Scan barcode
A review by daniellewalsh
The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Elisabeth Gifford
4.0
Set on the isolated Scottish island of St Kilda, the simple life and beautiful surroundings of nature are so lyrically written.
I was drawn to the book as it's a historical fiction based on an isolated island, but with the stunning writing it added so much more than that. The everyday living and descriptions of the wind, birds, and rocks gave a really magical and mesmerising feel. With this in mind, it was a bit of a slow-burner for me, not one that I devoured all at once - but I think that pace suited the book and the style of the writing.
With alternative chapters from Chrissie and Fred from 1927 to 1940s the love story spans several years and countries. Captured behind enemy lines, Fred escapes from the Nazis and attempts to get back to Chrissie after all these years. There is the classic miscommunication and a bit of frustration, which is a bit of an 'eye-roll', but it was necessary to give the book that rounded and finished feeling.
I think it's a good pick for historical fiction/romance lovers, for a slow burner, or lovers of books about isolated/island living. Also, I am a huge fan of a book with a map, so before I even started reading, I was a big fan of the endpapers.
I was drawn to the book as it's a historical fiction based on an isolated island, but with the stunning writing it added so much more than that. The everyday living and descriptions of the wind, birds, and rocks gave a really magical and mesmerising feel. With this in mind, it was a bit of a slow-burner for me, not one that I devoured all at once - but I think that pace suited the book and the style of the writing.
With alternative chapters from Chrissie and Fred from 1927 to 1940s the love story spans several years and countries. Captured behind enemy lines, Fred escapes from the Nazis and attempts to get back to Chrissie after all these years. There is the classic miscommunication and a bit of frustration, which is a bit of an 'eye-roll', but it was necessary to give the book that rounded and finished feeling.
I think it's a good pick for historical fiction/romance lovers, for a slow burner, or lovers of books about isolated/island living. Also, I am a huge fan of a book with a map, so before I even started reading, I was a big fan of the endpapers.