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berlylovestoread's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
At first I struggled to find the rhythm of the book. I am glad I read it as I learned so much about the Artic Convoys in WWII that I didn't know about before. Ultimately I loved the main character - flaws & all, and her growth throughout was interesting.
nannykaren's review
5.0
The Skylark's Secret is set in two timelines - WWII and 1970's, telling the story of a mother, Flora and daughter Lexie. It is a beautiful, well researched book. I enjoyed reading about the lives of those in the Highlands of Scotland during both periods. The camaraderie of village life and people never fails to amaze me and Ms Valpy showed this in abundance throughout the story.
lisamshardlow's review against another edition
5.0
Set in dual timelines. In 1978, following her mother’s recent death, singer Lexie Gordon is forced to return to the Scottish Highland village where she grew up. A few years earlier, Lexie had escaped to perform on London’s West End, but it never truly felt like home. Now back, with a baby daughter of her own, she soon learns that her mother (and the village itself) have been hiding secrets that make her question everything. In 1940, gamekeeper’s daughter, Flora (Lexie’s mother), and the Laird’s son, Alec, are in love. But when their small village finds itself as the new base for the Royal Navy’s Arctic convoys, and tensions build between Alec and his disapproving father, their love and happiness seems doomed. As Lexie pieces together her parents’ story, she discovers some courageous and devastating secrets.
This was very emotional throughout, but it was also very heartwarming. I really loved all of the characters, especially Flora, Alec, Lexie, Daisy, and Davy. I also really loved Bridie and how she and Mairi told Lexie the story of her parents. There were a lot of traditional Scottish songs and folklore included, which I really loved as well. Although this is fiction, it is based on actual events that happened during WWII in the Scottish Highlands, such as Loch Ewe being transformed into a Naval base, and children being evacuated from bigger cities to the countryside. I know that similar things happened in London, but it never occurred to me that they happened in other parts of the UK as well, so I learned a bit of history too. The ending was also very unexpected.
I don’t think that there was anything that I didn’t love about this. I was gripped by the story from start to finish. For this reason, I give it 5 out of 5 stars!
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction, stories about war and WWII, Scottish culture and folklore, and some romance.
This was very emotional throughout, but it was also very heartwarming. I really loved all of the characters, especially Flora, Alec, Lexie, Daisy, and Davy. I also really loved Bridie and how she and Mairi told Lexie the story of her parents. There were a lot of traditional Scottish songs and folklore included, which I really loved as well. Although this is fiction, it is based on actual events that happened during WWII in the Scottish Highlands, such as Loch Ewe being transformed into a Naval base, and children being evacuated from bigger cities to the countryside. I know that similar things happened in London, but it never occurred to me that they happened in other parts of the UK as well, so I learned a bit of history too. The ending was also very unexpected.
I don’t think that there was anything that I didn’t love about this. I was gripped by the story from start to finish. For this reason, I give it 5 out of 5 stars!
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction, stories about war and WWII, Scottish culture and folklore, and some romance.
septemberheartflakes's review against another edition
3.0
Let’s not say goodbye. We’ll just say, “I’ll be seeing you.”
This is the kind of book you read because of the setting. Yes, it was set in World War II era in Scotland but Loch Ewe described by Lexie and Flora was just a wonderful escape every time I open this book.
The Skylark's secret is about a daughter who was disappointed by her dreams in London and went back to her home town. Humbled and now a single mother herself, she started to embark on a quest to learn her mother's story in 1946.
The switch of time between past and present was smooth in this book. I did not feel ripped from any chapter, instead transported from one era to another as if guided through a dedicated path. I was equally interested with both Flora and Lexie's story and when the ending finally joined in the end, it was satisfying. It was as if Flora and Lexie was in Loch Ewe in the same timeline.
Yes, they were things that I don't agree about but that is how life works. You don't always agree with everyone's decision, in the end you're only the outsider, the reader.
Oh, and Daisy the toddler is a sweetheart. Every scene of hers made me smile a little.
theweebookworm's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
catriona90's review
4.0
Another beautiful story by Fiona Valpy. She has a way of writing that takes the reader right to the heart of the story, able to really imagine the beautiful setting of Loch Ewe and (personally) learning lots about the history at the same time.
valerie523's review
2.0
This is the story of Lexie Gordon's discovery of who she is and where she came from. It is told through two timelines - one is her mother's during WW2 in the early 1940s and the other is her own in the late 1970s.
Valpy's prose paints a vivid picture of Loch Ewe in the Scotland Highlands, although sometimes her language felt a bit forced. The book alternates between the two timelines disrupting the flow for me. I never really got into either story, never connected to the characters, and therefore didn't really care what happened to them. Additionally, sometimes the storyline felt a little predictable, and the characters one-dimensional and stereotypical.
Overall, I give this book two stars, which is a "Fair" rating. I want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC.
Valpy's prose paints a vivid picture of Loch Ewe in the Scotland Highlands, although sometimes her language felt a bit forced. The book alternates between the two timelines disrupting the flow for me. I never really got into either story, never connected to the characters, and therefore didn't really care what happened to them. Additionally, sometimes the storyline felt a little predictable, and the characters one-dimensional and stereotypical.
Overall, I give this book two stars, which is a "Fair" rating. I want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC.
andreagraves5's review
4.0
Has a slow start but is completely worth sticking with. Such wonderful characters, time line, mystery.
I listened to this on audible
I listened to this on audible