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Rockbound
To the harsh domain of Rockbound -- governed by the sternly righteous and rapacious Uriah Jung --comes the youthful David Jung to claim his small share of the island. Filled with dreamy optimism and a love for the unspoken promises of the night sky, David tries to find his way in a narrow, unforgiving, and controlled world. His conflicts are both internal and external, locking him in an unceasing struggle for survival; sometimes the sea is his enemy, sometimes his own rude behavior, sometimes his best friend Gershom Born, sometimes his secret love for the island teacher Mary Dauphiny; but always, inevitably, his Jung relatives and their manifold ambitions for money and power.
The balance of life on Rockbound is precarious and thus fiercely guarded by all who inhabit its lonely domain, but just as a sudden change in the direction of the wind can lead to certain peril at sea, so too can the sudden change in the direction of a man's heart lead to a danger altogether unknown.
Enormously evocative of the power, terror, and dramatic beauty of the Atlantic sea, and unrelenting in its portrait of back-breaking labour, cunning bitterness, and family strife, Rockbound is a story of many passions-love, pride, greed, and yearning -- all formed and buffeted on a small island by an unyielding wind and the rocky landscape of the human spirit.
Roockbound won Canada Reads in 2005.
The balance of life on Rockbound is precarious and thus fiercely guarded by all who inhabit its lonely domain, but just as a sudden change in the direction of the wind can lead to certain peril at sea, so too can the sudden change in the direction of a man's heart lead to a danger altogether unknown.
Enormously evocative of the power, terror, and dramatic beauty of the Atlantic sea, and unrelenting in its portrait of back-breaking labour, cunning bitterness, and family strife, Rockbound is a story of many passions-love, pride, greed, and yearning -- all formed and buffeted on a small island by an unyielding wind and the rocky landscape of the human spirit.
Roockbound won Canada Reads in 2005.
326 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1928
28 people are currently reading
1248 people want to read
About the author
Frank Parker Day
7 books8 followersFrank Parker Day (9 May 1881 – 30 July 1950) was a Canadian athlete, academic, and author. Since Day's father was a Methodist minister who moved to a new congregation every three years, Day spent his youth living throughout Nova Scotia, living in Wallace, Acadia Mines, Mahone Bay, Boylston, and Lockeport.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
October 6, 2022
Ironbound is an island in the Atlantic off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada.
The residents of Ironbound were upset by this novel, which was loosely based on the two main families on the island. The novel itself is hard to judge: what was life actually like in 1910 in a Nova Scotia south shore fishing village?
The nostalgia is strong with this one. Also, real people felt betrayed. The author lied to people to hear their stories and write about them. They were gracious, and hospitable, and were betrayed by this writer.
Many people today, though, love this book. But not on that island.
The residents of Ironbound were upset by this novel, which was loosely based on the two main families on the island. The novel itself is hard to judge: what was life actually like in 1910 in a Nova Scotia south shore fishing village?
The nostalgia is strong with this one. Also, real people felt betrayed. The author lied to people to hear their stories and write about them. They were gracious, and hospitable, and were betrayed by this writer.
Many people today, though, love this book. But not on that island.
May 25, 2015
“An’ what might ye be wantin?” said the old man, the king of Rockbound.
“I wants fur to be yur sharesman,” answered David.
“Us works here on Rockbound.”
“I knows how to work.”
“Knows how to work an’ brung up on de Outposts!” jeered Uriah. “Us has half a day’s work done ’fore de Outposters rub sleep out o’ dere eyes, ain’t it!”
“I knows how to work,” repeated the boy stubbornly.
“Where’s yur gear an’ clothes at?”
“I’se got all my gear an’clothes on me,” said David, grinning down at his buttonless shirt, ragged trousers, and bare, horny feet “but I owns yon dory: I salvaged her from de sea an’ beat de man what tried to steal her from me.”
Uriah’s eyes showed a glint of interest.
Despite being published in 1928, I found Rockbound to be a highly interesting read, not as fusty and old-fashioned as classics can sometimes be. In it, the orphan David – determined to claim his rightful 1/10th share of the mile-long island of Rockbound, off the South Shore of Nova Scotia – washes up, keen to prove his worth. Over the next 300 pages and 20 or so years, the boy grows to manhood, ever straining under the island's blood feuds and the constant hectoring of his greedy Great Uncle Uriah; the self-proclaimed king of the realm.
