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Fir for Luck
Would you be brave enough to fight back?
When 12-year-old Janet’s village is under threat– she decides to take action.
It’s a split-second decision that could cost her everything: her home, her family – even her life.
Can Janet save her village from being wiped out? Or will her family and friends be forced from their homes to face an uncertain future?
Based on real life events, Fir for Luck is a tale of the brutal Highland Clearances, when land owners cared more about sheep than people.
‘Steeped in atmosphere, tension and the lyric cadences of the Highlands, Janet’s tale lights a fire of courage and hope in a shameful and tragic period of Scotland’s past. Henderson’s debut is brave and beautiful.’
- Elizabeth Wein, author of Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire
When 12-year-old Janet’s village is under threat– she decides to take action.
It’s a split-second decision that could cost her everything: her home, her family – even her life.
Can Janet save her village from being wiped out? Or will her family and friends be forced from their homes to face an uncertain future?
Based on real life events, Fir for Luck is a tale of the brutal Highland Clearances, when land owners cared more about sheep than people.
‘Steeped in atmosphere, tension and the lyric cadences of the Highlands, Janet’s tale lights a fire of courage and hope in a shameful and tragic period of Scotland’s past. Henderson’s debut is brave and beautiful.’
- Elizabeth Wein, author of Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire
200 pages, Paperback
Published September 21, 2016
15 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 25, 2018
Excellent retelling of the Highland Clearances that is much needed in childrens books!
December 26, 2024
Although this book is aimed at 9-13 year olds, I think it would be a good quick read for anyone. It's still heartwrenching and thought-provoking. The book hits the ground running and has a great pace throughout with well utilised throwbacks to our main character's "Granna's" life. It's the story we all know of the Highland clearances but sharped with characters that you immediately feel connected to. I'd give it 5 stars, rating it for what it is.
November 26, 2017
Growing up in Scotland, I had heard of the Highland Clearances, when landlords emptied their land of tenants to give way to more profitable sheep farming.
This is the first novel for children I have read written about this period in history. Although it is aimed at children it is an interesting and thought-provoking novel for adults.
It all begins when the men of Ceannabeinne are cutting thatch some distance away leaving the women and children alone in the village. It is Janet who spies the lone rider appearing to serve notice the village is to be evacuated.
This is the story of Janet and the villagers’ efforts to protect their homes in the face of eviction as part of the Highland Clearances. Intertwined with Janet’s story are flashbacks telling us of her Grandmother’s own experience of the Clearances years before.
The characters are distinct, interesting and memorable from the weak schoolmaster to the leader of the village Hugh Munro, Wee Donald who Janet protects and Peggy from the ‘Top House’ with whom Janet has an uneasy friendship. Janet herself is a strong, independent and fiery girl who fights for the underdog. She is fiercely loyal to her family and friends, ever observant to their needs and moods.
The novel is fast-paced, informative and deeply moving with interesting historical nuggets such as why a piece of a fir tree is woven into the cooking pot chain!
It is a good lesson to find not every story has a happy ending or indeed an ending you would expect. Perhaps a little life lesson is encapsulated in this book?
This is the first novel for children I have read written about this period in history. Although it is aimed at children it is an interesting and thought-provoking novel for adults.
It all begins when the men of Ceannabeinne are cutting thatch some distance away leaving the women and children alone in the village. It is Janet who spies the lone rider appearing to serve notice the village is to be evacuated.
This is the story of Janet and the villagers’ efforts to protect their homes in the face of eviction as part of the Highland Clearances. Intertwined with Janet’s story are flashbacks telling us of her Grandmother’s own experience of the Clearances years before.
The characters are distinct, interesting and memorable from the weak schoolmaster to the leader of the village Hugh Munro, Wee Donald who Janet protects and Peggy from the ‘Top House’ with whom Janet has an uneasy friendship. Janet herself is a strong, independent and fiery girl who fights for the underdog. She is fiercely loyal to her family and friends, ever observant to their needs and moods.
The novel is fast-paced, informative and deeply moving with interesting historical nuggets such as why a piece of a fir tree is woven into the cooking pot chain!
It is a good lesson to find not every story has a happy ending or indeed an ending you would expect. Perhaps a little life lesson is encapsulated in this book?
September 18, 2016
Fir for Luck, by Barbara Henderson, is a tale of the Highland Clearances, based on the true story of the township of Ceannabeinne in Sutherland.
