written, with parts that are poetic in nature. It contrasts the impermanence of humans against the constancy of the land.
It begins with a map maker and his young son right after the Potato Famine, out charting the Irish countryside for the British. But soon it moves back two millennia to a time even before the Romans arrived in England.

At the heart of the story is a mysterious hidden pool that has been claimed by heathen and Catholic priests alike. The belief is that the water can give you what you need, not necessarily what you want. Told through a variety of points of view, we follow the six members of the main family and their loyal dog through multiple events, mostly tragic. I have to admit, the dog was my favorite of the characters. Yet, I cared about each of them and was anxious to know how their lives would unfold.

There’s a strong edge of magical realism to this book. That doesn’t always work for me, but it didn’t overwhelm the story. It’s a sad story with little in the way of hope or joy. It’s not a tale of plucky individuals finding a way to improve their lot in life. It’s about the business of surviving day after day in often miserable circumstances.

My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for an advance copy of this book.