Onto this framework, author Frank Parker Day grafts vivid descriptions of the land and sea; the back breaking work of fishing and the cleaning of the catch; and the daily routines of the men and women who would choose this life. The most interesting scenes (for me, at least) were when characters would share the local folklore: describing famous haunts; the shenanigans of Johnny Publicover,the local ghost catcher; and even a conversation with the devil himself.
Well, you'se heard how nigh de Sanford ghost was to ruinin' Sanford. He had all de women an' children skeert, an' de men, too, an' dey was dat skeert, dey was goin' to give up dere fish stands an' move to oder parts o' de main or maybe some o' de islands. Why, dat ghost use' to roll beach rocks down de front hallway when de men folks was away, an' naught but women and children huddled roun' de kitchen stove, and snatch gals away from dere fellers on dark roads, an' he were dat audacious he use to whang on de back o' de church at evening meetin'. One night he gits dat bold, he reach in t'rough de back winder wid a brown skinny arm an' put a glass o' rum on de side o' de pulpit when de minister was a-preachin' a sermon on temperance. Warn't dat audacious?
Parker Day also included a fictionalised account of a contemporaneous shipwreck, lost at sea in a sudden hurricane:
The vessel, deep-laden, was travelling at the rate of twenty knots, and a tooth of black bottom rock whipped bottom and keelson from her as cleanly as a boy with a sharp jackknife slits a shaving from a pine stick. Two thousand quintals of split fish and the unwetted salt dropped down upon the yellow sands; out came the spars with a rending crash, and deck and upper hull turned over. Within ten seconds of her striking, every man of the crew was in the sea. Away they went, young Martin still lashed to a bit of bulwark among them, poor scraps of humanity, weighed down with soaked clothing and long boots; a flash of yellow oilskins, hoarse cries that made no sound in the fierce tumult, and they were gone. Some swam a stroke or two, some clung for an instant to trailing rigging or broken dory, but few clung long in that mad breaking sea.
Winner of Canada Reads for 2005, with Rockbound Parker Day has memorialised a long gone time and place and I completely enjoyed my time revisiting that world. I note quite a few reviewers say that they couldn't get past the idiosyncratic dialogue and that's why I include samplings of it here; surely that's not incomprehensible to all? I enjoyed every bit of it.
December 7, 2024
Originally published in 1928, this wonderful novel seems to have been largely forgotten for many years, until it was given a new life with a 1973 reissue; and then rediscovered once again, making the 2005 Canada Reads shortlist. It’s not at all surprising that it became that year’s winner.
This novel positively oozes local color: the day-to-day struggle of wresting a precarious living from the sea; the gossip, feuding, lighthouse tending, seining, hand-lining, lobster fishing that once defined the in-shore fishery; and the rhythm of life on islands immersed in both the bounty and the menace of the North Atlantic, off the Nova Scotia coast. With the demise of the cod that once seemed limitless, much of that island livelihood is now long gone, leaving behind only a few highly mechanized inshore operators and offshore trawlers. But what remains are the stories, the legends and the tall tales — even the ghost stories.
This is also a dramatic story of a deeply personal struggle for love; of family ties, betrayal, tragedy and loss. Here we meet David, a penniless orphaned boy who must face the implacable Uriah, self-styled king of Rockbound, and demand the scant heritage to which he is entitled. There's Gershom, the blond giant who befriends David, taking his part against Uriah’s brutal clan. And the arrival of Mary Dauphiny, the schoolteacher who becomes the focus of a life-and-death contest of wills that will forever change this close-knit but combative island community.
I doubt if my review can do the book justice; for anyone who loves down-to-earth stories of life in a unique, storm-tossed place, populated by engaging, memorable characters, this makes for great reading. Anyone who loves the works of Jan de Hartog or Farley Mowat is sure to love this!
This novel positively oozes local color: the day-to-day struggle of wresting a precarious living from the sea; the gossip, feuding, lighthouse tending, seining, hand-lining, lobster fishing that once defined the in-shore fishery; and the rhythm of life on islands immersed in both the bounty and the menace of the North Atlantic, off the Nova Scotia coast. With the demise of the cod that once seemed limitless, much of that island livelihood is now long gone, leaving behind only a few highly mechanized inshore operators and offshore trawlers. But what remains are the stories, the legends and the tall tales — even the ghost stories.
