Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and heartwarming story

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However I would give the part on Harris 5 stars as it really came alive with vivid descriptions of the island. There are also relationships with the land explored in the book and having visited Harris, I found this a particularly well developed strand of the story. North has crafted her characters so boldly, so intricately; endowed them with qualities so inherently human, you cannot help but take them into your heart. Dougie, once a budding photographer, has sold out to photograph boring objects for big firms to make ends meet. We learn about how Florence navigates teenage pregnancy and motherhood with no family, no friends in a very foreign place.

Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and - WHSmith Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and - WHSmith

And it is North’s lyrical depiction of this desolate place of rock and peat, of angry seas and ancient crofts, that both anchors her narrative and gives it a haunting, magical presence. I could see, smell and feel the landscape as I read, so this book should be used as an advert by the Scottish Tourist Board! Nell's relationship with her mum Wendy (who had very challenging mental health issues) gave so much more depth to Nell's personality and patience.

Between the sprawl of London, suburban Essex, and the wild, unpredictable Outer Hebrides, three lives collide and interweave as questions are asked and secrets surface. Nurse Fire also deserves a mention both for her care of Nell’s mother in the past and the way she helped Nell in the present. It's a quietly gripping story about family and belonging, and follows the story of three people whose lives intersect.

Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and

In 2005, we meet Nell and Dougie, both in their 30s and living in Colchester and London respectively. The choices that individuals made in past times because of societal pressures are always interesting to me. Because Dougie and Nell have separate story lines in the beginning it took me a while to feel fully engaged with the story. Freya North's profound affection and admiration for Harris and the Outer Hebrides leap off every page.This is a wonderful compelling story that blends beautiful characters with the atmospheric rugged and wild landscape of the Outer Hebrides. We experience Dougie’s and Nell’s work frustrations and empathize with their parental relationships.

Little Wing by Freya North | Goodreads Little Wing by Freya North | Goodreads

But it hasn’t made me want to run out and read all of Freya North’s back catalogue as there’s other easy readers out there that are better. Nell's 'mother', Wendy, is settled in a nursing home suffering from advancing dementia, and her father is out of the picture . I enjoyed the characters and while it was hard to make out quite what was going on in the beginning, come the middle and end, I was able to relax into the different story lines. I don't want to say much about the story itself - IMO it's better to go in blind and let the story unfold. If the film/TV show the author mentions at the end of the book ever comes to be, I will certainly watch it.The book has a strong sense of place, and it reads like a love letter to the Outer Hebrides, in particular the Isle of Harris.