I bought this second-hand book (cheaply). Admittedly, I was primarily interested in Fay Godwin’s photographs in the book. Her photographs of the Scilly Islands landscape are monumental. The texts from John Fowles I find difficult to follow.
![Islands - Fowles and Godwin](https://i0.wp.com/niekdegreef.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/image-3-505x600.png?resize=261%2C310&ssl=1)
The island atmosphere of Fowles text reminds me of Tim Robinson’s books, especially those on the on the Aran Islands. Tim Robinson’s work put a lot of detail on the landscape, in this book Godwin’s photos provide a similar visual detail to Fowles meandering texts.
Fowles texts follow a historical and mythological sort of baseline. He discusses the characteristics of island communities: solitude and emptiness, independence of any legal power, a unifying feeling that sets people from the islands apart from mainlanders. Islands, withdrawn from common law and ethics, provide a unique magic. Fowles weaves a quite diverting story touching many topics. He mixes Homeros’ Odyssee (was it really written by a man, or must this have been a woman) with Joyce’s Ulysses, Shakespeare’s work, historical deviations, Robinson Crusoe, and other Greek mythology.
![Fay Godwin The Shags](https://i0.wp.com/s3.amazonaws.com/magnoliasoft.imageweb/britishlibrary/supersize/c13526-77.jpg?w=1200)
![Troy Town Maze, St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly, 1977, Fay Godwin](https://i0.wp.com/www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/sites/default/files/styles/carousel/public/2017-07/8_15.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)