This is also a dramatic story of a deeply personal struggle for love; of family ties, betrayal, tragedy and loss. Here we meet David, a penniless orphaned boy who must face the implacable Uriah, self-styled king of Rockbound, and demand the scant heritage to which he is entitled. There's Gershom, the blond giant who befriends David, taking his part against Uriah’s brutal clan. And the arrival of Mary Dauphiny, the schoolteacher who becomes the focus of a life-and-death contest of wills that will forever change this close-knit but combative island community.
I doubt if my review can do the book justice; for anyone who loves down-to-earth stories of life in a unique, storm-tossed place, populated by engaging, memorable characters, this makes for great reading. Anyone who loves the works of Jan de Hartog or Farley Mowat is sure to love this!
January 15, 2022
I love CanLit. It's one of my favourite genres, and I am so proud of our numerous very talented authors in this country. This book is a classic and a fitting winner of the Canada Reads award. The book was written in 1928 by Frank Parker Day, who was born in Nova Scotia. He was schooled in Oxford and in Berlin and came back to North America at the beginning of the Great War. He taught in the States for a while, but came back to Cape Breton to live out the rest of his life. All of Day's experiences with Canadians and the extremely brutal life of Canadian fishermen are honestly and empathicaly portrayed in this dark and savage novel. Yet even in the darkness and within the unrelenting work of the people who live on Rockbound island, we see human warmth, compassion and even love. The colloquialisms and the speech patterns from this era, which is pre-WWI, are true to form. They do make for some difficulty following conversations between characters, but I found if I took the time, I could easily figure them out. For example sentences like "Nair a one o' de Rockbound Jungs could do dat." are peppered throughout the book. This speech pattern makes the story more realistic then normal sentences and words would. Life on Rockbound is hard. It's a small island in the Atlantic which is isolated for many months of the year either due to bad storms or winter ice. The people on Rockbound are farmers and fishermen and they all pitch in and work very hard in order to keep food on the table and the wolf from the door. Rockbound breeds a strong, resilient people who will meet any challenge head on. The story and the people of Rockbound will remain with me for a long time. This is a well-deserved winner of the Canada Reads prize. I have always loved stories of the sea and of sea tragedies. The true people of the sea are brave, resourceful and very philosophic about life and death. That comes through very strongly in this book.
June 27, 2012
This was a perfect book to discover on the shelf of my family's place in Maine. Written in 1928, the language is smooths and masterful, and the story is both classic and original at the same time. The tragedies so well known to fishing communities like the fictional Rockbound of Nova Scotia are not glossed over in this book, but the author also acknowledges the culture and great spirit that those communities had as well. This was a thrilling sea yarn, educational treatise on fishing methods, anda tribute to the strong men and women of the southern Nova Scotia coast.
January 18, 2022
I enjoyed "Rockbound" - read it in two sittings. The struggle for survival on the ocean, the narrow limits of David and the islander's lives and what they do with so little - all of that was compelling. It's an elemental story. Nature, survival, the hopes of humans, what drives them - hunger, avarice, love - the sense of fighting against the odds. Even a very simple story becomes epic when those ingredients are present. Similar themes are at play in Neil M. Gunn's "Morning Tide", another novel about the residents of a fishing village.
The lighthouse was unexpected - I realize that I haven't read much of anything with a lighthouse in it. I may have to search for more. In "Rockbound" David's friend Gershom inherits the role of light keeper, and David spends time with him there.
"Suddenly, in the light tower above his head came a terrifying, an awful noise. A ripping and rending was followed by a crash as if someone had dumped a ton of glass down the stairs.
"Up, Gershom, up," stammered David. "De light's all smashed to hell."
Gershom leapt out of bed and ran up the ladder, his shirt bellying out behind him. David followed close at his heels. They stared at one another in amazement; the light was burning calm and clear. Except for the trickle that oozed through the crack in the pane, naught was amiss in the light tower."
The whole novel is haunted by a sense of isolation. David is alone against the world and has to battle not only the harsh physical elements, but his inner constraints as well. And of course, there is the islander's narrow scope, the lighthouse...
It explores how isolation works upon a character and either warps or drives him to reach beyond himself. Gershom, David's friend, reminded me of Denys from "The Cloister and the Hearth" (Charles Reade), one of those exuberant, larger-than-life men who draw people to them with their warmth.
Really, when I think about it, Gershom was David's lighthouse.
The ending was rushed and didn't feel true.
