Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, and Sal by Mik Kitson, with its celebration of the natural world, its misunderstood central characters living on the outside of society's norms, their survival in the wilderness, and the ultimate fight for justice.
Tommy struggles with people, with communicating, preferring solitude, drifting off with nature. He is protected by his Tinker family who keep to the old ways. A life of quiet seclusion under canvas is all he knows. Charlotte cares for her sickly father. She meets Tommy by the riverside and an unexpected friendship develops. Over the years it becomes something more, something crucial to both of them. But when tragedy strikes each family they are torn apart.
Winner of the Federation of Writers (Scotland) short story competition, 2023.
I am a Scottish writer who spent fifteen years teaching in international schools, before becoming ill and having to return home. Not one to remain idle, I turned to the Open University where I studied creative writing, completing both courses with distinction, and discovering a new passion. I have since written five books, four under the pen name of F J Curlew, but I have now reverted to using my given name. I find it difficult to be content without a work in progress. That escape into a world of my own making is something very special! Before the Swallows Come Back was sparked by a meeting I had with a Tinker family many years ago, in rural Perthshire. They invited me to sit by their fire, outside their bender, and listen to stories. It was fascinating, inspirational and never left me. The conservation of natural habitats and their wildlife is hugely important to me (yes, I am a bit of an eco-warrior!) and the Tinkers and their way of life seemed to lend themselves to carrying this theme.
I don’t understand the rave reviews for this book. I only bought it because of the reference to Crawdads on the cover, but disappointingly it was nothing like that. Tellingly, it’s self-published and would have been a much better story with professional input.
When 12-year-old Charlotte meets Tommy, the two of them are immediately drawn to each other.
Their lives are polar opposites: Charlotte lives with her father, who is ill and she is his main carer; whereas Tommy’s family are Tinkers, the travelling people.
Charlotte is enchanted by Tommy’s knowledge of nature, the flora and the fauna. Tommy is keen to teach her.
As the years pass, their friendship deepens. But when tragedies befall their families, the duo are separated. Can they find their way back to each other?
I absolutely LOVED this book. I was mesmerised by all the beautiful and vivid descriptions of the nature surrounding Charlotte and Tommy.
I was rooting for the two main characters: they were quite innocent (and slightly naive) young people who lived on the outskirts of the society, a bit different from the others. Being different can pose a risk itself as some view this as a threat, as Tommy found that out for himself.
Overall, it’s a beautifully written book with lyrical and poetic passages.
When two worlds collide, life changes for everyone. When Tommy and Charlotte meet by the river, they are immediately drawn to each other despite all the differences in their lives: Charlotte lives with her father in their home and is his primary caregiver as he is ill and Tommy and his family are Tinkers, a group of travelers who work the land and move depending on the season and the work. Charlotte is drawn to how much Tommy knows about nature and Tommy is excited to be able to teach her. As time goes on, their relationship deepens to something more, even though they both know their families wouldn’t support it, until tragedy strikes both of them and they are forced apart in the middle of the night. Left to their own devices, each trying to find their way back to the other, this story of love and found family and redemption is one I won’t soon forget. The writing is lyrical and beautifully written and I was rooting for them the whole way. Thanks to the author for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.
Sometimes I just need a book that takes me to an unfamiliar place and get lost in the descriptions. This book did that for me. Tommy, the son of Travelers, has trouble communicating with people but not the animals that are part of his everyday life. Charlotte, a teenage girl living with her dad, befriends Tommy who introduces her to his life. There is tragedy for both of them which makes them stronger. So if you've looking for a story about love in many forms, then you will enjoy this one.
I only read it because of the reference to “Where The Crawdads Sing” . Not even close . I do not understand the rave reviews. Highly unrealistic, extremely repetitive in descriptions , poor story telling in choppy sentences , no deep connection to any of the characters, plot felt very disjointed and at times utterly unpleasant . And while I’m being harsh ..I will add it was shocking to me that any author could deal with child sexual assault in such a light handed manner and not barely blink an eye and just continue on with the story .
Decent story but way too many fragmented sentences for me. The loose ends were tied up rather abruptly - much swifter than drawn-out narrative of the characters' respective journeys to get them from A to B.
I adored this book! It was lyrically beautiful with its lush descriptions of nature but it was the characters that make it stand out. Tommy was such a beautiful man. In combination, it was a mesmerising book. I wasn't feeling well yesterday but reading the novel took me away to a different world and I just devoured it! The inclusion of the murder mystery etc was completely up my street and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's very rare that I would reread a book but this is one I can imagine doing so. Just stunning.
