The Lost Lights of St Kilda

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Now, far away from her beloved St Kilda, Chrissie thinks longingly of Fred, but neither knows where the other is. Will Fred survive the war? Will Chrissie ever get to say the things she should have said all those years ago? Home> Fiction from Scotland> The Lost Lights of St Kilda The Lost Lights of St Kilda By (author) Elisabeth Gifford The Lost Lights of St Kilda is a literary tribute to island life, the war, survival, bravery, hope, endurance and faith. Incorporating two timelines, this new novel from a passionate historical fiction storyteller relays a tale of two lovers, despair, hope and longing.

The Lost Lights of St Kilda; simply stunning - Novel Delights The Lost Lights of St Kilda; simply stunning - Novel Delights

The research that Elisabeth Gifford must have done to create this stunning read is unbelievable; not just the historical facts about St Kilda, but also the authentic details which describe Fred’s escape through Europe during World War 2. This part of the story was truly gripping. Each of these two elements of the book are beautifully interwoven together to create a stunning, haunting read.The plot-line for The Lost Lights of St Kilda is fairly classic: boy meets girl; boy falls in love with girl and she with him; circumstances tear them apart and years later, boy tries to find girl again and wonders if it’s too late. Nothing very original here, but what makes this novel so very interesting are the settings. The loss of their young men in the First World War, together with the difficulties of scratching a living in such inhospitable circumstances, finally proved too much for the islanders, and, in 1930, the last handful of St Kildans were evacuated to the mainland. 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. St Kilda is a wild and rugged island group off the coast of Scotland. Quite a way off the coast of Scotland. Lewis and Harris are part of the Outer Hebrides, and are hardly within cooee. St Kilda’s home to thousands of seabirds, particularly gannets and fulmars which earn the islanders their livelihood. It’s pretty much subsistence living – it has to be as there’s no regular postal service, no radio communication, so the locals rely on visiting fishing boats and such for mail and supplies.

The Lost Lights of St Kilda | Elisabeth Gifford - NetGalley The Lost Lights of St Kilda | Elisabeth Gifford - NetGalley

Fred Lawson is a young man who spends the summer of 1927 on St Kida’s to complete his geology thesis for Cambridge University. Both figure prominently in the 1927 St.Kilda timeline as they meet, and no spoiler here, fall in love. The 1940’s time line centers mainly on Fred. He is a soldier caught by the Germans at the battle for St. Valery where many Scotsmen were killed or captured, as the army retreated. It is his attempt to escape the Germans, flee France and remember his lost love of St Kilda that comprises his 1940’s story. Chrissie in the1940’s is living in Scotland with her teenage daughter. At her daughter Rachel Anne’s insistence she begins too recall life on St Kildas and eventually her lost love.Fred. Summer 1927: When Fred Lawson takes a summer job on St Kilda, little does he realise that he has joined the last community to ever live on that beautiful, isolated island. Only three years later, St Kilda will be evacuated, the islanders near-dead from starvation. But for Fred, that summer - and the island woman, Chrissie, whom he falls in love with - becomes the very thing that sustains him in the years ahead. This historical novel is a love story that crosses oceans and decades, portraying two lovers, a desolate island and the power of hope in the face of darkness. What can you tell us about your first memories of discovering that St Kilda existed and then finding out more about the islands?Chrissie Gillies is just nineteen when the researchers come to St Kilda. Hired as their cook, she can't believe they would ever notice her, sophisticated and educated as they are. But she soon develops a cautious friendship with Fred, a friendship that cannot be allowed to develop into anything more... Storytelling is a major element of the book, reflecting the oral tradition of passing down tales and legends from generation to generation; tales that are linked to the landscape, the sea and the weather. Chrissie gradually recounts her own story of growing up on St Kilda and her childhood friendship with laird’s son, Archie. Although used to being an object of fascination for summer visitors to the island, the St Kildans cannot know the chain of events that will be set in train by the return to the island of Archie and his friend, Fred, years later. I have read an Elisabeth Gifford book before and loved it, so couldn't wait to read this one; it didn't disappoint! It is full of beautiful descriptions that really make this book so atmospheric. I loved all the parts which made this feel very real - the mentions of Gaelic and the descriptions of the harsh winds etc. It really made it feel as though the author has researched this well and it painted a beautiful picture. This story masterfully entwines thorough research and lyrical passages about love, friendship, and what keeping one’s word may mean.

The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Gifford 9781786499059 - The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Gifford

In Partnership with St Martin-in-the-Fields. This series of nine lectures is inspired by the words of Martin Luther during the Reformation. Distinguished speakers investigate those things in which we believe deeply – and for which we would be prepared to make a costly stand.My actual Irish family history is lost, as all records were blown up in the Easter rising and as poor famine immigrants, nothing written survives from my great grandparents who came over from Dublin. I married a Scot and over twenty years we spent a lot of time with family across Scotland, and many holidays in the Hebrides where the Gaelic culture and language are still vibrant - but on the cusp of change. Days after finishing this deeply moving story, written with such a simple yet lyrical prose, I still feel haunted by it and cannot imagine anyone being able to read it without being similarly affected. This is the first of Elisabeth Gifford’s books I’ve read but with writing of this quality, and her ability to create such unforgettable characters, I now want to read some of her earlier novels. Fred - Spent one summer on St. Kilda a couple of years before the relocation and is now imprisoned by the Germans after the surrender at St Valery.