January 3, 2012
Rockbound is the story of David, a fisherman in Canada's Nova Scotia, and his journey in becoming one of the people and fishers of Rockbound, a small island off the coast split by competing families who's hierarchies, hatreds, and actions lie at the heart of the people of Rockbound. Love, friendship, and tragedy occur in Parker Day's romantic view of the original Nova Scotian island Ironbound as the fictional character David faces his Goliath, and makes a place for himself on the cold, unforgiving rocks of the island.
Rockbound was another novel we were required to read in my seminar class, and sadly wasn't a favorite of mine nor the majority of the class's. (At least as far as I remember) In many ways, the novel is almost insulting to Canadians, especially from the Nova Scotia area, because of its romanticism about the fishing industry that is and isn't Nova Scotia. While I'm not going to go into a huge discussion about that, I just wanted to point it out in the context of a Maritime perspective on the piece, and how it fits into the accepted or as my seminar prof put it 'centralist' view of the Maritime provinces.
So the novel as a whole is a very slow build-up of characters, people, and the sense of place Day portrays. The story is very everyday as it mostly centers on David interactions with the sea and the fishermen he works with as well as his friendship with Gershome, the lighthouse caretaker. And, I'm not going to lie to you my lovely goodreads friends, I think I fell asleep like fifteen times while reading it. When actual conflict emerges, through the schoolteacher (and obviously educated) Mary's arrival and later love triangle? rectangle?, it's near the end of the novel, and doesn't really make up for the drawn out moments of folksy stories, ideas, and fishing.
I have to give props to Day for actually fleshing out a tragedy worthy of Shakespeare in those last few chapters that was, sadly, my favorite part of Rockbound, but on the whole the novel is slow, tedious, and so full of fishing and sailing technicalities it bored me to death.
Thematically, Rockbound is sort of biblical in it's depiction of temptation, the devil, and the whole David and Goliath idea that Day clearly estabilshes throughout the novel. It also contemplates both patriachal and matriarchal societies through the two feuding families, and even the nature of (possibly barbaric) blood feuds. It also considers the role of women, which was much more interesting, and how marriageble Mary and the prostitute Fanny were seen in different ways in relation to the men that pursued them.
All in all, Rockbound, much like many of the novels we've read in this class, was thematically and in relation to lit theory a wonder, but otherwise I wouldn't have gone out of my way to read it. Thankfully it wasn't crazily depressing. 2/5
Rockbound was another novel we were required to read in my seminar class, and sadly wasn't a favorite of mine nor the majority of the class's. (At least as far as I remember) In many ways, the novel is almost insulting to Canadians, especially from the Nova Scotia area, because of its romanticism about the fishing industry that is and isn't Nova Scotia. While I'm not going to go into a huge discussion about that, I just wanted to point it out in the context of a Maritime perspective on the piece, and how it fits into the accepted or as my seminar prof put it 'centralist' view of the Maritime provinces.
So the novel as a whole is a very slow build-up of characters, people, and the sense of place Day portrays. The story is very everyday as it mostly centers on David interactions with the sea and the fishermen he works with as well as his friendship with Gershome, the lighthouse caretaker. And, I'm not going to lie to you my lovely goodreads friends, I think I fell asleep like fifteen times while reading it. When actual conflict emerges, through the schoolteacher (and obviously educated) Mary's arrival and later love triangle? rectangle?, it's near the end of the novel, and doesn't really make up for the drawn out moments of folksy stories, ideas, and fishing.
I have to give props to Day for actually fleshing out a tragedy worthy of Shakespeare in those last few chapters that was, sadly, my favorite part of Rockbound, but on the whole the novel is slow, tedious, and so full of fishing and sailing technicalities it bored me to death.
Thematically, Rockbound is sort of biblical in it's depiction of temptation, the devil, and the whole David and Goliath idea that Day clearly estabilshes throughout the novel. It also contemplates both patriachal and matriarchal societies through the two feuding families, and even the nature of (possibly barbaric) blood feuds. It also considers the role of women, which was much more interesting, and how marriageble Mary and the prostitute Fanny were seen in different ways in relation to the men that pursued them.
All in all, Rockbound, much like many of the novels we've read in this class, was thematically and in relation to lit theory a wonder, but otherwise I wouldn't have gone out of my way to read it. Thankfully it wasn't crazily depressing. 2/5
January 10, 2021
Incredible. Once I overcame the difficulties posed by the dialect, I was immersed into an amazing world. At times my heart raced in anxiety, at times I was furious at the characters; worried and hopeful for outcomes; relieved and horrified. A fantastic book. Makes me ponder how bloody tough and enduring our forefathers were.
