Shadowlands: A Journey Through Lost Britain Paperback – 6 April 2023

CW for this book: there are two specific short sections in chapters 6 and 7 which cover animals suffering a tortured death.For a book covering 8 instances of ostensibly the same thing - the disappearance of a British settlement - these are all fascinating and different.The writing is definitely a little over the top at times, leaning too much into prose maybe but I found I jelled well with it. However I can imagine it might annoy some.I saw one reviewer was not a fan because they found it kept coming back to wars and lacked for female perspectives. While it's true of some of the earlier chapters, I didn't think it so of the latter ones. Still, I am a man (and do find war interesting in history) so it's maybe less surprising I wouldn't be as quick to feel that.

To be honest, I am halfway through this book and I find it completely riveting. It is beautifully written and the subject matter is fascinating. What I am struggling with is a figure on page 160 that illustrates the village of Dunwich and the associated cliff regression. This figure is really interesting but there is no scale. I have also tried to tie it into a Google Earth image of the modern state of Dunwich but with limited success.It would be good if the book could tie its stories to actual world locations. Maps locating the sites under discussion would really make this a much better book. These are geographical locations, and we need to know where they are to really make it come to life.Also, there should be a lot more photographs. The author talks about "setting off" with his camera but there are very few photographs in the book and what photographs are presented are horrible little monochrome (I love monochrome but presented well) images within the body text of the book. It would be really good to have some monochrome/colour plates.So close to perfection! But, despite its imperfections, I would highly recommend this to anybody who enjoys reading non-fiction works! But I'd also like to understand that Dunwich map better.

This is an expansive literary journey that takes us from odd, underground labyrinth of Neolithic Skara Brae all the way through to our possible, imminent future on the frontier of climate emergency. Without over-labouring the point, Matthew Green invites us to consider instability, change, and loss through time as it is intimately connected to shifting climates, coastlines, economic pressures and land-use choices.Personally, I liked the literary style of the book; elements of narration and speculative imaginings that give historic accounts space to breathe and come to life. There's a sense of gore and folk horror, infusing the book with a distinctly gothic atmosphere, the feeling of being watched amongst the ruins by the carrion eaters. The tinge of melancholy is mirrored in the author's own journey as his travels to the places he explores in the book become more-than-research trip, a kind of lonely pilgrimage.Ultimately though, Shadowlands seems hopeful and perhaps reassuring, depending on your own view of the future. Either we can attend to our present concerns armed with our knowledge of the past, or we can, at the very least, be comforted by that peculiar sensation that accompanies our contemplation of the deep past; that all things must go through a process of change and decay, yet people, animals and even places will endure despite the many challenges we face.

As a guide to some of the settlements which have disappeared from the british isles and a discussion of likely reasons for those disappearances, this book is certainly worth a read - it is well written on the whole and engaging.It is let down, however, by the author preaching about 'climate change' and repeating many of the ill-informed arguments of the modern climate protester. I would have thought that someone who was able to produce a book such as this would have taken more care to inform himself of the widely available research into climate change which generally fails to support the current, widely held, belief that current climate changes are a) unusual and b) caused by mankind.One further point - a golden pheasant is not a raptor (see page 222).

Brilliant book. Very well written and researched. I didnt like the last chapter very much too romanticised but none the less a very enjoyable historical factual book and well worth a read to anybody that is interested in deserted villages.

I have enjoyed every chapter of this short book. I have learned about places I had heard of and places I hadn’t. I found myself reflecting on the author’s narrative each time I put the book down. I recommend this book particularly to anyone who like me is new to the more detailed accounts of the history of Britain.

Shadowlands is an inspiring book relating the history of forgotten and deserted towns and villages throughout the British Isles.It is packed with fascinating facts of historical interest about the eight lost places while also relating the human story behind the reasons of the downfall.The author has a gift of making each place come alive and it is almost possible to share in the emotions of the lost inhabitants.The lost places include towns literally blown off cliffs, evacuated islands, Neolithic settlements, and a beautiful valley submerged in order to provide water for a large nearby industrial town, to mention a few.There are exquisitely described passages detailing life before disaster and tranquility after in some cases.The author draws on personal experiences of loss in his own life to mirror the fragility of that which we all take for granted and imagine to be permanent.I loved reading this book and thoroughly recommend it.

An interesting book full of history.

I very much enjoyed this book which I found out about on I think a history blog. The seller sent it right on time, too. Will be looking to see what else they have soon.

Excellent research and storytelling of some of Britain's lost cities and villages. Amazing depth of study has gone in to make this a great historical data filled book. Might have laboured a bit too long on the Stanford Training area in Norfolk used in WW2 and then afterwards as well, interesting though. But this does not take away from the whole book.

The book is not quite what I expected. It explores in great depth the history surrounding the locations covered. It is written by an academic, and it shows! It is heavily footnoted, like a research paper. The author also uses words not in common parlance, and one of them, I suspect was made-up! The publisher is a small one. Had it been one of the major ones, the editing and proofreading would have been more rigorous. It has a number of minor errors, but it only affects a proofreader like me!

I thought I'd like it but the writing is very dry. Just not for me.

Really descriptive and fascinating. Lots of information.