The Highland Clearances were a dark time in the history of Scotland, when the landowners acted with high-handed callousness in evicting tenants who had worked the land – some of them for generations – in favour of sheep farming. It’s a subject that tends to get me really quite angry – although not a Highlander myself by birth, most of my childhood was spent living in the Highlands and Islands, so it’s a subject close to my heart.
Which means that my yardstick for measuring the effectiveness of a book based on the Clearances is whether it makes me angry or not.
By that token, Fir for Luck is an excellent book!
12-year-old Janet lives with her family in Ceannabeinne. One day in 1841, while all the men-folk are away cutting thatch, she sees a Sheriff Officer approaching the village – and that can mean only one thing: a writ of eviction.
During the Clearances, whole townships were sometimes evicted with a little as a day or two’s notice – and once you accepted the writ, touched the paper, even, that was it – there was nothing you could do.
But if the Sheriff Officer doesn’t manage to hand over the writ, the eviction notice just hasn’t been served. So Janet makes a split-second decision to take the fate of her village into her own hands, and do something about it.
So begins the conflict between the villagers and the manager of the estates. It’s a war with several battles, and Janet is at the forefront of each of them. It’s a war they can’t win, of course – while justice is on their side, the law is another matter entirely.
The whole village knows what’s at stake. Janet’s own grandmother went through a brutal eviction in 1814, an eviction that led her to settle in Ceannabeinne, and Henderson weaves interludes from Granna’s story throughout the book. This is an important point – the Clearances went on over generations, and families driven from one home were sometimes driven from another just a few years later. It’s an injustice that should never be forgotten.
Sorry. Got a bit angry again.
Fir for Luck does more than just tell the true story of Ceannabeinne, though. It provides a rich portrait of Highland life in the mid-19th century, evocative and convincing, and populated by highly believable Highland characters. It’s also a gripping read, and Janet’s bravery really keeps your attention. Each little victory is a triumph, and each new setback is a disaster; the tension rarely lets up.
This is an excellent debut, atmospheric and thrilling. Highly recommended – even if it does make me angry.
The Highland Clearances were a dark time in the history of Scotland, when the landowners acted with high-handed callousness in evicting tenants who had worked the land – some of them for generations – in favour of sheep farming. It’s a subject that tends to get me really quite angry – although not a Highlander myself by birth, most of my childhood was spent living in the Highlands and Islands, so it’s a subject close to my heart.
Which means that my yardstick for measuring the effectiveness of a book based on the Clearances is whether it makes me angry or not.
By that token, Fir for Luck is an excellent book!
12-year-old Janet lives with her family in Ceannabeinne. One day in 1841, while all the men-folk are away cutting thatch, she sees a Sheriff Officer approaching the village – and that can mean only one thing: a writ of eviction.
During the Clearances, whole townships were sometimes evicted with a little as a day or two’s notice – and once you accepted the writ, touched the paper, even, that was it – there was nothing you could do.
But if the Sheriff Officer doesn’t manage to hand over the writ, the eviction notice just hasn’t been served. So Janet makes a split-second decision to take the fate of her village into her own hands, and do something about it.
So begins the conflict between the villagers and the manager of the estates. It’s a war with several battles, and Janet is at the forefront of each of them. It’s a war they can’t win, of course – while justice is on their side, the law is another matter entirely.
The whole village knows what’s at stake. Janet’s own grandmother went through a brutal eviction in 1814, an eviction that led her to settle in Ceannabeinne, and Henderson weaves interludes from Granna’s story throughout the book. This is an important point – the Clearances went on over generations, and families driven from one home were sometimes driven from another just a few years later. It’s an injustice that should never be forgotten.
Sorry. Got a bit angry again.
Fir for Luck does more than just tell the true story of Ceannabeinne, though. It provides a rich portrait of Highland life in the mid-19th century, evocative and convincing, and populated by highly believable Highland characters. It’s also a gripping read, and Janet’s bravery really keeps your attention. Each little victory is a triumph, and each new setback is a disaster; the tension rarely lets up.
This is an excellent debut, atmospheric and thrilling. Highly recommended – even if it does make me angry.
September 21, 2016
Fir for Luck is a really exciting adventure story, all the more gripping because it is based on true events. Most people will be aware of the Highland Clearances in the early 19th century and know that villagers were driven from their homes to make way for more profitable sheep, often with very little notice and nowhere else to go. It is partly as a result of the Highland Clearances that so many Scots ended up in Canada and America. This book focuses on the events in Ceannabeinne in Sutherland, where the people fought back to try to prevent this cruel eviction. Barbara Henderson imagines that one of the first people to find out about the eviction was a child, Janet, and that her courage inspired the other villagers to fight to stay in their homes.