November 8, 2021
I read this because I've been reading all the previous Canada Reads winners, and this won in 2005. By page 7 I was shocked at the casual use of the N-word, so I googled this book and it was actually written in 1928, which explains a lot.
This feels like the kind of book we read in school. It's set on the east coast of Canada, where the main activity is fishing (or at least it was in 1928). There are a lot of descriptions about fish-related things and boat-related things and lighthouses. The general moral of the story seems to be that if you work pretty hard, life is ok and/or miserable. If you work *the absolute hardest* you will be successful in the long run.
This feels like the kind of book we read in school. It's set on the east coast of Canada, where the main activity is fishing (or at least it was in 1928). There are a lot of descriptions about fish-related things and boat-related things and lighthouses. The general moral of the story seems to be that if you work pretty hard, life is ok and/or miserable. If you work *the absolute hardest* you will be successful in the long run.
May 14, 2019
Written in 1928, this should have been a Canadian classic, but it was all but forgotten until it won Canada Reads a few years ago and got a new lease on life. Set in an isolated fishing community in Nova Scotia, I guess it could be called a coming of age story, or a survival story, depending on your point of view. The protagonist, David, arrives on the island of Rockbound at age eighteen, to take up his share in the family fishing business. Life is harsh, the weather is harsh, and the people are harsh, with simmering feuds of the kind that only happen in communities where almost everyone is related to everyone else. The descriptions of the fishing life, the ocean and the weather are very vivid. The style is a little difficult to get used to as the dialect is written phonetically, but I soon got into it. I'm glad this gem was rediscovered.
May 7, 2021
Highly recommended to me, I gave it three stars because while I loved parts of the book, other parts seemed cliche. If you're interested in getting a snapshot of fishing life and society at the turn of the 1900s or so, this book definitely brings those elements alive. I thought the dialect writing would be irritating, but I got used to it quickly.
The latter third of the book abandons a lot of the elements I enjoyed in the first two-thirds in order to bring in what I consider a fairly cliche romantic subplot, at the same time sidelining the main character for a while. This subplot features one of my literary pet peeves - 'issues caused primarily by lack of communication between characters'.
It's worth reading, but your mileage may vary.
The latter third of the book abandons a lot of the elements I enjoyed in the first two-thirds in order to bring in what I consider a fairly cliche romantic subplot, at the same time sidelining the main character for a while. This subplot features one of my literary pet peeves - 'issues caused primarily by lack of communication between characters'.
It's worth reading, but your mileage may vary.
March 18, 2019
I have rarely read a book that so fully transports me to another place. The harshness and uniqueness of Nova Scotia was so fully revealed that I felt as though I had visited with these men on a cold, windy Winter day. I will certainly read this one again one day.
March 2, 2021
I really need to go back and re-read this book
January 30, 2024
Okay, this is a subjective 5 stars. Having lived in the area reading a story set in a place I love and done well goes a long way. It is a great story tho!
October 4, 2024
2024.74: Local books bought while traveling are often the best. Loved this glimpse of life long ago on the islands off Nova Scotia.
August 18, 2023
Probably more like 3.5 stars
I was skeptical when I was given this book because it was written in 1928, but it was nowhere near as musty (?) as old classics can sometimes be. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction - particularly people from Nova Scotia of course.
I was skeptical when I was given this book because it was written in 1928, but it was nowhere near as musty (?) as old classics can sometimes be. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction - particularly people from Nova Scotia of course.
March 26, 2023
A real fun book to read even though it was fictional alot of it could easily have happened. And it highlights the culture and community mindset of local maritimers through the characters. But most of all I enjoyed the way the writer depicts the island language accents and slang in the text!