Tommy and Charlotte have a chance meeting by the river on a local estate. Charlotte lives with her dad who is caring for as he is sick and Tommy is the youngest member of a travelling family who camp nearby every summer. They are drawn to each other. Tommy shares his love of nature with Charlotte, showing her the pearls in the river, the pine martens and all the birds that fly past. Tommy doesn't have any friends but Charlotte becomes one. Tommy prefers solitude and is protected by his loving family from the harshness of the world. When tragedy strikes both Tommy and Charlotte they are torn apart…will they get to meet again?
There is much to commend in this book but what I found to be particularly moving was the portrayal of Charlotte as a carer to her Dad. I was my mum’s carer from the age of five and Fiona has managed to capture this situation brilliantly. To see my life reflected on the page was very moving. It was dealt with empathy and felt very authentic to me.
This is a special book and do let me know if you pick it up!
3 Stars⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a story for the environmental enthusiasts and animal lovers. The story moves slow but still held my interest. It was not the typical storyline and notably there were similarities to the book “Where The Crawdads Sing.” Vivid descriptions of the Scottish countryside were very captivating and beautifully written. The story flips back and forth between Tommy’s life and Charlotte’s life. Of course I knew that by the end of the book their stories would somehow be woven together. That’s what is always intriguing about a story…waiting for that moment. The two main characters Tommy and Charlotte were easy to love, and I wanted them both to slide through their difficulties easier than it was happening. The harshness of their lives is what formed them to become stronger people. Tommy and his family were called Tinkers. They owned little and belonged only to the land. Moving frequently amongst the forest and lands according to the seasons. Picking berries, working the fields and pilfering through people’s waste and thrown away items, making use of them. Content, happy people living oddly, having respect for the land was important to them. Tommy was good with animals having two horses and a dog himself through the story. They became his only family. Charlotte on the other hand, lived with her father in Dungeon, Scotland and he was very ill requiring much care from her. He was her only support system, and he was protective over her…until tragedy strikes. A murder? This upsetting trauma gets shoved under the rug and I felt like it deserved more investigation than it received. Charlotte’s life goes off the rails!
On a particular day, Tommy and Charlotte cross paths for the first time while at the river, and there is a spark between them. This meeting happens a few times, unexpectedly. Little do they realize they will meet again under different circumstances. The book kept my interest throughout, but moved a little slow. As things wrapped up, I was surprised that the author concluded the book pretty quickly for the pace of the rest of the book. A good drama filled with struggles and recovery.
This book is my new favorite. Reading it made me travel to a magical place in reality. Tommy resides in all of us who believe that the soil, the trees, the foliage and the streams are spiritual happiness.
This is the first book in a long time to really touch my emotions. If I wasn't laughing, I was crying. This book is so well written it takes you right to the meadow and river. I love everything about nature and trying to keep everything as out should be. The story of simple summers and a budding romance. Wonderful read
DNF. I made it to page 139 before giving it up. One dimensional characters & a plot that was all over the place. I kept waiting for the ‘lyrical descriptions of nature’ that I had read in reviews but they hadn’t occurred by the time I gave up.
Very disappointed with this book. I disliked the short choppy sentences all the way through. Disjointed timelines seemed wrong. Drawn out with a sudden fix to all the problems at the end.
Holy Lord, this is bad. When I got to this sentence in chapter five, I knew I could go no further: “He filled his little basket with the best stone he had found that held garnets – dark blood red – and sprigs of the sweetest heather that he and his ma would sell on to the tourists in the nearby town.” Wait, what? So he’s got a basket, and inside the basket is a hollow or rounded rock that he puts garnets in? Why? And we all know garnets look like rubies and if that’s the best explanation you’ve got…just don’t. We’re not told what part of the country- or even WORLD- we’re reading about, nor are we given much clue to the year. I don’t need everything revealed to me at once, but it appears one kid lives on an island as a third world native. The choppiness of the writing illustrated by the following passage: “She should have waited. Got the lawn done. Got it looking just so. Got it perfect. But these days she had learned that sometimes life wouldn’t wait, wouldn’t always be there, wouldn’t be kind. If there was goodness to be shared, a smile to be brought, it had to be done right then. Right at that very moment.” Daggers. I wanted to gouge my eyes out. And I took to Goodreads to see if anyone else had issues. Imagine my surprise to find the overall rating was between four and five stars. I quickly selected the one star reviews and after reading a few I decided I was justified in quitting on page 28….a “wee” portion of the book, but plenty enough for me. Just quit if you have your reservations. Evidently it doesn’t get any better.
