Harvest by Jim Crace

A book about a small self sufficient community in England who work collectively to gather their wheat harvest and tend their lands. The book is narrated by Walter, a relative newcomer to the community who has loyalties both to the villagers and to the local gentleman landowner. The plot begins with two simultaneous events - a burnt out dovecote and the arrival of some travellers - and progress into a much more destructive chain of events. The plot is interesting and compelling and the writing very good. I enjoyed Walter's narrative thread which gives this book a deceptively gentle pace. A very good, thought provoking novel.