Second Sight

by Meg Henderson

The moving story of a woman sending her pilot son away to fight in the Second World War - from one of Scotland's bestselling, best-loved storytellers Nancy MacLeod's great-great-grandfather brought his family to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia from Raasay, a tiny Scottish island, in the 1840s, in hope of a better life. They prospered in this new world, despite the harsh and unforgiving winters, but clung on to their old traditions and customs for comfort. Born at the beginning of a new century, Nancy has no patience with the old ways. She declares herself a Canadian and ignores the signs that she has inherited the family's Second Sight. But when her brothers leave home to serve in the First World War, she experiences strange things that she neither understands nor wants to, so when she marries she moves far away from superstitious Cape Breton. Then the Second World War breaks and her eldest son, Calli, goes to England to pursue his dream of being a bomber Command pilot. Calli's plane is shot down and his body never found. Nancy is unable to accept his death. She can still sense a feeling of life attached to him, a branch of the family tree that grows unstoppably while all hope seems lost. And Annie, a girl growing up in Glasgow, has always seen a man in the corner, a young pilot she doesn't know but somehow feels a strange connection with...

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2005

About the author

*note - Born in 1948 however the date/month on my part is unknown and unable to find*

Journalist and author Meg Henderson was born in Townhead, Glasgow. The youngest of three children (2 brothers). Her parents an Irish Catholic father and her mother an Irish/Scottish Protestant.

Meg Henderson lived in several parts of the city including Blackhill, Drumchapel, and Maryhill. After the death of her beloved aunt Peggy; Meg Henderson left her convent secondary school at the age of sixteen to care for her family, an alcoholic father and a mother who was unable to cope with the loss of her sister. On which her first novel 'Finding Peggy' was born out of research into her family history.

First working within the NHS and then travelling to India with the Voluntary Service Overseas. On her return to Scotland she married and went to live on a Scottish island and became an adoptive and foster parent while writing the occasional newspaper article. When Meg Henderson gave up fostering she decided to write full-time.

Henderson now lives with her husband on the East Coast of Scotland works as both a journalist and an author, writting for newspapers, magazines, and television documentaries for the BBC and C4.

Henderson's novels are generally set in pre-war and wartime Glasgow.

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book from this author I have read and again a mixture of intriguing storyline (this time about Highlanders who have second sight) and long tedious mid-section. I felt she got bogged down in the middle generations as she tries to get the story from the early 19th Century to the present. Redeemed by an emotional ending (though I admit I saw it coming from a long way -perhaps have the gift too!).

[Dayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book follows a family and their gift of second sight through their immigration from Scotland to Canada, two world wars, the Depression and into the post war era. The initial set up of the book was a bit confusing as it starts in the middle of the time line and jumps back however once the timing is settled, I really got into it. I found at times the writing a bit saccharine and everyone a little too good-hearted but overall I enjoyed the story and the thread of family ties.

[Anne Barwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 out of 5 stars because of the amount of exposition in the story. Pages of telling background etc etc. But in saying that it still sucked me in, and I couldn't put it down. I loved the characters and the historical backdrop which was so obviously well researched. This one needs to come with a tissue warning.

[S. Spelbring · Rating 3 out of 5]

A chronological history of one Scottish family through both World Wars and their special family gift. At first I found it hard to read as I couldn't find a succinct plot line, and had no idea where the story was going; however it retained enough to keep my interest and toward the end I was thoroughly invested enough to want to find out how it ended.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

An often moving story spanning several generations, Second Sight is hard to put down. I found myself feeling part of the extended family whose emotions and experiences we were told so much of. The only thing I wish for this book is that the story had carried on for just a few more pages.

[Linda]

.