I think that children, and girls in particular, will love the character of Janet. She's an intelligent girl and frustrated that she isn't allowed to do what the boys do. She doesn't want to conform to the gender stereotypes of the day and has a strong sense of justice. The setting of her Highland village is brought vividly to life with the peat-smoke filled houses, the fir woven into the pot chains and the rugged Highland countryside all easy to imagine. The fear of the villagers and the sense of unfairness comes through strongly. Young Janet is determined not to give in without a fight and I think this will appeal to children who, as any adult can tell you, often have a very black and white approach to what's right and what's wrong!
I gave this book to my 15 year old daughter to read. She's a little older that the target audience but I thought it would be interesting to get her perspective. It's a measure of how much she liked it that she read the whole book on a train journey from London to Edinburgh! Here are some of her thoughts: Fir for Luck is a brilliant book for young girls coming to terms with their confidence and bravery. It also keeps a lot of focus on the historical aspect of the Highland Clearances without taking away from the storyline. I really liked the main character Janet because although she was young she seemed to know what she wanted and she thought it was very unfair that boys could do things she couldn't and this would be relate-able for young girls facing the same confidence issues Janet was. It could help them realise they can do whatever they want. I would recommend this book to everybody - even if you are not a young person - it is a fun and quick read.
Fir for Luck is aimed at middle grade readers, which means roughly age 8-12. Now clearly I am well outside that age bracket, but I can tell you that not only would I have loved the book when I was that age, I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult reader too.
I think that children, and girls in particular, will love the character of Janet. She's an intelligent girl and frustrated that she isn't allowed to do what the boys do. She doesn't want to conform to the gender stereotypes of the day and has a strong sense of justice. The setting of her Highland village is brought vividly to life with the peat-smoke filled houses, the fir woven into the pot chains and the rugged Highland countryside all easy to imagine. The fear of the villagers and the sense of unfairness comes through strongly. Young Janet is determined not to give in without a fight and I think this will appeal to children who, as any adult can tell you, often have a very black and white approach to what's right and what's wrong!
I gave this book to my 15 year old daughter to read. She's a little older that the target audience but I thought it would be interesting to get her perspective. It's a measure of how much she liked it that she read the whole book on a train journey from London to Edinburgh! Here are some of her thoughts: Fir for Luck is a brilliant book for young girls coming to terms with their confidence and bravery. It also keeps a lot of focus on the historical aspect of the Highland Clearances without taking away from the storyline. I really liked the main character Janet because although she was young she seemed to know what she wanted and she thought it was very unfair that boys could do things she couldn't and this would be relate-able for young girls facing the same confidence issues Janet was. It could help them realise they can do whatever they want. I would recommend this book to everybody - even if you are not a young person - it is a fun and quick read.
Fir for Luck is aimed at middle grade readers, which means roughly age 8-12. Now clearly I am well outside that age bracket, but I can tell you that not only would I have loved the book when I was that age, I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult reader too.
August 31, 2016
FIR FOR LUCK by BARBARA HENDERSON
Did you know Fir placed in the hearth chain was good luck?
Henderson tells a story set back in 1841 in a place called Ceannabeinne, Scotland.
The landlord tries to serve the people a 'Writ' ( notice ) saying they have two days to get off his land because he wants to use it for farming sheep! The community rallies together to try and stop the 'writ' from being served.
The richness of this authors writing places you back in time when thatch roofs, churning butter, grinding flour, spinning and cooking beremeal scones on a griddle was the norm.
The main character who's name is Janet Sutherland, ( This was mind blowing for me because I grow up with a Janet Sutherland ) steps out of the box to tries to help her community. In the process she gets into trouble and has a adventure along the way.
Henderson's characters are rich, deep set and mind provoking with warmth and a feeling of reality.Barbara Henderson is a author to look out for in the future. She writes with such importance, fluidity and zest. This book was a page turner.
I highly recommend this book.
Sharon Laker.
Did you know Fir placed in the hearth chain was good luck?
Henderson tells a story set back in 1841 in a place called Ceannabeinne, Scotland.
