The Long Call

The Long Call, like Cleeves’s other novels, features a strong sense of place. How does Cleeves characterize the Devon landscape, and how does she make use of the land to develop the novel’s plot and tensions? Analyze at least three specific examples from the text to support your interpretation.

In the introduction to the novel, Cleeves says of Devon, “I’d quite forgotten how beautiful the place is, but sometimes beauty is skin deep, and it’s that contrast that interests me most” (“Dear Reader”). In addition to descriptions of the setting, how else does Cleeves depict this contrast between Devon’s inherent beauty and ugliness?

Cleeves often incorporates backstories for characters who do not directly affect the plot, such as the story of the relationship between Matthew’s father and Mary Brownscombe. What does the inclusion of this backstory accomplish? What does it develop in the novel, if not the plot?