A fictional tale of ancient times in the Orkney Islands. These pre-historic people are ordinary men and women who are mostly content merely to win the fight for suvival in their harsh world. But one of them develops a deep curiosity about 'the shining' - something which sometimes appears on the horizon beyond the sea. Hands, Metoo, Thinlegs and Catcho dare to cross the sea in a dangerous voyage into the unknown, leaving the security and companionship of their own village.
Naomi Mitchison is a fine storyteller with a compelling ear for patterns and rhythms of speech and a deep understanding of human nature. Above all, she manages to capture the realities of the lives of these primitive people in an imaginative reconstruction of their adventure.