The landlord tries to serve the people a 'Writ' ( notice ) saying they have two days to get off his land because he wants to use it for farming sheep! The community rallies together to try and stop the 'writ' from being served.
The richness of this authors writing places you back in time when thatch roofs, churning butter, grinding flour, spinning and cooking beremeal scones on a griddle was the norm.
The main character who's name is Janet Sutherland, ( This was mind blowing for me because I grow up with a Janet Sutherland ) steps out of the box to tries to help her community. In the process she gets into trouble and has a adventure along the way.
Henderson's characters are rich, deep set and mind provoking with warmth and a feeling of reality.Barbara Henderson is a author to look out for in the future. She writes with such importance, fluidity and zest. This book was a page turner.
I highly recommend this book.
Sharon Laker.
December 8, 2017
A wonderful tale of the Highland Clearances and the spirit and bravery of one girl as the villagers try to save their homes and their way of life. Beautifully written and fast moving - a great read.
October 27, 2017
An exciting, tense, sometimes funny, and always fast-paced read. Based on true events, it captures the atmosphere and time period brilliantly. Well researched and well written, with a feisty female lead!
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December 4, 2024
This book is below my reading level ngl but I picked the easiest sparx reader (English homework) book I could. Some younger readers may like this but I wasn’t a massive fan. Kinda shit tbh but oh well
June 29, 2017
Fir for Luck is written by Barbara Henderson, published by Cranachan Publishing and appears in the 9-12 years kids section. This book has a particularly eye-catching cover and I purchased it myself from Waterstones Aviemore in preparation for an event at the local primary school I organised with the author and which I would be accompanying her to.
Set mainly in the village of Ceannabeinne in 1841 with flashbacks to events happening in the year 1814 in Strathnavar, both of which are in Scotland, you are instantly transported to the typical Scottish moorlands and the description of these areas are just so true and imprinted on my memory as someone who grew up in a fairly remote village on a Scottish island. Barbara has absolutely hit the nail on the head when describing the landscape and environment of these areas.
The story is told from the viewpoint of the main character who is a 12 year old girl called Janet with the villagers who she has known all her life as supporting characters. The characters were so realistic and credible with typical attitudes, behaviours and speech of the highlands of Scotland which still wouldn’t seem out of place in the area I grew up in today! I am not sure that Janet was actually my favourite character in the story, although I did think she was fabulous, as I was really impressed with the character Hugh Munro who was the leader of the village. A strong, protective character who was a voice of reason but still staunchly stood for his village and I don’t wonder if we could maybe do with more leaders like that in this day and age.
I couldn’t relate to the experiences these characters were going through. The trials and hardships of being evicted from your home and just expected to create a new life for yourself in a strange land with nothing. And I think myself extremely lucky for that. But there are so many children who are currently facing exactly that, but also with the threat of war and violence as they flee their homes, that this is an excellent resource for those looking to discuss these issues with their children. It was wonderful to read the part where the strong womenfolk stand up to the serving of the first writ while the menfolk of the village weren’t present. An example of how far these women would go to protect their homes and families and still do to this day.
The schoolteacher is a thoroughly disgusting character. I know much is made of how cruel and pious they were in the nineteenth century but I am certain that many of these characters were using their occupation as a way to take out their own frustrations in life on more vulnerable characters. In this story the schoolmaster may constantly try to weaken Janet’s spirit but she says strong and her complete disregard for this man probably fuels his hatred of her even more. Luckily one of those situations were in the end you find yourself shouting ‘YES’ as he finds himself in no different situation to the other villagers for all his education and superiority.
The flashbacks to the earlier eviction of the village of Strathnavar are told by Janet’s ‘Granna’ Anna. This event did happen in 1814 and is renowned for the cruelty and viciousness that it was carried out with. It would surely have been a terrifying experience leaving those that survived it with awful memories and that is excellently portrayed in this book. I genuinely felt myself welling up during the flashbacks and had so much pity for Anna as it started to seem that the event would repeat itself once again for her family. With these you could see why these villagers were finally prepared to fight for themselves and not be treated this way again.
I would, and have, recommended this book to many people and stood strongly behind it as a recommended read for the kids in the local school. Any child in the Scottish Highlands and Islands should have this book recommended to them. It’s a part of their history told expertly through the eyes of a peer. This does not come across as an adult pretending to be a 12 year old girl. It feels like it’s Janet’s story as if told with her own voice and I will be reading everything else by the author I can get my hands on.
