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Little Wing
Little Wing is the powerful story of two families over three generations.
In the 1960s, a pregnant 16-year-old is banished to one of the remotest parts of the UK. Years later, Nell and Dougie are both at critical moments in their lives when their paths cross. Between Camden, Colchester and the Outer Hebrides, the three story lines collide when secrets are uncovered and answers sought.
Little Wing is a novel about resilience, forgiveness and the true meaning of family, about finding one's place in the world and discovering how we all belong somewhere and to someone.
In the 1960s, a pregnant 16-year-old is banished to one of the remotest parts of the UK. Years later, Nell and Dougie are both at critical moments in their lives when their paths cross. Between Camden, Colchester and the Outer Hebrides, the three story lines collide when secrets are uncovered and answers sought.
Little Wing is a novel about resilience, forgiveness and the true meaning of family, about finding one's place in the world and discovering how we all belong somewhere and to someone.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2022
554 people are currently reading
2897 people want to read
About the author
Freya North
41 books694 followersFreya North is the author of many bestselling novels which have been translated into numerous languages. She was born in London but lives in rural Hertfordshire, where she writes from a stable in her back garden. A passionate reader since childhood, Freya was originally inspired by Mary Wesley, Rose Tremain and Barbara Trapido: fiction with strong and original characters. To hear about events, competitions and what she’s writing, join her on Facebook, Twitter and her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 524 reviews
March 18, 2022
Noooo! I can’t believe it’s been 7 years (yes 7 years) to wait for a book from this author.
But at last it’s here and well worth waiting for, let me tell you.
This is a sad and sometimes tearful read. But it’s excellently penned and crafted.
The research on the details on different subjects stands out how this book was well worth waiting for, it’s exquisitely pure, honest and full of life.
There are no ways to tell a story such as this than be realistic, down to earth and not whitewash things.
Sometimes there isn’t always happiness and happy ever after.
The different characters coming together was just purity in itself.
There are lost souls in this story but there is also a balance of heartwarming glee that will warm your heart also.
A lovely touching emotive read.
But at last it’s here and well worth waiting for, let me tell you.
This is a sad and sometimes tearful read. But it’s excellently penned and crafted.
The research on the details on different subjects stands out how this book was well worth waiting for, it’s exquisitely pure, honest and full of life.
There are no ways to tell a story such as this than be realistic, down to earth and not whitewash things.
Sometimes there isn’t always happiness and happy ever after.
The different characters coming together was just purity in itself.
There are lost souls in this story but there is also a balance of heartwarming glee that will warm your heart also.
A lovely touching emotive read.
February 22, 2022
Little Wing is the first book that I've read by Freya North and I was absolutely captivated by her beautiful writing. It is brimming with emotion and heart. Her descriptions of Harris, Scotland were so vividly striking that I fell in love with the place even though I've never visited. Her portrayal of love in so many forms, especially the parental love that Flora has for Nell, and Gordon has for Dougie were simply beautiful.
Little Wing is a book that I know I will return to again, and one that I will recommend for a long time to come.
Well, she's walking through the clouds,
With a circus mind that's running wild,
Butterflies and Zebras,
And Moonbeams and fairy tales.
That's all she ever thinks about.
Riding with the wind.
When I'm sad, she comes to me,
With a thousand smiles she gives to me free.
It's alright, she says it's alright,
Take anything you want from me,
Anything.
Fly on little wing. - 'Little Wing' by Jimi Hendrix
Little Wing is a book that I know I will return to again, and one that I will recommend for a long time to come.
Well, she's walking through the clouds,
With a circus mind that's running wild,
Butterflies and Zebras,
And Moonbeams and fairy tales.
That's all she ever thinks about.
Riding with the wind.
When I'm sad, she comes to me,
With a thousand smiles she gives to me free.
It's alright, she says it's alright,
Take anything you want from me,
Anything.
Fly on little wing. - 'Little Wing' by Jimi Hendrix
January 5, 2022
I adore books about ordinary people living extraordinary lives and Little Wing is liberally but sensitively strewn with characters full of longing and hope, despair and resilience, where the minutely observed detail of everyday life and relationships remind us how the little moments are the biggest part of our beings.
Set in Colchester, Camden and the island of Harris, Outer Hebrides, this is a tale that is achingly sad and breathtakingly beautiful. North writes exquisitely about Harris, so effortlessly and so vividly that it does not take any imagination to set foot on the rugged, windswept landscape, you simply leave wherever you are as the words flow in and out and around you, and a sense of stillness and peace settles upon your soul.