June 6, 2016
originally published in 1928, 'rockbound' never made much of a splash with book sales, but the novel crops up in CanLit courses across the country. in 2005, the novel was included in Canada Reads - and ended up winning. this was cool because it brought a whole new audience to the book!
set on an island off nova scotia's south shore, the story well depicts the hardships of rural and fishing life, and the challenges of a community almost completely connected as family. the settings are evocative and the characters are interesting. this book is an important part of the canadian canon, and representative of one sort of an Atlantic way of life. but (sorry!), i just didn't find much emotion in the story (for all of the very emotional situations that occurred). it felt a bit simplistic at times, and was too tidy at the end.
i am glad i finally had a chance to read this book. i wish i liked it a lot more than i did (to clarify: i liked it. i didn't love it).
set on an island off nova scotia's south shore, the story well depicts the hardships of rural and fishing life, and the challenges of a community almost completely connected as family. the settings are evocative and the characters are interesting. this book is an important part of the canadian canon, and representative of one sort of an Atlantic way of life. but (sorry!), i just didn't find much emotion in the story (for all of the very emotional situations that occurred). it felt a bit simplistic at times, and was too tidy at the end.
i am glad i finally had a chance to read this book. i wish i liked it a lot more than i did (to clarify: i liked it. i didn't love it).
January 4, 2020
Our library book club chose Rockbound by Frank Parker Day as the book to read in November and discuss at our meeting the first week of December.
I like audio books, so listened to this classic novel of Nova Scotia's South Shore narrated by Richard Donat and published by BTC Audio Books.
This novel was first published in 1928. Nova Scotian born author Frank Parker Day's deeply allusive novel evokes the terrifying power and breathtaking beauty of Canada's Atlantic coastline, where a shift in the wind - like a sudden change in a man's heart - can lead to certain peril.
Shakespearean actor Richard Donat evokes the quiet majesty of this long-forgotten classic, imparting a rich resonance to the Nova Scotia dialect of Day's Rockbounders.
ROCKBOUND was winner of CANADA READS in 2005.
4.5 stormy stars ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️.💫
I like audio books, so listened to this classic novel of Nova Scotia's South Shore narrated by Richard Donat and published by BTC Audio Books.
This novel was first published in 1928. Nova Scotian born author Frank Parker Day's deeply allusive novel evokes the terrifying power and breathtaking beauty of Canada's Atlantic coastline, where a shift in the wind - like a sudden change in a man's heart - can lead to certain peril.
Shakespearean actor Richard Donat evokes the quiet majesty of this long-forgotten classic, imparting a rich resonance to the Nova Scotia dialect of Day's Rockbounders.
ROCKBOUND was winner of CANADA READS in 2005.
4.5 stormy stars ⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️.💫
August 15, 2022
It is hard to believe this novel was written in 1928. The story is set in Nova Scotia and tells of David a young boy who goes to the island Rockbound to become a fisherman and make his way in life. According to many writers, it is an very accurate account of what life was like during the early 1900's. I picked this book up on a recent trip to Lunenburg at Elizabeth's Book Store. It describes in detail what it was like to grow up and earn a living when these coastal towns relied on fishing. The historic pictures and memorials to fisherman lost at sea I saw on my visit were brought to life by this novel. Many thanks to Chris Webb, the owner of the book store, for putting this book in my hands.
January 11, 2008
My best read so far this year. Day's descriptions drew me right into
the story, and every page was a gem, right from beginning to end. Clear
and poignant evocation of setting, characters, community, tradition..
Voted as the book all of Canada should read in 2005 by CBC Canada Reads
program. I'm not sure that I would agree with that lofty opinion, but
loved it all the same. Excellent read. Highly recommended.
QUOTE: “Life was like the sea that began the destruction of an island as soon as it had made it.” [p. 134]
the story, and every page was a gem, right from beginning to end. Clear
and poignant evocation of setting, characters, community, tradition..
Voted as the book all of Canada should read in 2005 by CBC Canada Reads
program. I'm not sure that I would agree with that lofty opinion, but
loved it all the same. Excellent read. Highly recommended.
QUOTE: “Life was like the sea that began the destruction of an island as soon as it had made it.” [p. 134]
September 26, 2015
Beautifully written period piece, about life on an island in Maritime Canada. Written in 1928, Day does a great job of painting the life through story of a remote fishing community, describing the hard life they lived in a natural style that makes this story easy to read, despite the colloquial dialogue of the time which once you get into its rhythm becomes easy and enjoyable to follow. Best read while listening to The Waterboy's Fisherman's Blues on repeat and enjoying a rum or two at the same time.
September 13, 2025
One of my all time favorites as it is based on the area where I grew up. If you have spent any time working on fishing boats or living in fishing communities, the descriptions in this book were very accurate. the characters were memorable and story was great.
