Review by Booklist Review
In this hybrid memoir, Huband recounts her experiences beachcombing in the Shetland Islands. After moving from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, with her family, she struggled to find her footing in a community that thrived on weather extremes. While reeling from powerful storms, Huband also comes to grips with a painful chronic illness and the struggles of a young mother whose husband is gone for unpredictable periods flying helicopters to offshore oil platforms. Seeking both connection and purpose, she volunteered for Shetland's beached bird survey and became intrigued with the environmental issues revealed on the beaches and, specifically, with finding an elusive sea bean (a drift seed that can wash ashore in northern climates). She researched the seed's scientific and folkloric history, pondering how it has woven its way into various northern histories while remaining distant from Shetland's own rich cultural fabric. Traveling to various Shetland beaches and the Faeroe Islands allowed her to write more about how other communities embrace their unique relationships with the sea. Tender and thoughtful, Sea Bean is a quiet treasure.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