It is not mawkish and syrupy at all but a book full of tenderness and grace as Nell embarks upon a personal journey in her hunt for a sense of belonging.
The book is filled with laughter and tears which a great cast of characters provides. From Wendy who is suffering from early onset dementia, to 88 year old colour blind Frank with his blackbirds and Walnut Whips, to the marvellous crew working and serving at the Chaffinch Cafe, a community of adults with learning disabilities who add a glorious perspective on life which is refreshing and heart warming.
Little Wing gave me an unfiltered look at what matters in our busy lives, the moments of joy amidst the worry and uncertainty. It feels pure and untainted and I guess is a wonderful promotion of the 'upping sticks, abandoning the rat race and finding fulfilment in a slower pace of life' ideal, featuring a stunning location stripped of the non essential fripperies we mistakenly believe we cannot be without.
I loved the difficulties Nell and Dougie face, the way the lives of the characters have such rich histories and how two very different worlds collide in the early 70s and then almost 40 years later.
I can think of a fair few friends who would love to read this story so I will be recommending it to others, gifting copies purchased and shining those 5 stars daily to keep the inspirational thoughts this book gave me for as long as possible!
Set in Colchester, Camden and the island of Harris, Outer Hebrides, this is a tale that is achingly sad and breathtakingly beautiful. North writes exquisitely about Harris, so effortlessly and so vividly that it does not take any imagination to set foot on the rugged, windswept landscape, you simply leave wherever you are as the words flow in and out and around you, and a sense of stillness and peace settles upon your soul.
It is not mawkish and syrupy at all but a book full of tenderness and grace as Nell embarks upon a personal journey in her hunt for a sense of belonging.
The book is filled with laughter and tears which a great cast of characters provides. From Wendy who is suffering from early onset dementia, to 88 year old colour blind Frank with his blackbirds and Walnut Whips, to the marvellous crew working and serving at the Chaffinch Cafe, a community of adults with learning disabilities who add a glorious perspective on life which is refreshing and heart warming.
Little Wing gave me an unfiltered look at what matters in our busy lives, the moments of joy amidst the worry and uncertainty. It feels pure and untainted and I guess is a wonderful promotion of the 'upping sticks, abandoning the rat race and finding fulfilment in a slower pace of life' ideal, featuring a stunning location stripped of the non essential fripperies we mistakenly believe we cannot be without.
I loved the difficulties Nell and Dougie face, the way the lives of the characters have such rich histories and how two very different worlds collide in the early 70s and then almost 40 years later.
I can think of a fair few friends who would love to read this story so I will be recommending it to others, gifting copies purchased and shining those 5 stars daily to keep the inspirational thoughts this book gave me for as long as possible!
September 12, 2024
Good storyline but the writing style was sometimes a little bit boring.
January 23, 2022
4 stars...3.5 maybe? This book is not really a romance, although I guess it's what would normally be described as 'women's fiction', and not my usual style of read. I chose it on the strength of North's earlier book, The Turning Point, which hit me like a ton of bricks with its emotional impact. This one, not quite so much, however.
The book has two timelines - the late 1960s/early 197os, and the early 2000s. The book jumped between the two timelines, which isn't my favourite type of book structure. As I read on and got to know the characters better, I got used to the time jumps and in the end didn't mind it.
I liked the MCs and the storyline. It was interesting and the characters felt real, unlike many recent CRs where the same cheesy, vulgar characters seem to keep on popping up. I don't want to say much about the story itself - IMO it's better to go in blind and let the story unfold.
I'm not that familiar with Hendrix's music and didn't recognise the 'Little Wing' reference, but it seems to fit quite nicely.
The book has a strong sense of place, and it reads like a love letter to the Outer Hebrides, in particular the Isle of Harris. If the film/TV show the author mentions at the end of the book ever comes to be, I will certainly watch it.
The book itself was a decent read, but for me didn't have the emotional power I was hoping for. But well worth a read, especially for those who enjoy the 'women's fiction' style of book.
The book has two timelines - the late 1960s/early 197os, and the early 2000s. The book jumped between the two timelines, which isn't my favourite type of book structure. As I read on and got to know the characters better, I got used to the time jumps and in the end didn't mind it.
I liked the MCs and the storyline. It was interesting and the characters felt real, unlike many recent CRs where the same cheesy, vulgar characters seem to keep on popping up. I don't want to say much about the story itself - IMO it's better to go in blind and let the story unfold.
