The Wind Eye by Robert Westall
"The Wind Eye" is a novel by Robert Westall, which follows the story of Professor Bertrand Studdard and his family as they vacation at a remote villa on England's Northumberland coast. The journey begins with tension between Bertrand and his wife, Madeleine, setting the stage for familial conflicts that unfold throughout the narrative. Their three children, particularly Michael, take on the role of mediators as they navigate their parents’ disagreements while discovering the local lore, including the tale of Saint Cuthbert, a patron saint from the Dark Ages.
Upon settling into their uncle's dilapidated home, the children stumble upon strange artifacts that lead them on a fantastical adventure. A mysterious boat named Resurre allows them to travel back to Viking times, where they encounter the legend of Saint Cuthbert and his connection to the island's history. The story weaves themes of bravery, discovery, and family bonding, as the children grapple with both their magical experiences and the realities of their relationships. By the conclusion, the family's dynamics evolve positively, fostering a deeper connection among them, while the mystical elements of the story enrich their understanding of heritage and history.
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Subject Terms
The Wind Eye
First published: 1976
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Fantasy—time travel
Time of work: May, 1976, and the year 875
Locale: The Northumberland coast of England
The Plot
The Wind Eye is the second published book by Robert Westall, and it received marginal recognition. It followed his first, highly acclaimed book, The Machine-Gunners (1975), which won the Carnegie Medal in Britain. In The Wind Eye, Professor Bertrand Studdard announces to his family that they will be vacationing at his deceased uncle’s resort villa on England’s remote Northumberland coast. His wife, Madeleine, protests, her display establishing the spousal friction portrayed throughout the remainder of the novel. Michael, Madeleine’s son, is the oldest of the three children in the family. He helps guide Bertrand’s two daughters, Beth and little Sally, through the confusion of bickering parents.
Madeleine insists on driving her own car to the coast. Along the way, the family convenes for lunch in the small coastal town of Durham. They learn of the pervasiveness of Saint Cuthbert, a patron saint of the Dark Ages who is described as pious, gentle, a lover of animals, protective, somewhat mischievous, and having no fondness for women.
Finally reaching the uncle’s decrepit home, named Monk’s Heugh, they settle in. At night, the children find strange items in their room—a stuffed seal, a old loaf of bread, worn boots, and a note, presumably from Uncle Henry, about a hospitium—a “guest” home reserved for visitors on Inner Farne Island. In the morning, they find a sturdy boat, the name Resurre etched on its bow. The children accidentally discover that through their wishing, it transports them back to Viking times.
The next day, several old townspeople appear to warn Bertrand of the Wind Eye, a boat with mystical, evil powers. Sally becomes transfixed with the image of an old man whom she begins to see waving to her from a distance. This vision draws her to the boat. It magically heads for Inner Farne island, but Michael grabs the gunwale at the last minute, and he and Beth stumble in. Sally jumps ship at the island. Michael and Beth, frightened by the event and not in control of the boat, lose her to the island. They return later to rescue her. Her stories convince them that “Saint Cuddy,” goats ridden by little people, and the hospitium do exist.
The Vikings had raided the monastery on Holy Island in 875, and in revenge, Saint Cuthbert raised the seas and drowned the raiding parties. The children and Bertrand are transported back to this era several times after learning how to power the boat mentally.
By the book’s end, the family has become more loving and cohesive, even the obstreperous Madeleine. She discovers that “wind eye” means “window” in Icelandic; Resurre is a window to the past. Bertrand, in his studious way, continues to research history and finds that an ancestor was probably among the monks that Saint Cuthbert saved. He surmises that Uncle Henry had stayed in the ninth century with the monks.