Set mainly in the village of Ceannabeinne in 1841 with flashbacks to events happening in the year 1814 in Strathnavar, both of which are in Scotland, you are instantly transported to the typical Scottish moorlands and the description of these areas are just so true and imprinted on my memory as someone who grew up in a fairly remote village on a Scottish island. Barbara has absolutely hit the nail on the head when describing the landscape and environment of these areas.
The story is told from the viewpoint of the main character who is a 12 year old girl called Janet with the villagers who she has known all her life as supporting characters. The characters were so realistic and credible with typical attitudes, behaviours and speech of the highlands of Scotland which still wouldn’t seem out of place in the area I grew up in today! I am not sure that Janet was actually my favourite character in the story, although I did think she was fabulous, as I was really impressed with the character Hugh Munro who was the leader of the village. A strong, protective character who was a voice of reason but still staunchly stood for his village and I don’t wonder if we could maybe do with more leaders like that in this day and age.
I couldn’t relate to the experiences these characters were going through. The trials and hardships of being evicted from your home and just expected to create a new life for yourself in a strange land with nothing. And I think myself extremely lucky for that. But there are so many children who are currently facing exactly that, but also with the threat of war and violence as they flee their homes, that this is an excellent resource for those looking to discuss these issues with their children. It was wonderful to read the part where the strong womenfolk stand up to the serving of the first writ while the menfolk of the village weren’t present. An example of how far these women would go to protect their homes and families and still do to this day.
The schoolteacher is a thoroughly disgusting character. I know much is made of how cruel and pious they were in the nineteenth century but I am certain that many of these characters were using their occupation as a way to take out their own frustrations in life on more vulnerable characters. In this story the schoolmaster may constantly try to weaken Janet’s spirit but she says strong and her complete disregard for this man probably fuels his hatred of her even more. Luckily one of those situations were in the end you find yourself shouting ‘YES’ as he finds himself in no different situation to the other villagers for all his education and superiority.
The flashbacks to the earlier eviction of the village of Strathnavar are told by Janet’s ‘Granna’ Anna. This event did happen in 1814 and is renowned for the cruelty and viciousness that it was carried out with. It would surely have been a terrifying experience leaving those that survived it with awful memories and that is excellently portrayed in this book. I genuinely felt myself welling up during the flashbacks and had so much pity for Anna as it started to seem that the event would repeat itself once again for her family. With these you could see why these villagers were finally prepared to fight for themselves and not be treated this way again.
I would, and have, recommended this book to many people and stood strongly behind it as a recommended read for the kids in the local school. Any child in the Scottish Highlands and Islands should have this book recommended to them. It’s a part of their history told expertly through the eyes of a peer. This does not come across as an adult pretending to be a 12 year old girl. It feels like it’s Janet’s story as if told with her own voice and I will be reading everything else by the author I can get my hands on.
October 22, 2020
The heroine Janet lives in a little village in the Scottish Highlands. Like other villages from the mid 18th to the 19th century, in 1841 her home faces an impending disaster in the form of a brutal eviction to benefit landlords seeking to increase their income by switching from agricultural land use to sheep farming. Janet together with other villagers mounts a desperate resistance. The story of this brave effort by the members of the small community is based on an actual sequence of events. There is a hint at a link to life in the New World; many of the over 300000 Scottish Highlanders driven from their homes emigrated and ended up in the Americas. Janet, a 12-year old girl, loves her family and her home, is annoyed by being relegated to the status of a child and irritated by chores, and acts bravely and with determination to help save her home. She is portrayed in a believable fashion, and it is easy to identify with her. Henderson managed to tell real history in a vivid and compelling fashion that is accessible to young readers. Highly recommended.
December 11, 2017
Good enough story, let down by terrible dialogue (not just my opinion, my pre-teen daughter agreed). There is no way children in the far north of the Highlands would have spoken in dialogue borrowed from the pages of the Broons or Oor Wullie. I think the writer was probably well-intentioned, but accuracy should also play a part. Can't recommend this book, I'm afraid.
Read
May 21, 2019Excellent book about the Highland clearances, from the perspective of a girl whose at risk of being evicted! I read it with the primary 7's book group. All enjoyed this choice, all are girls and liked that the main character was of their gender & age. Very atmospheric. We went on to read 'The desperate journey', which covers the next step in the clearances saga.
December 27, 2018
Insight into the Highland Clearances from the point of view of a feisty 12-year old protagonist.