I'm not that familiar with Hendrix's music and didn't recognise the 'Little Wing' reference, but it seems to fit quite nicely.
The book has a strong sense of place, and it reads like a love letter to the Outer Hebrides, in particular the Isle of Harris. If the film/TV show the author mentions at the end of the book ever comes to be, I will certainly watch it.
The book itself was a decent read, but for me didn't have the emotional power I was hoping for. But well worth a read, especially for those who enjoy the 'women's fiction' style of book.
March 30, 2022
It’s an easy read, I’ll give it that. And I have, for once, read Book Club book ahead of schedule. But it hasn’t made me want to run out and read all of Freya North’s back catalogue as there’s other easy readers out there that are better.
She does a good job of painting a lifeless character in Nell before she heads over to Harries. And of course her descriptions of Harries are wonderful - with such source material it would be hard not to make them so.
There’s some really painfully obvious morals shoehorned in which are clunky and preachy.
Aunt Em having a sudden about turn into a softer character is trite and everything being wrapped up how it was was particularly saccharine given the frustrations that exist in their lives.
She does a good job of painting a lifeless character in Nell before she heads over to Harries. And of course her descriptions of Harries are wonderful - with such source material it would be hard not to make them so.
There’s some really painfully obvious morals shoehorned in which are clunky and preachy.
Aunt Em having a sudden about turn into a softer character is trite and everything being wrapped up how it was was particularly saccharine given the frustrations that exist in their lives.
January 14, 2023
4.5 (rounded up)
Little Wing shares the story of a pregnant teenager who is sent away from her family to give birth. Years later, Nell (the child) is a young adult and concerned for her mom who suffers from dementia. Her mom’s ramblings cause Nell to question her past. Nell sets out for the Outer Hebrides in search of answers. While there, she crosses paths with Dougie and makes significant discoveries.
Do You Have a Right to Know the Facts Surrounding Your Birth?
Adoption is no longer a well-kept secret.
My husband is adopted and for him, the answer to this question is a resounding YES. He feels it is his right to know the identity of his birth parents. Although he was in contact with his birth mother before she died, his birth father remains a well-kept secret. My husband is using Ancestry DNA in an attempt to find an answer.
Decades ago it was easier to keep secrets. Families, neighbors, and/or friends were likely to care for unwanted, abandoned, or neglected children and raise them as their own. In addition, a great deal of shame existed for the family that experienced a teenage pregnancy. Without DNA technology, it’s more difficult to unravel the past as you question an older generation that might feel the need to keep secrets.
I think some individuals might be more concerned about their past than others. My husband lived decades before he felt compelled to find answers. In Little Wing, Nell is determined to find answers.
Because Dougie and Nell have separate story lines in the beginning it took me a while to feel fully engaged with the story. At the point Nell travels to the Outer Hebrides and we begin to hear the birth mother’s point of view, I was fully invested. Vivid descriptions of the area, a strong sense of place, excerpts from the birth mother’s journal, crossing paths with Dougie, and a side of romance turned this into a page-turner.
Told from three points of view, the structure facilitates a connection with each character. We experience Dougie’s and Nell’s work frustrations and empathize with their parental relationships. I love hearing from Nell’s birth mother in her own voice through journal entries. I need to note that I appreciate this point of view printed in italics. It made the transition to her POV easy to navigate. In addition to the three main characters, I loved the portrayal of the kind and compassionate nurse in both the present and past timelines.
I adore family drama as long as it’s not too dysfunctional. The choices that individuals made in past times because of societal pressures are always interesting to me. Thoughtful themes include family secrets, finding answers, belonging, the true meaning of family, forgiveness, lost souls, mother/daughter relationships, supportive coworkers, friendship, compassion, and resilience.
I’m enthusiastically recommending this well-written and engaging story for readers who appreciate a strong sense of place, interesting characters, family drama, and unraveling secrets. Book clubs might enjoy this for the rich discussion possibilities. Readers from Scotland will definitely appreciate the setting!
For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.
Little Wing shares the story of a pregnant teenager who is sent away from her family to give birth. Years later, Nell (the child) is a young adult and concerned for her mom who suffers from dementia. Her mom’s ramblings cause Nell to question her past. Nell sets out for the Outer Hebrides in search of answers. While there, she crosses paths with Dougie and makes significant discoveries.
Do You Have a Right to Know the Facts Surrounding Your Birth?
Adoption is no longer a well-kept secret.