August 25, 2019
Eighteen-year-old David Jung claims his island birthright and rows a leaking dory 12 miles out to Rockbound to fish for his Uncle Uriah while depending on his Aunt Anapest who married a hostile clansman, the Kraus, for bread. Arriving barefoot with the threadbare trousers and shirt on his back he moves into what remains of his parent’s shack: a rusting stove, the sofa his stepfather died on, the roof over his head, and the creatures that scurry in the night. To say his welcome is grudging is to put too fine a spin on matters.
The vernacular is one I grew up with on Nova Scotia’s South Shore sprinkled with terms familiar to inshore fishermen of the time. It may take some getting used to. A carey bird is a storm petrel, a pelagic bird that comes ashore only to nest in crevases or burrows on remote islands. The book won Canada Reads 2005 but was written at the turn of the last century.
Old Uriah is an avaricious slave driver but young David proves an able willing worker. Uriah’s silence is the closest he comes to praise. David has an inborn knack for finding fish and becomes recognized as the best fisher in the isles as they’d put it high line. When his cousin Tamar becomes pregnant with his child he drives a bargain with his uncle that sees them married. It may not be a love-match but David gains a loyal and faithful partner. Gershom Born a fellow sharesman becomes his loyal companion and the two have each other��s backs in all things including wine, women and song.
Matters take a downturn for David when his wife dies in childbirth and his friend takes over his father’s lighthouse. Old Uriah’s greed and conniving poison life for the rest and eventually leads to even more tragic ends but to close the book the author devises an HEA.
The vernacular is one I grew up with on Nova Scotia’s South Shore sprinkled with terms familiar to inshore fishermen of the time. It may take some getting used to. A carey bird is a storm petrel, a pelagic bird that comes ashore only to nest in crevases or burrows on remote islands. The book won Canada Reads 2005 but was written at the turn of the last century.
Old Uriah is an avaricious slave driver but young David proves an able willing worker. Uriah’s silence is the closest he comes to praise. David has an inborn knack for finding fish and becomes recognized as the best fisher in the isles as they’d put it high line. When his cousin Tamar becomes pregnant with his child he drives a bargain with his uncle that sees them married. It may not be a love-match but David gains a loyal and faithful partner. Gershom Born a fellow sharesman becomes his loyal companion and the two have each other��s backs in all things including wine, women and song.
Matters take a downturn for David when his wife dies in childbirth and his friend takes over his father’s lighthouse. Old Uriah’s greed and conniving poison life for the rest and eventually leads to even more tragic ends but to close the book the author devises an HEA.
June 9, 2019
I loved this book even more than I expected to. The story is great. It tells of a small, island-bound community of the coast of Nova Scotia - of their trials and tribulations, of their joys and sorrows, of their successes and failures. More importantly, it tells of the ties that bind them all together and of the jealousies, petty and more serious that drives them apart - and will eventually lead to tragedy (I'm not giving a spoiler warning, did you seriously think that there would not be tragedy in a novel about North Atlantic fishermen?).
All of that is great, but what I really loved was the incredible descriptions that Day gives of the mundane things. Of how they build and improve their houses, workshops and stages, and of their day-to-day work routines. The novel is a a great documentary source for those aspects of a fisherman's life. My people are not from Nova Scotia, but they do come from a similar situation. They were a fisher family from the Grey Islands of the east coast of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula. The lives of my ancestors is pretty well completely foreign to me, an graduate degree holding (albeit in history), professional civil servant, urban dweller in the middle of the Canadian Prairies. Reading Rockbound gives me a wonderful insight into what the lives of my ancestors might have been like. For that reason alone, for me, this is one of the best books I have ever read.
All of that is great, but what I really loved was the incredible descriptions that Day gives of the mundane things. Of how they build and improve their houses, workshops and stages, and of their day-to-day work routines. The novel is a a great documentary source for those aspects of a fisherman's life. My people are not from Nova Scotia, but they do come from a similar situation. They were a fisher family from the Grey Islands of the east coast of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula. The lives of my ancestors is pretty well completely foreign to me, an graduate degree holding (albeit in history), professional civil servant, urban dweller in the middle of the Canadian Prairies. Reading Rockbound gives me a wonderful insight into what the lives of my ancestors might have been like. For that reason alone, for me, this is one of the best books I have ever read.
November 16, 2018
This is another one of those books I would have never read if it weren't for Book Club, however, I'm glad I read it.