September 23, 2019
For for luck
I loved the book, it was so good and a bit emotional but it is probably one of my favourite books
I loved the book, it was so good and a bit emotional but it is probably one of my favourite books
December 7, 2024
Brilliant book about the local folk who were forced to leave their homes in the Scottish highlands. Great characters.
November 13, 2017
Originally posted here: https://heatherreviews.wordpress.com/...
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Cranachan Publishing has given us some really great books this year so far and I was super excited to read their latest offering, Fir For Luck. Being Scottish myself, it’s great to read fiction that is set in my country and has my local dialect scattered through the pages. I have yet to be disappointed by one of their publications.
Based on true events from the Scottish Highland clearances, Henderson has weaved together a tale of bravery and hope through what was one of the darker moments in Scotland’s history. Janet has lived in the quiet village her entire life and when the people are told to move, she decides enough is enough and fights back. With an unfaltering courage, she leads her village into battle against the men trying to evict them. With everything on the line, Janet fights for their village, her family, and their right to stay.
As well as being a brutal insight into a dark history, Fir For Luck is a beautiful story of one girl’s fight to keep her family, her village, and the life she has always known together. Despite feeling useless at times, Janet never gives up and continues to argue against the injustice that has befallen them.
What starts as a beautiful story about a young girl trying to prove she’s just as good as the boys in the village, turns into a battle of wills with Janet showing just how clever and determined she really is. It was a fascinating insight into how things were all those years ago and a wonderfully evocative history lesson.
With the people of the village banding together, it’s a wonderful insight into how people from all backgrounds and classes will work together to fight off something that is wrong. Even in troubling times, the rich work with the poor and become the strong village they always were.
I love the relationships between Janet and her family, how they changed as the story progressed. I also loved the relationships between the villagers and how they all rallied together, despite what happened.
It’s such a captivating read that I couldn’t put it down and finished in two sittings, reading well into the night. With a cast of characters with personalities so real you immediately want things to go well for them, the fate of the village makes your heart pump and your pulse race as you follow Janet in her wilful rebellion to save her home.
It’s a beautifully told story that will take you back in time. An excellent work of reality based fiction that I think everyone should read.
_____________________
Cranachan Publishing has given us some really great books this year so far and I was super excited to read their latest offering, Fir For Luck. Being Scottish myself, it’s great to read fiction that is set in my country and has my local dialect scattered through the pages. I have yet to be disappointed by one of their publications.
Based on true events from the Scottish Highland clearances, Henderson has weaved together a tale of bravery and hope through what was one of the darker moments in Scotland’s history. Janet has lived in the quiet village her entire life and when the people are told to move, she decides enough is enough and fights back. With an unfaltering courage, she leads her village into battle against the men trying to evict them. With everything on the line, Janet fights for their village, her family, and their right to stay.
As well as being a brutal insight into a dark history, Fir For Luck is a beautiful story of one girl’s fight to keep her family, her village, and the life she has always known together. Despite feeling useless at times, Janet never gives up and continues to argue against the injustice that has befallen them.
What starts as a beautiful story about a young girl trying to prove she’s just as good as the boys in the village, turns into a battle of wills with Janet showing just how clever and determined she really is. It was a fascinating insight into how things were all those years ago and a wonderfully evocative history lesson.
With the people of the village banding together, it’s a wonderful insight into how people from all backgrounds and classes will work together to fight off something that is wrong. Even in troubling times, the rich work with the poor and become the strong village they always were.
I love the relationships between Janet and her family, how they changed as the story progressed. I also loved the relationships between the villagers and how they all rallied together, despite what happened.
It’s such a captivating read that I couldn’t put it down and finished in two sittings, reading well into the night. With a cast of characters with personalities so real you immediately want things to go well for them, the fate of the village makes your heart pump and your pulse race as you follow Janet in her wilful rebellion to save her home.
It’s a beautifully told story that will take you back in time. An excellent work of reality based fiction that I think everyone should read.
Read
February 20, 2025Read this for school so it took me absolute ages, but a good book nontheless
October 9, 2016
12 year-old Janet’s village is under threat – but she’s not going to be evicted without a fight.
I absolutely loved Fir for Luck by Barbara Henderson and whilst it is predominantly written for children I don’t see why they should have all the enjoyment.