My husband is adopted and for him, the answer to this question is a resounding YES. He feels it is his right to know the identity of his birth parents. Although he was in contact with his birth mother before she died, his birth father remains a well-kept secret. My husband is using Ancestry DNA in an attempt to find an answer.
Decades ago it was easier to keep secrets. Families, neighbors, and/or friends were likely to care for unwanted, abandoned, or neglected children and raise them as their own. In addition, a great deal of shame existed for the family that experienced a teenage pregnancy. Without DNA technology, it’s more difficult to unravel the past as you question an older generation that might feel the need to keep secrets.
I think some individuals might be more concerned about their past than others. My husband lived decades before he felt compelled to find answers. In Little Wing, Nell is determined to find answers.
Because Dougie and Nell have separate story lines in the beginning it took me a while to feel fully engaged with the story. At the point Nell travels to the Outer Hebrides and we begin to hear the birth mother’s point of view, I was fully invested. Vivid descriptions of the area, a strong sense of place, excerpts from the birth mother’s journal, crossing paths with Dougie, and a side of romance turned this into a page-turner.
Told from three points of view, the structure facilitates a connection with each character. We experience Dougie’s and Nell’s work frustrations and empathize with their parental relationships. I love hearing from Nell’s birth mother in her own voice through journal entries. I need to note that I appreciate this point of view printed in italics. It made the transition to her POV easy to navigate. In addition to the three main characters, I loved the portrayal of the kind and compassionate nurse in both the present and past timelines.
I adore family drama as long as it’s not too dysfunctional. The choices that individuals made in past times because of societal pressures are always interesting to me. Thoughtful themes include family secrets, finding answers, belonging, the true meaning of family, forgiveness, lost souls, mother/daughter relationships, supportive coworkers, friendship, compassion, and resilience.
I’m enthusiastically recommending this well-written and engaging story for readers who appreciate a strong sense of place, interesting characters, family drama, and unraveling secrets. Book clubs might enjoy this for the rich discussion possibilities. Readers from Scotland will definitely appreciate the setting!
For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.
February 8, 2022
I ended up finishing this book in a day, I enjoyed it so much! It's a quietly gripping story about family and belonging, and follows the story of three people whose lives intersect. The writing is beautiful and honest, with atmospheric passages about the starkness of the landscape of the Outer Hebrides.
I'll be sharing a more detailed review of Little Wing on my Bookstagram @athomeinbooks today.
I'll be sharing a more detailed review of Little Wing on my Bookstagram @athomeinbooks today.
October 31, 2022
What a beautiful read. Although it was a slow burner and I nearly gave up at 170 pages but something told me to keep going . Now I want to visit the Island of Harris and listen to a Jimi Hendrix’s album
October 13, 2024
Between 3.5 and 4 stars
July 24, 2022
Beautiful story, genuine characters and very moving at times. Would also make a good film. Has made me want to visit the Outer Hebrides as well.
January 28, 2022
This book is very much a character piece and a very beautiful one at that. The story is told in 2 timelines: 1969 where a young 16 year old girl called Florence is banished from her home to the Outer Hebrides to hide her shameful secret. We learn about how Florence navigates teenage pregnancy and motherhood with no family, no friends in a very foreign place.
The 2nd storyline is told in 2005. We meet 2 characters; Nell and Dougie. Nell works in a café that employs those with learning or physical impairments. Dougie, once a budding photographer, has sold out to photograph boring objects for big firms to make ends meet. When Nell finds out something about her childhood that rips her world apart and Dougie realises that his job is taking him further away from who he really is, can they both take a step back to find themselves?
North gets to the heart of relationships very well. They are messy, glorious, heart-breaking, soul soothing and complex. Nell's relationship with her mum Wendy (who had very challenging mental health issues) gave so much more depth to Nell's personality and patience. Nell was overflowing with love and kindness, she had dedicated her life to working with and supporting those who needed it most. It was this inherent kindness that made me really fond of Nell.
Harris and the Outer Hebrides is almost a character in it's own right. My dad lives in the highlands (one of the most stunning places I've ever been), so I can only imagine the rugged and harsh beauty of the most remote part of the UK. North gave such wonderful descriptions, I wanted to go immediately!
Although there are many sad aspects of this book (and some very sensitive ones, which North writes about with aplomb), ultimately this is a book of hope. Dougie and Nell find out who they really are once they face some hard things about their pasts. They make peace with their traumas and resolve to keep moving forward. Ultimately, isn't this what most people want?
A gorgeous 4 star read for me.
