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A review by thepagesofmrsd
The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Elisabeth Gifford
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
The Lost Lights of St Kilda is a love story that crosses time and place, set against a backdrop of the isolated island of St Kilda and the France of WW1 and 2.
.
This is a difficult one for me to review in a way, because my thoughts are quite conflicted. It had some interesting themes and beautiful writing, but the plot didn't grab me...
.
I was not completely engaged at first. It jumps around A LOT in the beginning, both between characters and time periods, which was hard to follow. I do love a multi-person narrative, though, and it did soon settle.
.
As I said above, I also thought the writing was beautiful. Gifford absolutely excels at creating a stunning and immersive atmosphere. I could really picture the island of St Kilda, its wildness and beauty, and found the community really interesting to read about. The impact of both the first and second world wars on the island were explored quite poignantly too. This is an area of history that I was not aware of, and I'd be interested to know more about St Kilda now!
.
The plot, however, did not grab me at all. I found myself quite disinterested in the characters individually, to be honest, and there were some aspects of the romance that made me roll my eyes a bit! I'm not a fan of the 'insta-love' trope and this felt a little like that.
.
The short chapters, however, were a great plus and kept up the pace. This helped me to continue reading when the plot itself didn't drive me.
.
Overall, this was a beautifully written book that explores some intriguing themes. I can see why some readers would love it, especially historical romance fans. For me, though, it was lacking that elusive something to bump it beyond 3 stars.
.
This is a difficult one for me to review in a way, because my thoughts are quite conflicted. It had some interesting themes and beautiful writing, but the plot didn't grab me...
.
I was not completely engaged at first. It jumps around A LOT in the beginning, both between characters and time periods, which was hard to follow. I do love a multi-person narrative, though, and it did soon settle.
.
As I said above, I also thought the writing was beautiful. Gifford absolutely excels at creating a stunning and immersive atmosphere. I could really picture the island of St Kilda, its wildness and beauty, and found the community really interesting to read about. The impact of both the first and second world wars on the island were explored quite poignantly too. This is an area of history that I was not aware of, and I'd be interested to know more about St Kilda now!
.
The plot, however, did not grab me at all. I found myself quite disinterested in the characters individually, to be honest, and there were some aspects of the romance that made me roll my eyes a bit! I'm not a fan of the 'insta-love' trope and this felt a little like that.
.
The short chapters, however, were a great plus and kept up the pace. This helped me to continue reading when the plot itself didn't drive me.
.
Overall, this was a beautifully written book that explores some intriguing themes. I can see why some readers would love it, especially historical romance fans. For me, though, it was lacking that elusive something to bump it beyond 3 stars.