Fir for Luck is a completely compelling, interesting story and all the more so because it is based in facts surrounding the Scottish land clearance of the 1800s. What Barbara Henderson has done, is take these facts and weave them into a spellbinding story that echoes the past in a vibrant and exciting plot. Although the timescale is relatively tight, apart from a few flashbacks to the very beginning of the century, the pace is breakneck and I found myself as breathless as Janet on occasion.
Janet herself is a triumph of a character. Strong willed and charismatic, her first person telling of the story is completely engaging and she is a wonderful role model for girls (and boys) everywhere. I also loved Wee Donald as, through him, readers can appreciate those with a disability have equal value to everyone else. Indeed, there are so many themes that underpin the story that would appeal to children and adults alike. Barbara Henderson explores life and death, loyalty and love, moral and legal right, violence and peace and national pride without the reader really realising she has done so. This is such skilful writing.
However, what I enjoyed most, I think, about Barbara Henderson’s writing is the authentic voice she has. The prose reflects the time in which the book is set in a natural and believable fashion. The tone is perfect. The descriptions transport the reader to Ceannabeinne and to the era effortlessly so that it feels as if you’re part of the history and not simply reading a narrative.
This might be a book aimed at children, but this 50+ middle aged woman was entirely captivated by it and I’m not ashamed to say I even shed a tear at the end. I cannot recommend Fir for Luck highly enough.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2016/09/28/...
I absolutely loved Fir for Luck by Barbara Henderson and whilst it is predominantly written for children I don’t see why they should have all the enjoyment.
Fir for Luck is a completely compelling, interesting story and all the more so because it is based in facts surrounding the Scottish land clearance of the 1800s. What Barbara Henderson has done, is take these facts and weave them into a spellbinding story that echoes the past in a vibrant and exciting plot. Although the timescale is relatively tight, apart from a few flashbacks to the very beginning of the century, the pace is breakneck and I found myself as breathless as Janet on occasion.
Janet herself is a triumph of a character. Strong willed and charismatic, her first person telling of the story is completely engaging and she is a wonderful role model for girls (and boys) everywhere. I also loved Wee Donald as, through him, readers can appreciate those with a disability have equal value to everyone else. Indeed, there are so many themes that underpin the story that would appeal to children and adults alike. Barbara Henderson explores life and death, loyalty and love, moral and legal right, violence and peace and national pride without the reader really realising she has done so. This is such skilful writing.
However, what I enjoyed most, I think, about Barbara Henderson’s writing is the authentic voice she has. The prose reflects the time in which the book is set in a natural and believable fashion. The tone is perfect. The descriptions transport the reader to Ceannabeinne and to the era effortlessly so that it feels as if you’re part of the history and not simply reading a narrative.
This might be a book aimed at children, but this 50+ middle aged woman was entirely captivated by it and I’m not ashamed to say I even shed a tear at the end. I cannot recommend Fir for Luck highly enough.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2016/09/28/...
February 16, 2017
Brilliant and horrifying
September 27, 2016
It is 1841 and like so many of the villages in Scotland at that time, Ceannabeinne is under threat of eviction from the Master. Through the eyes of a spirited twelve-year-old, Janet, we are transported back in time to when life was tough and family and friendship meant survival against the odds. As Janet prepares to fight to stop their homes getting burned down in front of their very eyes, will her selfless interference cause more trouble? And as the day draws near when the Sheriff will clear them out by force, can luck step in and give them a reprieve?
With echoes of the past shown through Janet's Granna's memories, we get to feel the fear, sadness, and anger that is boiling beneath the surface of the Scottish people. And with beautifully detailed descriptions and hypnotic narrative, the villagers and their plight comes alive in front of your very eyes. FIR FOR LUCK by Barbara Henderson is an emotional debut that brings the harshness of history to light, but also displays the true meaning of friendship, loyalty, and never-wavering love. In the vein of Marita Conlon-McKenna's Under the Hawthorn Tree, FIR FOR LUCK by Barbara Henderson is a story that should be read by children and adults alike, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.
*Book received from author in exchange for an honest review
With echoes of the past shown through Janet's Granna's memories, we get to feel the fear, sadness, and anger that is boiling beneath the surface of the Scottish people. And with beautifully detailed descriptions and hypnotic narrative, the villagers and their plight comes alive in front of your very eyes. FIR FOR LUCK by Barbara Henderson is an emotional debut that brings the harshness of history to light, but also displays the true meaning of friendship, loyalty, and never-wavering love. In the vein of Marita Conlon-McKenna's Under the Hawthorn Tree, FIR FOR LUCK by Barbara Henderson is a story that should be read by children and adults alike, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.
