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A review by rosemaryandrue
The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Elisabeth Gifford
3.0
I had no idea where we were headed, no idea what lay before us. All I knew was I was ready to travel the length and breadth of France if the world would give me one more chance to spend one more hour with you – to say I’m sorry.
In 1927, Cambridge student Fred ends up on the remote Scottish island of St Kilda to study the local rock formations and falls in love with Chrissie, a local woman. Thirteen years later, he is stranded in war-torn France and wondering how that summer romance long ago went so wrong…
I picked up this book because I was rather tired of the glut of World War Two narratives, generally about members of the French Resistance, and this promised something different. And indeed it delivered – most of the story is set on St Kilda, a remote Scottish island of which I had never heard before, but felt quite acquainted with by the time the book ended. The writing is lyrical and brought St Kilda with all its lush sea-swept beauty to vivid life. The parts which incorporate the history of the island were fascinating and really cemented how attached Chrissie was to her home. This made the ensuing evacuation quite emotional.
However, the plot felt somewhat thin. This is the story of how Fred and Chrissie fell in love, and what tore them apart, but we don’t see much of them falling in love and what tears them apart feels almost silly, unfortunately. I was also ambivalent on the character of Archie – I wish we got a better understanding of him, for while his actions are what drive the plot, his decisions seemingly come out of nowhere.
My copy of this book was an audiobook, narrated by Fiona McNeill, Geoffrey Newland, and Diane Brooks, who respectively voice Chrissie, Fred, and Rachel Anne, Chrissie’s daughter. The narration was done in Scottish accents, which for a hapless American like me took a little time to get used to! I thought the narration was well-done, though, and the narrators’ musical voices helped set the stage.
Overall, an interesting and emotional read for those interested in more obscure British historical settings.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
In 1927, Cambridge student Fred ends up on the remote Scottish island of St Kilda to study the local rock formations and falls in love with Chrissie, a local woman. Thirteen years later, he is stranded in war-torn France and wondering how that summer romance long ago went so wrong…
I picked up this book because I was rather tired of the glut of World War Two narratives, generally about members of the French Resistance, and this promised something different. And indeed it delivered – most of the story is set on St Kilda, a remote Scottish island of which I had never heard before, but felt quite acquainted with by the time the book ended. The writing is lyrical and brought St Kilda with all its lush sea-swept beauty to vivid life. The parts which incorporate the history of the island were fascinating and really cemented how attached Chrissie was to her home. This made the ensuing evacuation quite emotional.
However, the plot felt somewhat thin. This is the story of how Fred and Chrissie fell in love, and what tore them apart, but we don’t see much of them falling in love and what tears them apart feels almost silly, unfortunately. I was also ambivalent on the character of Archie – I wish we got a better understanding of him, for while his actions are what drive the plot, his decisions seemingly come out of nowhere.
My copy of this book was an audiobook, narrated by Fiona McNeill, Geoffrey Newland, and Diane Brooks, who respectively voice Chrissie, Fred, and Rachel Anne, Chrissie’s daughter. The narration was done in Scottish accents, which for a hapless American like me took a little time to get used to! I thought the narration was well-done, though, and the narrators’ musical voices helped set the stage.
Overall, an interesting and emotional read for those interested in more obscure British historical settings.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.