I would like to thank Welbeck publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
The 2nd storyline is told in 2005. We meet 2 characters; Nell and Dougie. Nell works in a café that employs those with learning or physical impairments. Dougie, once a budding photographer, has sold out to photograph boring objects for big firms to make ends meet. When Nell finds out something about her childhood that rips her world apart and Dougie realises that his job is taking him further away from who he really is, can they both take a step back to find themselves?
North gets to the heart of relationships very well. They are messy, glorious, heart-breaking, soul soothing and complex. Nell's relationship with her mum Wendy (who had very challenging mental health issues) gave so much more depth to Nell's personality and patience. Nell was overflowing with love and kindness, she had dedicated her life to working with and supporting those who needed it most. It was this inherent kindness that made me really fond of Nell.
Harris and the Outer Hebrides is almost a character in it's own right. My dad lives in the highlands (one of the most stunning places I've ever been), so I can only imagine the rugged and harsh beauty of the most remote part of the UK. North gave such wonderful descriptions, I wanted to go immediately!
Although there are many sad aspects of this book (and some very sensitive ones, which North writes about with aplomb), ultimately this is a book of hope. Dougie and Nell find out who they really are once they face some hard things about their pasts. They make peace with their traumas and resolve to keep moving forward. Ultimately, isn't this what most people want?
A gorgeous 4 star read for me.
I would like to thank Welbeck publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
May 5, 2023
A fairly predictable storyline and slow pace with more than a few cheesy notes, although there were some lovely descriptions of the Outer Hebrides that did make me want to go visit.
August 14, 2024
Nice little story about 3 hearachs who have an interconnected live. Beautiful story but the writing was sometimes a little bit boring. Still kept reading because I wanted to know how it would end. And I am glad I finished, because it made me cry! Bol.com challenge August
February 9, 2024
My first Freya North book!
3.5 stars, but rounding it up (possibly also because the author was very charismatic on her new book tour :P)
I enjoyed it, a gentle family drama, even though it has some tougher themes.
I liked the characters and was rooting for them. I also enjoyed the setting in the Hebrides - very atmospheric.
3.5 stars, but rounding it up (possibly also because the author was very charismatic on her new book tour :P)
I enjoyed it, a gentle family drama, even though it has some tougher themes.
I liked the characters and was rooting for them. I also enjoyed the setting in the Hebrides - very atmospheric.
January 8, 2022
I absolutely adored this book from start to finish. It is so beautifully written and I found the stories of all three main characters so compelling.
Freya North writes about all kinds of relationships so exquisitely in this book. The complicated and sometimes difficult relationship between Nell and her mother was quite moving to read about. I loved Nell’s care and support for her staff in the Chaffinch Café who all leapt off the page and seemed so real to me. Particularly poignant was the relationship between father and son, Gordon and Dougie. The story of Nell’s mother, told in separate chapters in her own voice was both sad and uplifting. She had such strength of character and I loved how she found her place in the world, in a way she would never have expected. Nurse Fire also deserves a mention both for her care of Nell’s mother in the past and the way she helped Nell in the present.
There are also relationships with the land explored in the book and having visited Harris, I found this a particularly well developed strand of the story. It is home in so many ways to the characters whether willingly or reluctantly. The island has an emotional pull on all who live there. Freya North describes the physical landscape so well that it really brought the rugged beauty of Harris to life.
Little Wing is a gorgeous read about finding who you are and where you are meant to be. It is full of tenderness, light and hope. It may only be January, this may only be the third book I’ve read this year, but already it is on my list of Top Reads for 2022. Just wonderful!
Freya North writes about all kinds of relationships so exquisitely in this book. The complicated and sometimes difficult relationship between Nell and her mother was quite moving to read about. I loved Nell’s care and support for her staff in the Chaffinch Café who all leapt off the page and seemed so real to me. Particularly poignant was the relationship between father and son, Gordon and Dougie. The story of Nell’s mother, told in separate chapters in her own voice was both sad and uplifting. She had such strength of character and I loved how she found her place in the world, in a way she would never have expected. Nurse Fire also deserves a mention both for her care of Nell’s mother in the past and the way she helped Nell in the present.
There are also relationships with the land explored in the book and having visited Harris, I found this a particularly well developed strand of the story. It is home in so many ways to the characters whether willingly or reluctantly. The island has an emotional pull on all who live there. Freya North describes the physical landscape so well that it really brought the rugged beauty of Harris to life.
Little Wing is a gorgeous read about finding who you are and where you are meant to be. It is full of tenderness, light and hope. It may only be January, this may only be the third book I’ve read this year, but already it is on my list of Top Reads for 2022. Just wonderful!