Truthfully, I found it hard to follow. The dialogue made it especially difficult and I found myself needing to read it aloud to even come close to understanding it. I'm not patient enough to read and re-read lines to try to figure it out. The accept though was really reminiscent of how my husband talks about Nova Scotia from the time he spent there on his mission.
Apparently, when the book was written, people from the area were angry about it because they felt like they were portrayed negatively. I can see why they'd feel that way. The superstition, the lack of education and survival mentality is heavy. I did love the parts about the teacher coming to the island and David wanting to learn to read. I'm not sure he was really successful though.
The Maritimes is a harsh and unforgiving place. Interestingly, it continues. This was a news article from today:
records show Newfoundland was literally shaking from wind and waves
"
Seismic records show Newfoundland was literally shaking from wind and waves
Truthfully, I found it hard to follow. The dialogue made it especially difficult and I found myself needing to read it aloud to even come close to understanding it. I'm not patient enough to read and re-read lines to try to figure it out. The accept though was really reminiscent of how my husband talks about Nova Scotia from the time he spent there on his mission.
Apparently, when the book was written, people from the area were angry about it because they felt like they were portrayed negatively. I can see why they'd feel that way. The superstition, the lack of education and survival mentality is heavy. I did love the parts about the teacher coming to the island and David wanting to learn to read. I'm not sure he was really successful though.
The Maritimes is a harsh and unforgiving place. Interestingly, it continues. This was a news article from today:
records show Newfoundland was literally shaking from wind and waves
"
Seismic records show Newfoundland was literally shaking from wind and waves
May 16, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed Rockbound-4.5 stars. It was written in 1928 but has a timeless quality as it explores the harsh lives of fishermen on the small fictional island of Rockbound, Nova Scotia. A unique aspect of this book is Day's use of an old east- coast dialect, which makes the dialogue very vivid. For example David says: "I'se a man what stands up fur my rights an' tears away what I kin git from people like ye in de world." Once you get used to reading this, you can really hear the voices of the characters and it seems so realistic.
There are a lot of fishing and boating references, and I couldn't understand them all but that really doesn't take away from the story. There is hard work, romance, a ship wreck, ghost stories and a lighthouse that really has a life of its own. Its an old-fashioned rip-rollicking tale. Highly recommened if you want a glimpse of east-coast life in the past.
Canada Reads winner 2005
There are a lot of fishing and boating references, and I couldn't understand them all but that really doesn't take away from the story. There is hard work, romance, a ship wreck, ghost stories and a lighthouse that really has a life of its own. Its an old-fashioned rip-rollicking tale. Highly recommened if you want a glimpse of east-coast life in the past.
Canada Reads winner 2005
May 6, 2024
Excellent book! Day paints word pictures of the fishing villages on the islands in the South Shore of Nova Scotia. The characters are wonderful, except Uriah who was a greedy, mean and unfeeling father. Daniel and Mary are wonderful people, and Daniel is very patient even when things don’t go his way. I am so glad it has a happy end - Daniel deserved some happiness.
Many reviews are critical because Day uses the language of the late 1800s people who are generally uneducated. It’s not that hard to understand! The quotes from Canterbury Tales - now they are a bit difficult.
Thanks Gus and Lisa!
Many reviews are critical because Day uses the language of the late 1800s people who are generally uneducated. It’s not that hard to understand! The quotes from Canterbury Tales - now they are a bit difficult.
Thanks Gus and Lisa!
August 17, 2018
It was certainly an entertaining read. It took a couple chapters for me to get into it thought, almost put it down for good after Chapter one. The dialogue wasn't the easiest to read, and was distracting. Found it difficult to immerse myself into the situations and dialogue. I didn't care for any of the characters at first, and it wasn't until a third of the way through that I found they became interesting and wanted to follow their story.
I enjoyed the book, it spoke to me as a Maritimer, but it won't be at the top of my recommendations list.
I enjoyed the book, it spoke to me as a Maritimer, but it won't be at the top of my recommendations list.
February 2, 2020
Fascinating story of an isolated fishing community in Nova Scotia in the early 1900’s. Perhaps the depth of characters is somewhat lacking, and the local dialect is difficult to read at first, BUT a worthwhile read to learn about the hardships and prejudices of people who live in a small one industry village. Romance and murder occur within the confines of rugged rocks and dangerous waters and extreme temperatures. Written in 1926 it is a unique perspective on the fishing industry and class oriented society of the time.
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