Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and heartwarming story

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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.

Little Wing by Freya North | Goodreads Little Wing by Freya North | Goodreads

Two timelines, two main characters and two different stories. The first timeline begins in the 1960's with a pregnant 16-year-old banished from her home and sent away to one of the most remote parts of the UK. 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. 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. 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? There are no ways to tell a story such as this than be realistic, down to earth and not whitewash things.In Little Wing, Freya North gives us three unforgettable characters across two timelines: pregnant schoolgirl Florence, who is banished in 1969 to one of the farthest outposts of Scotland to deliver her baby; lonely, untethered Nell, who divides her time between care in the community and visiting her mentally impaired mother; and photographer Dougie, a man estranged from his roots and troubled by a painful past. 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 storylines collide when secrets are uncovered and answers sought." This book, like so many of Freya’s other publications, is gently gripping. It wraps itself around your heart whilst you are reading it, endearing you to beautiful settings, loveable characters and unravelling secrets. It is quite simply a book from Freya’s heart and that is very clear throughout every chapter.

Little Wing by Freya North | Waterstones Little Wing by Freya North | Waterstones

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!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. Don’t you just love it when characters in a book become to feel like friends or family? That is precisely what happened with the characters in Little Wing, Nell and Dougie especially. They just brought such warmth to me, and I wanted nothing but the best outcome for them both. 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. The stories of Florence, Nell and Dougie are utterly captivating, as they unfold, collide and intertwine, revealing secrets, tragedies and unexpected connections. 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.

Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and

I loved the characters in this book and I cared about them all. I also loved the sound of windswept and beautiful Harris in Scotland and was sorely tempted to jump on a plane and go there until I thought to look up the weather forecast which for this week in February is 7 straight days of rain, short days and highs of 7 degrees. 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. Florence Lawson, a 16-year-old schoolgirl who dreams of being an artist, finds herself pregnant and banished to one of the most remote parts of the UK. As the past begins to close in on them both, they find themselves travelling to a remote village called Harris in the Outer HebridesAlso, this is the second book I've read recently with a young mother raising a baby completely on her own in an isolated location and absolutely revelling in every minute of it. I have to admit I think that would be my idea of hell and I'm not sure it would have been helpful for me to read this when my kids were little. Maybe that's just me?

Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and - WHSmith Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and - WHSmith

When I eventually got to it, the book was like a skilled weaving together of different threads of parts of my own worlds - geography … job … voluntary work. It was rich in its reflections and observations and felt very real and true to those threads. I enjoyed how the character storylines came together. Little Wing is told from the perspectives of three characters: Florence, who is sixteen and pregnant and has been banished to one of the remotest parts of the UK in 1969. And the parallel lives of Nell and Dougie in 2005. As the reader, we know that Florence, Nell and Dougie must be linked somehow; the result is incredibly emotive. I especially loved the moment Nell and Dougie’s lives connected, it made me smile so much. 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 is a lovely read about family and the importance of place. It unfolds in dual timeframes. In 1969, a sixteen year old girl gets pregnant and is sent away to live with a relative in the Scottish Hebrides. In 2005, we meet Nell and Dougie, both in their 30s and living in Colchester and London respectively. Nell is running a cafe and dealing with her mother's early onset dementia. Dougie is a photographer who is battling depression. It's apparent that the three storylines will connect, but it's unclear how that will happen. I enjoyed the characters and while it was hard to make out quite what was going on in the beginning, come the middle and end, I was able to relax into the different story lines. Learning about Flora and her journey was so beautiful and heartbreaking, her storyline was definitely my favorite. I really loved Gordon who is such a loving and caring father figure to Dougie. The ending really wrapped it up for me and warmed my heart. I was smiling to myself constantly with sheer happiness for our main characters. The story weaves its beautiful way to the conclusion, which was exactly how I wanted it to end. But to be honest, I didn’t really want it to end at all.