January 7, 2024
This year I've promised myself to read more of the books that have been recommended to me by other bloggers AND more of the books I garnered via my Kindle Unlimited subscription. "Little Wing" fits both those criteria.
And what a joy to read!
1969 - Florence Lawson, pregnant and afraid at the age of 16, is sent away to the Outer Hebrides to stay with her stepfather's brother to have the baby in solitude and in secrecy.
The title of the novel refers to "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix which was one of Florence's favourite songs. It is also how she addresses her 'bump', before her daughter was born.
2005 - Nell Hartley manages the Chaffinch community cafe, the staff of which are mostly comprised of adults with special needs. She visits her mother Wendy regularly in her care home. Wendy has always been mentally unstable and now suffers from dementia. She often doesn't recognize Nell when she visits. She calls Nell 'Florence' which perplexes Nell as she knows no one with that name... When events conspire to cause Nell to have a 'lightbulb moment', she realizes that she is not who she thought she was. She makes an untypical decision to travel to the Isle of Harris in the Hebrides to try to discover her family history. She stays at the Harris Hotel and begins her search for anyone who might have met the illusive Florence.
2005 -Dougie Munro, a photographer, who though born in the Hebrides, has lived and worked in London for nineteen years. Now, at the prompting of his father, he decides to return to the place of his birth on the Isle of Harris. Dougie has evaded his return due to shame and guilt.
The author's descriptions of the harsh and barren beauty and scenery of the Isle of Harris are nothing short of spectacular - so descriptive in fact that you can almost feel the frigid, battering wind and and relentless rain, and feel the white shell sand giving way under your feet. The Isle of Harris became a character of the novel in its own right, and a wonderful character at that. The book explored place attachment, and how that can transcend generations and distance.
This is such a beautiful and poignant story with authentic characters that you come to care for deeply. This is the type of book that leaves you feeling bereft when the final page is turned.
"Little Wing" is Freya North's fifteenth novel, but the first work of hers that I have read. I am really looking forward to exploring her backlist when time permits.
In summation, "Little Wing" was a moving, tender, beautifully written novel that has entrenched itself in my heart. Very highly recommended!
And what a joy to read!
1969 - Florence Lawson, pregnant and afraid at the age of 16, is sent away to the Outer Hebrides to stay with her stepfather's brother to have the baby in solitude and in secrecy.
The title of the novel refers to "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix which was one of Florence's favourite songs. It is also how she addresses her 'bump', before her daughter was born.
2005 - Nell Hartley manages the Chaffinch community cafe, the staff of which are mostly comprised of adults with special needs. She visits her mother Wendy regularly in her care home. Wendy has always been mentally unstable and now suffers from dementia. She often doesn't recognize Nell when she visits. She calls Nell 'Florence' which perplexes Nell as she knows no one with that name... When events conspire to cause Nell to have a 'lightbulb moment', she realizes that she is not who she thought she was. She makes an untypical decision to travel to the Isle of Harris in the Hebrides to try to discover her family history. She stays at the Harris Hotel and begins her search for anyone who might have met the illusive Florence.
2005 -Dougie Munro, a photographer, who though born in the Hebrides, has lived and worked in London for nineteen years. Now, at the prompting of his father, he decides to return to the place of his birth on the Isle of Harris. Dougie has evaded his return due to shame and guilt.
The author's descriptions of the harsh and barren beauty and scenery of the Isle of Harris are nothing short of spectacular - so descriptive in fact that you can almost feel the frigid, battering wind and and relentless rain, and feel the white shell sand giving way under your feet. The Isle of Harris became a character of the novel in its own right, and a wonderful character at that. The book explored place attachment, and how that can transcend generations and distance.
This is such a beautiful and poignant story with authentic characters that you come to care for deeply. This is the type of book that leaves you feeling bereft when the final page is turned.
"Little Wing" is Freya North's fifteenth novel, but the first work of hers that I have read. I am really looking forward to exploring her backlist when time permits.
In summation, "Little Wing" was a moving, tender, beautifully written novel that has entrenched itself in my heart. Very highly recommended!
January 11, 2023
This was an absolutely beautiful book!
January 26, 2024
Book club book. Not my usual genre and not something I would choose to read.
I was however pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this book. It was akin to a cosy cardigan and a nice cup of tea in front of the fire.
I enjoyed the format of the book, alternating between Florence in the late sixties and Nell in the mid 2000s. Were the sixties really the decade of free love and hedonism with no consequences?