*Book received from author in exchange for an honest review
December 7, 2016
Set in the period of the second wave of Highland Clearances, young Janet knows through the stories her Grandmother has told her that terrible evictions were made in their area of Scotland to enable the lairds to profit from sheep rather than tenants.
The place, period and local relationships are beautifully evoked. There are some hard calls that Barbara Henderson doesn't hold back from. The events are true, after all. This is a wonderful way of bringing history to life for young readers and not just for those who directly own these events within their culture. Mostly the story is about caring what happens, about being interested and curious and willing to take action. All this is a strong lesson for the young people of any generation.
The place, period and local relationships are beautifully evoked. There are some hard calls that Barbara Henderson doesn't hold back from. The events are true, after all. This is a wonderful way of bringing history to life for young readers and not just for those who directly own these events within their culture. Mostly the story is about caring what happens, about being interested and curious and willing to take action. All this is a strong lesson for the young people of any generation.
April 2, 2018
Janet is my new hero: brave, bold and beautiful. You could describe the novel the same way. History brought to life. Sad, joyful, intelligent, informative and, most importantly, a really enjoyable read. You’ll be better for reading this.
October 20, 2016
Absolutely gripping. A great read, loved it.
December 12, 2016
Fantastic historical fiction for middle grade readers, inspired by a true story of tenant farmers fighting back against evictions in Scotland. Loved it.
January 17, 2017
Was a bit slow to start but once the story started to build you were drawn into the dilema facing the characters and how they were going to overcome their situation. A good read.
March 30, 2017
This is a great story, made all the more powerful by it being based on real, historical events. I feel a bit mean giving it only 4 stars, as really I'd like to give it 9 out of 10.
Janet is a twelve-year-old girl living in a remote hamlet in 1840s Scotland. Her grandmother had suffered a previous experience of the Highland Clearances, and now the dreaded Writ of Eviction comes to Janet's small community of Ceannabeinne. But Janet is not the sort of girl to sit by and let injustice be served on her family and friends. The word "feisty" is overused in describing strong heroines, but Janet truly deserves the term. It is with good reason that she is portrayed on the cover with fire in her eyes!
As the tale unfolds, the reader is left to wonder what options exist for those facing such a cruel injustice. When both the power of the law, and the force of arms, are ranged against a community, is there any point in resisting such oppression? What can be considered any sort of victory against such overwhelming and impossibly powerful opposition?
The story is told with a great warmth of affection for the communities, landscape, language and lifestyle described, along with touching period details. It is heartwarming to discover that an ending with some dignity and justice did indeed happen in an otherwise shameful and appalling episode of British history.
My only niggles are more for the publisher than the author. I would have liked a map (but then I always love maps!), and a thorough final proof-read. I sorted out the different characters in the Mackay and Munro families by the end, but that stands me in good stead for when I read this short book again. But first, this is a story I am happy to lend to my Scottish mother to read, and I don't do that lightly! Well done, Barbara Henderson.
Janet is a twelve-year-old girl living in a remote hamlet in 1840s Scotland. Her grandmother had suffered a previous experience of the Highland Clearances, and now the dreaded Writ of Eviction comes to Janet's small community of Ceannabeinne. But Janet is not the sort of girl to sit by and let injustice be served on her family and friends. The word "feisty" is overused in describing strong heroines, but Janet truly deserves the term. It is with good reason that she is portrayed on the cover with fire in her eyes!
As the tale unfolds, the reader is left to wonder what options exist for those facing such a cruel injustice. When both the power of the law, and the force of arms, are ranged against a community, is there any point in resisting such oppression? What can be considered any sort of victory against such overwhelming and impossibly powerful opposition?
The story is told with a great warmth of affection for the communities, landscape, language and lifestyle described, along with touching period details. It is heartwarming to discover that an ending with some dignity and justice did indeed happen in an otherwise shameful and appalling episode of British history.
My only niggles are more for the publisher than the author. I would have liked a map (but then I always love maps!), and a thorough final proof-read. I sorted out the different characters in the Mackay and Munro families by the end, but that stands me in good stead for when I read this short book again. But first, this is a story I am happy to lend to my Scottish mother to read, and I don't do that lightly! Well done, Barbara Henderson.
April 26, 2017
Really great MG book, with an excellent heroine. Knowing it's a true story makes it even more poignant, gripping and readable.
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