‘The lost lights of St Kilda’ is the sad story of a young couple, set on the island of St Kilda; a remote island off of Scotland.
The book flits to and from their past life together in the 20s, and then to their more ‘present day’ lives during WW2, where Fred is in France trying to make a safe way home, and Chrissie is telling the story of her lost love to her daughter, who has never known who her father is.
The story is a little simple and a lot slow, but fortunately is so beautifully written that I never felt bored. It did mean though, that I never felt the urge to pick it up and read it. I never had any moments when I thought ‘I need to find out what happens to these characters.’
The characters themselves are likeable, but a little bland. I didn’t really feel any connection towards them.
I also felt like the blurb hyped up the fact these people were the last to live on St Kilda. In reality, the blurb has more of an emotional impact than the book itself does. I was expecting the heart-wrenching story of the islanders, close to starvation, saying goodbye to their home. Unfortunately, its swept over very quickly, which is sad as the whole story feels like a love letter to the island, right up until that point. I feel like it should and could have had more impact.
I’m rating it 3*, and I think this book just wasn’t for me. I am interested in reading some of Giffords other works though, because her prose is just so beautiful and I think there will be a definitely be a book of hers that will sweep me away. Unfortunately, it wasn’t this one.
*Thank you to Atlantic Books (Corvus) for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
The book flits to and from their past life together in the 20s, and then to their more ‘present day’ lives during WW2, where Fred is in France trying to make a safe way home, and Chrissie is telling the story of her lost love to her daughter, who has never known who her father is.
The story is a little simple and a lot slow, but fortunately is so beautifully written that I never felt bored. It did mean though, that I never felt the urge to pick it up and read it. I never had any moments when I thought ‘I need to find out what happens to these characters.’
The characters themselves are likeable, but a little bland. I didn’t really feel any connection towards them.
I also felt like the blurb hyped up the fact these people were the last to live on St Kilda. In reality, the blurb has more of an emotional impact than the book itself does. I was expecting the heart-wrenching story of the islanders, close to starvation, saying goodbye to their home. Unfortunately, its swept over very quickly, which is sad as the whole story feels like a love letter to the island, right up until that point. I feel like it should and could have had more impact.
I’m rating it 3*, and I think this book just wasn’t for me. I am interested in reading some of Giffords other works though, because her prose is just so beautiful and I think there will be a definitely be a book of hers that will sweep me away. Unfortunately, it wasn’t this one.
*Thank you to Atlantic Books (Corvus) for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*