I did have the ending well worked out pretty early on but there was still plenty to admire. The writing was so very descriptive and clearly a well researched project. The sense of place and the remote wildness of the Scottish islands were both front and centre and I loved the way Florence’s simple new life was portrayed.
The ending was somewhat twee, but overall a good read.
I was however pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this book. It was akin to a cosy cardigan and a nice cup of tea in front of the fire.
I enjoyed the format of the book, alternating between Florence in the late sixties and Nell in the mid 2000s. Were the sixties really the decade of free love and hedonism with no consequences?
I did have the ending well worked out pretty early on but there was still plenty to admire. The writing was so very descriptive and clearly a well researched project. The sense of place and the remote wildness of the Scottish islands were both front and centre and I loved the way Florence’s simple new life was portrayed.
The ending was somewhat twee, but overall a good read.
July 31, 2023
I loved this book. It's one of those soft reads that has all these serious under-lying issues but dealt with so beautifully. I read it slowly as I didn't want it to end.
March 30, 2024
A beautifully written story from Freya North which I throughly enjoyed. I particularly loved the Outer Hebrides setting & the way it was described & the wonderful characterisation- all the characters jumped off the page & all were very lovable- even Aunt M by the end! I did find the first few chapters slightly confusing as to who was who & what was what but after that could not put it down. A lovely read.
February 25, 2024
It's years since I've read a Freya North novel...and what a treat 'Little Wing' was!
Two main characters, two different stories, Nell and Dougie are feeling lost and frustrated.
Nell's 'mother', Wendy, is settled in a nursing home suffering from advancing dementia, and her father is out of the picture . More recently, when Nell visits her mother, Wendy denies she ever had a daughter and thinks that Nell is someone called Florence.
Dougie meanwhile, a talented, but unfulfilled photographer of catalogue images, is similarly uninspired by life. Full of guilt, he avoids his father's telephone calls and makes excuses for not calling him back.
As the past begins to close in on them both, they find themselves travelling to a remote village called Harris in the Outer Hebrides; Nell to explore her family connections that have been long-buried with the woman she learns is her real mother; Dougie, for a long overdue stay to reconnect with his father, Gordon, and confront events that he has tried to ignore for too long. Inevitably, their paths are destined to cross!
'Little Wing' was a steady read. I felt it began perhaps a little too slowly, but as the story gathered pace, I became invested in Nell's story and found that I was drawn to it more and more.
The story has well-developed characters, depth and history , and I absolutely loved finding out more about a remote area of the UK.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a review. I give this book 4 stars.
Two main characters, two different stories, Nell and Dougie are feeling lost and frustrated.
Nell's 'mother', Wendy, is settled in a nursing home suffering from advancing dementia, and her father is out of the picture . More recently, when Nell visits her mother, Wendy denies she ever had a daughter and thinks that Nell is someone called Florence.
Dougie meanwhile, a talented, but unfulfilled photographer of catalogue images, is similarly uninspired by life. Full of guilt, he avoids his father's telephone calls and makes excuses for not calling him back.
As the past begins to close in on them both, they find themselves travelling to a remote village called Harris in the Outer Hebrides; Nell to explore her family connections that have been long-buried with the woman she learns is her real mother; Dougie, for a long overdue stay to reconnect with his father, Gordon, and confront events that he has tried to ignore for too long. Inevitably, their paths are destined to cross!
'Little Wing' was a steady read. I felt it began perhaps a little too slowly, but as the story gathered pace, I became invested in Nell's story and found that I was drawn to it more and more.
The story has well-developed characters, depth and history , and I absolutely loved finding out more about a remote area of the UK.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a review. I give this book 4 stars.
June 21, 2022
This book hooked me in pretty quickly. Nell is a lovable character who seems to put everyone first, but herself. So from the beginning you are hoping she can find what is missing in her life. Dougie was not so likely leaving from the beginning until you understood a bit more about his back story, but again you could feel he was searching for something. Their stories run in parallel and when they do finally meet, it feels as if their paths were always meant to cross! The backdrop of Harris is fabulous and written about so lovingly, I wanted to go immediately. Well written characters, beautifully described scenery and cleverly drawn together story. It’s been a while since I read a Freya North book and I look forward to another soon!
March 1, 2024
My goodness, what a wonderful story. The lives of Nell and Dougie collide in the Isle of Harris as Nell explores her heritage and solves the mystery of her birth whilst Dougie faces his past demons. The description of the island scenery and characters were wonderful.
