Description

Set in 6-7th century Shetland, this novella is written from a personal perspective. The narrative explores the trials and tensions that arise out of an attempted eremitic sojourn on a lonely ‘birrier’ or sea-girt rock in the North Sea. Shetland has many such places that have been identified as having been used for this purpose in medieval times. Therefore, intrigued by the driving forces that might prompt one to remove from the world in this manner and live alone in a remote and harsh environment under extreme deprivation in order to find God, I have metaphorically gone to live on one such birrier and record the experience. Obviously it is not possible to enter the mind-set of a medieval monk. However, aside from the way in which the Christian Church has developed its theology down the centuries, it may be said an individual’s discovery of God remains a very personal thing and any attempt to lift the veil is bound to be enlightening, intriguing and hopefully entertaining if done with sensitivity and humour. Sea-girt Vigil is therefore a comparatively light-hearted look at the fallibility of the human condition when one goes in search of the ‘still small voice’. The work dwells as much on the spiritual aspect of surviving an extended period of deprivation as it does on the physical and as such might be expected to appeal to anyone who has attempted to draw nearer to their preferred Deity through personal reflection and meditation. An element of historical fact will have further appeal, particularly to Orcadians and Shetlanders who are accustomed to seeing the place-name PAPAL throughout their islands. Alastair Christie-Johnston (Feb. 2015)