I remain absolutely smitten with Winterson's books. They are really just delightful, especially after reading so very many overwrought books. Hers seem effortless but certainly are not simple.
This one is about a girl named Silver because she was "born part precious metal part pirate" who has no father (or not a known one, anyway). She lives a secluded and a bit bizarre life with her mother until an accident and her mother dies. Silver is then orphaned and sent to live with the blind lighthousekeeper, Pew. Pew teaches Silver about seeing, storytelling, and living--giving her the history of the Scottish town they live in, the story of the Dark family who built the lighthouse, while teaching her that to tell stories is to live.
The plot is really minimal. Silver and Pew don't do much and the storyline of the past, while containing more action, is equally sedate. The charm really lies in the way the story of the book and the stories within the book, stories within stories, ad infinitum, are told.
My favorite lines may be: "Turn down the daily noise and at first there is the relief of silence. And then, very quietly, as quiet as light, meaning returns. Words are the part of silence that can be spoken." I'll definitely be picking up more of her books, if I ever finish (or begin, really) the tome that is Midnight's Children.
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