April 21, 2023
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it was a great one to start on. Brilliant characterisation and the Scottish island setting was superb, I now want to visit! The descriptions were quite vivid, I was imagining I was there.
May 30, 2024
I had such high hopes for this after seeing the reviews but I found it so boring! It took me ages to get into it to the point I lost interest. It then was ok in the middle and boring again at the end. The story could have been told in half the number of pages. Really disappointed!!
March 10, 2022
Audiobook review. Dull. Overly descriptive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2023
Didn't enjoy it very much. It was very drawn out and I couldn't get into the character's
January 29, 2022
This is a beautiful and incredibly moving story which flits between the past and present piecing together a story of a young 16 year old girl who is banished to Harris in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland in the late 1960’s, which leads to Nell in the early 2000’s to return to that time and place to find her. In parallel, Dougie, a failed photographer, returns to the same place where he grew as he figures out where he belongs and what is home for him.
I fell in love with Freya North’s writing straight away. It is full of feeling and there is a sense of poignancy that gradually builds from the pages uncovering hidden secrets and complex family histories and circumstances.
I love reading books that really evoke a sense of time and place immersing the reader into the particular setting and this is achieved so vividly and richly in this novel. The imagination of the wilderness, remoteness and terrifying beauty of the Outer Hebrides was jumping off the pages. I now really want to visit Harris and run along the stunning white sands of Luskentyre!
The characters are warm, emotionally complex and vulnerable in particular Nell and Dougie who are trying to find out who they really are and where they belong in the world. We join these main characters on an intimate emotional journey tracing their past and connecting with loved ones.
This is a story about self-discovery, belonging, love, loss, family, friendships, motherhood, strength, resilience and the courage to live with and accept the truth.
This is a wonderful compelling story that blends beautiful characters with the atmospheric rugged and wild landscape of the Outer Hebrides. Loved it.
I fell in love with Freya North’s writing straight away. It is full of feeling and there is a sense of poignancy that gradually builds from the pages uncovering hidden secrets and complex family histories and circumstances.
I love reading books that really evoke a sense of time and place immersing the reader into the particular setting and this is achieved so vividly and richly in this novel. The imagination of the wilderness, remoteness and terrifying beauty of the Outer Hebrides was jumping off the pages. I now really want to visit Harris and run along the stunning white sands of Luskentyre!
The characters are warm, emotionally complex and vulnerable in particular Nell and Dougie who are trying to find out who they really are and where they belong in the world. We join these main characters on an intimate emotional journey tracing their past and connecting with loved ones.
This is a story about self-discovery, belonging, love, loss, family, friendships, motherhood, strength, resilience and the courage to live with and accept the truth.
This is a wonderful compelling story that blends beautiful characters with the atmospheric rugged and wild landscape of the Outer Hebrides. Loved it.
May 12, 2023
In 1969 sixteen year old Florence Lawson finds herself pregnant and sent to an island in the Outer Hebrides to give birth so as not to bring shame on her family.
In 2004 Nell Hartley, cafe owner in bustling Colchester, discovers something about herself and her family which will changer her life forever. She decides to try and find out more about this bombshell which has just impacted her world. But where does she start?
Believe it or not this is my first Freya North book, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was utterly captivated by this multi generational story of families and love and secrets. I listened to it on audiobook and the narrator was superb and enhanced the story massively (not that it needed it).
The backdrop of the Isle of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides plays a starring role in this story and rightly so. The descriptions of this beautiful unspoilt island were both gorgeous and glorious. I could picture it all from young Flora’s eyes as it became her home. The plot kept me gripped throughout, I was so keen to find out how all the stories would collide.
A beautiful and mesmerising tale of love and loss. My first by this author but definitely not my last.
In 2004 Nell Hartley, cafe owner in bustling Colchester, discovers something about herself and her family which will changer her life forever. She decides to try and find out more about this bombshell which has just impacted her world. But where does she start?
Believe it or not this is my first Freya North book, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was utterly captivated by this multi generational story of families and love and secrets. I listened to it on audiobook and the narrator was superb and enhanced the story massively (not that it needed it).
The backdrop of the Isle of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides plays a starring role in this story and rightly so. The descriptions of this beautiful unspoilt island were both gorgeous and glorious. I could picture it all from young Flora’s eyes as it became her home. The plot kept me gripped throughout, I was so keen to find out how all the stories would collide.
A beautiful and mesmerising tale of love and loss. My first by this author but definitely not my last.
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