I had no idea what to expect with this book. I did enjoy this story. It takes place in Scotland,in the country and follows a girl and boy’s somewhat secret friendship. The young girl lives with and takes care of her ill father, the boy lives with his family who lives off the land and moves from place to place with the seasons. They meet and develop a friendship that binds them. Tragedies touch both their lives in different ways. Enjoyable read.
This is a sweet story nicely written of love, determination and warmth. If you enjoy occasionally reading a book that is away from the usual run of murder and mayhem or need an easy vacation read this is the book. I have read people compare it with “ Where the Crawdads Sing” and I too loved that book but this is set in Scotland and is a gentler feel good book. I loved this story and hope you do too!!!!!!!
This is such a lovely story, so descriptive of the countryside and relationships between the characters. I couldn’t put it down and was sorry when it was finished. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really enjoyed this read - agree with the comparison to Crawdads, definitely that kind of vibe.
We follow our main characters from childhood, Charlotte as she cares for her sick father and seeks respite from her daily life in the wilderness, and Tommy, a young Tinker (traveller) as he navigates the world through a different lense.
This was so beautifully written, really transported me to Scotland.
I loved the split perspective of Charlottes more grounded world view and Tommy's very nature focussed more whimsical view.
I particularly found Tommy's travels and the old family tales told, made really interesting reading.
Parts of this were heartbreaking, for both characters, and you end up yearning as they do for them to be reunited.
Dougie's perspective was also a nice addition both to pad out Tommy and Charlottes tales and to add more appreciation of nature.
Charlottes forced move and the events that follow are so difficult, you really feel connected to her. I have to commend Curnow for how sensitivity she wrote a difficult topic.
Charlottes friendship with Em was a really nice about turn for Charlotte's luck and it was lovely to see.
4.5 stars. A heartbreakingly beautiful story with the most exquisite descriptions of nature that will sweep you right into the scene. The protagonists Charlotte and Tommy are so wonderfully naive and innocent and perfect protectors of the wilderness. Their stories hold such tragedy but also so much beauty. Each separation made me hold my breath and dream of them finding each other again. The perfect read for lovers of Where the Crawdads Sing. It is impossible to avoid falling under the spell of Before the Swallows Come Back. I found myself longing to sit by the river bank with them, dive into the fresh water, lie under the blanket of stars, listen to the campfire stories, music and songs of Tommy's family camp. A dream read. #beforetheswallowscomeback #fionacurnow
Sorry I really didn't like this book at all. The characters were badly drawn, obvious and lacked any light and shade the story was poor, unbelievable and obvious. The descriptions of nature were very poor as well. The book was full of cliched phrases and having been long and drawn out at the start there was a race to the finish like the author had got bored with it and just wanted it overwith. More of a children's book than for adults.
Although this book has some disturbing aspects, in general this is a beautiful book that took me ( in my mind) to the forests and small towns in Scotland. And it was a lovely trip. A great story, good people in tough situations, unexpected kindness and the beautiful descriptions of the land. A beautiful book.
I bought it as I thought it was gonna be like where the crawlers sing but in reality it was nothing like that and still didn’t fully understand the ending. The book made my brain hurt and I definitely won’t read anything else by this author
So disappointing after all the recommendations. I felt I like I was reading an Enid Blyton Famous Five book (which I loved as a child). Does not hold a candle to "Where the Crawdads Sing." Did not make it past page 30.
I mostly liked the book. However the last few chapters were disappointing. It was like a rushed school assignment, "oh crap! This is due tomorrow. I'll just throw an ending on here real quick and call it good." But overall the story kept my interest and had likeable characters.
All the stars and more for this story. To compare it to Crawdads doesn't do it justice. It is so much more than that, so much more real. It's written beautifully, with such rich, vivid descriptions, warmth and found family.
Being of Romani heritage, I felt this in my soul.
It really highlights the flaws in society. How if you don't fit in, if you don't conform to how others think you should be, you get ostracised and criticised. Tommy and his family were respectful, loved the land and lived by the old ways of the land , embracing nature and all her beauty. I hate how they were persecuted just for being outside societal norms.
It also highlights white privilege at its finest. Thinking that they can just go and take land, destroy nature and displace people for their own gain.
I loved Tommy and Charlotte's friendship and how she embraced him for who he was. How it deepened and strengthened over time.
I won't write to much as don't want to spoil it, but I really think everyone should read this and maybe be a little kinder , a little more thoughtful to those who are different and to respect nature more.