Jessica Brockmole's novel LETTERS FROM SKYE is a
heartfelt story of love, family and hope which is told in
letter format. In 1912 , Elspeth begins corresponding with
an American fan of her poetry. These letters alternate
chapters in the book with letters written by her daughter,
Margaret, in 1940. I read the entire book on a rainy
Sunday afternoon. I was drawn into the story by the
letters; at first the letters were polite exchanges from
one character to another. As the stories progressed, the
letters took on new meaning.
I enjoyed reading the letters which the two main characters,
David and Elspeth , wrote to each other. The letters were
mixed with emotion, angst and heartache during the days
leading up to World War I. As I read Elspeth's letters, I
connected with her immediately and enjoyed learning of her
life as a poet on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Elspeth's
letters are fascinating. She writes about her simple,
solitary life on the isle of Skye, her family, hopes and
dreams. She writes from the soul. I enjoyed that Elspeth
challenged David's beliefs and questioned his behavior
during their correspondence.
It took me a bit to warm up to David. At first, his letters
were friendly notes from an admiring fan. David's life as a
well-to -do college student is a deep contrast to Elspeth's
career as a poet on an isolated island in Scotland.. As the
story progressed ,David shared his hopes, dreams and
failings with Elspeth. I came to admire him as the book
progressed.
In 1940, Elspeth disappears after the city of Edinburgh is
bombed. Margaret finds a letter from an American written
to someone named "Sue" in her Mother's home. With the
letter as her only clue, she sets out to find Elspeth.
Margaret writes letters to her fiancée which share the
details of her efforts locate her Mother. She writes to
Elspeth's friends and family members for information as to
where her Mother may have gone. Margaret's journey takes
her to the Isle of Skye where she uncovers clues about her
Mother's 'first chapter" and how it changed her family.
The characters, their letters and their choices during
times of uncertainty and war will stay with you after you
have finished LETTERS FROM SKYE. This book holds a special
place on my keeper shelf.
A sweeping story told in letters, spanning two continents
and two world wars, Jessica Brockmole’s atmospheric debut
novel captures the indelible ways that people fall in love,
and celebrates the power of the written word to stir the
heart.
March 1912: Twenty-four-year-old Elspeth Dunn, a published
poet, has never seen the world beyond her home on Scotland’s
remote Isle of Skye. So she is astonished when her first fan
letter arrives, from a college student, David Graham, in
far-away America. As the two strike up a correspondence—
sharing their favorite books, wildest hopes, and deepest
secrets—their exchanges blossom into friendship, and
eventually into love. But as World War I engulfs Europe and
David volunteers as an ambulance driver on the Western
front, Elspeth can only wait for him on Skye, hoping he’ll
survive.
June 1940: At the start of World War II, Elspeth’s daughter,
Margaret, has fallen for a pilot in the Royal Air Force. Her
mother warns her against seeking love in wartime, an
admonition Margaret doesn’t understand. Then, after a bomb
rocks Elspeth’s house, and letters that were hidden in a
wall come raining down, Elspeth disappears. Only a single
letter remains as a clue to Elspeth’s whereabouts. As
Margaret sets out to discover where her mother has gone, she
must also face the truth of what happened to her family long
ago.
Sparkling with charm and full of captivating period detail,
Letters from Skye is a testament to the power of love to
overcome great adversity, and marks Jessica Brockmole as a
stunning new literary voice.
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