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Star Gazing

by Linda Gillard (Goodreads Author)

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 217 ratings · 57 reviews

Blind since birth, widowed in her twenties, now lonely in her forties, Marianne Fraser lives in Edinburgh in elegant, angry anonymity with her sister, Louisa, a successful novelist. Marianne's passionate nature finds solace and expression in music, a love she finds she shares with Keir, a man she encounters on her doorstep one winter's night. While Marianne has had her sha...more

Paperback, 272 pages

Published May 29th 2008 by Piatkus Books

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Mar 15, 2013 Felicity rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Hopeless romantics

Recommended to Felicity by: No one - just liked the blurb on the back!

Just started this book today and find it quite enchanting. Marianne is a blind woman who meets Keir Harvey and is impressed with the way he treats her - he does not pander to her every need simply because she is blind, nor does he pity her.

I'm 77 pages in (out of 261) and the only thing that annoys me so far is Marianne goes on and on about being blind the entire time - surely people who have lived a certain way for their whole life wouldn't feel the need to constantly bring up the handicap tha...more

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Oct 15, 2010 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, british

The great obstacle of forty-something Edinburghian Marianne Fraser’s life has not been her blindness, nor her being widowed in her twenties. Rather it’s been not allowing the fact that she has been blind since birth define her. Instead of taking offense to the cliché seeing idioms such as “watch it, are you blind? See what I mean? May I see that?” – after all the world is defined by sight – Marianne uses her sharp wit to dodge pity and normalize herself. So when Keir Harvey shows up on her doors...more The great obstacle of forty-something Edinburghian Marianne Fraser’s life has not been her blindness, nor her being widowed in her twenties. Rather it’s been not allowing the fact that she has been blind since birth define her. Instead of taking offense to the cliché seeing idioms such as “watch it, are you blind? See what I mean? May I see that?” – after all the world is defined by sight – Marianne uses her sharp wit to dodge pity and normalize herself. So when Keir Harvey shows up on her doorstep of the flat she shares with her older sister Louise, she knows she’s met her match. Not because he shares the name Harvey with her late husband or he works as an oil riger, but because Keir in his matter-of-fact, nearly insensitive sensibility feels no obligation to apologize for her blindness. Their immediate repartee reaches beyond sight jokes to the senses that create Marianne’s world: sound and touch. Keir has the uncanny talent for translating visual images into classical musical scores or opera solos so that for the first time, Marianne can envision the grandeur of nature and the masterpieces of mankind like cathedrals and skyscrapers. She’s not sure what to think when after what feels like a relatively brief acquaintance and an undetermined relationship Keir invites her to stay at his home on the secluded island of Skye. However she can’t turn down such a chance for adventure, bring what it may.

After recently reading and loving Linda Gillard’s nearly perfect first novel Emotional Geology, I knew I wanted to read Star Gazing. And I meant definitely sooner rather than later. The refreshingly lyrical and vivid writing combined with the rugged beauty of the Scottish isles just gets under your skin. The characters, too, stand out as one-of-a-kind in their colorful personalities and tough cores. There is also a certain strength in the sparse, pointed, and witty dialogue which is riveting. It certainly doesn’t hurt that her books are so intriguingly titled or that the starry cover art for Star Gazing is striking.

I’m happy to report that Star Gazing meets all of the above. Again, the author’s featured a rather rare type of protagonist, this time someone who’s never had the gift of sight. This may have made me realize my knowledge of music and sound is sorely lacking and my senses are quite dull but it never failed to be an interesting and unique point-of-view. Without literally being in Marianne’s shoes, I connected to her small, isolated existence. Even though she has no comprehension of color, I found her world to be very colorful. I love what she says about water as it relates to color:

It’s a paradox. Things that look colorless to you are my artist’s palette. Rain is the only thing apart from my sense of touch that gives me any sense of three dimensions. Water falling from the sky defines shape, size, and quality by the sounds it makes when it lands.

Water colorless? Not for me.

Keir also stands out in his uniquely brilliant comprehension of sound and the environment. I love Marianne and him together and found their stay on Skye a real treat. I flew through the end of Marianne’s visit, their navigations of past wounds and future possibilities were so compelling. I didn’t realize how spoiled I was for the first half of the book until I finished the last half. It was if all Marianne and Keir’s time together was already spent. In Keir’s long absences on oil digs, Marianne lets doubt and fear slowly take over and the times they are together felt stilted. To a certain point I understood her deep-rooted feelings of expected loss and heartache, much of which originates from her first marriage. But after awhile I couldn’t help but feel a disconnect between Marianne’s true feelings and her actions. It was frustrating seeing her make choices with which I disagreed or what I saw as unnecessarily grief-inflicting. That said I still flew through and enjoyed the latter half– particularly the subplot with her sister Louise, who is a vampire novelist, and the fling with her much younger Goth assistant Garth. Entertaining, funny stuff. I’m also randomly wondering how Keir’s oft-used expression “Och” sounds and if there’s an American English equivalent. Star Gazing was impossible to put down and I liked it enough to recommend. I’m left seriously interested in getting my hands on A Lifetime Burning and any future novels by Gillard.(less)

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Feb 16, 2012 Tonielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you have ever wondered what it would be like for a woman who has been blind since birth to experience the world, then you should definitely give this book a try. The way her love interest describes the world around her in a way she understands (via sounds/music/instruments) are brilliant and accurate comparisons. It's not a typical love story, but one that makes us remember that there is someone special for everyone and moments should not be wasted. This book provides a rare opportunity in vi...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Catherine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookcrossing, own

I went down to see Spike for the weekend and picked this up while he was still dealing with his nephewess on Friday afternoon. I carried on while he watched the rugby and finished it before going to bed, so it never made it as far as Coventry and I read it before he started.

I have no idea how accurate the descriptions of Marianne's sense world are, but they were completely credible and stunning to boot. I too wanted to slap her when she was being stubborn towards the end, but her behaviour was c...more

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Dec 12, 2010 Mrsgaskell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 6-star, bookcrossing, british

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 24, 2010 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, good-uns

I first heard about STAR GAZING through Valerie's lovely review over at Life is a Patchwork Quilt. And I have to thank her for that review because I don't think I would otherwise have come across Linda Gillard's work. Gillard is a Scottish author who lived for several years on the Isle of Skye, where much of this book takes place. From what I can tell, her books tend to focus on women above the age of 35, who are dealing with the everyday, yet perilous issues of adulthood, aging, love, mental he...more I first heard about STAR GAZING through Valerie's lovely review over at Life is a Patchwork Quilt. And I have to thank her for that review because I don't think I would otherwise have come across Linda Gillard's work. Gillard is a Scottish author who lived for several years on the Isle of Skye, where much of this book takes place. From what I can tell, her books tend to focus on women above the age of 35, who are dealing with the everyday, yet perilous issues of adulthood, aging, love, mental health, family, etc. As such, they sounded sort of awesome to me, and I immediately placed her most recent book on my wishlist. It seemed unique and appealed to me for several reasons, including the fact that the main character is a blind widow. The setting was also a draw. I have only been to Scotland once, but it made a lasting impression on me and I love reading books set there. So that's why I was so excited to receive a copy of STAR GAZING for my birthday. I cracked it open that night, fell in love immediately, and pretty much flew through it.

Marianne Fraser has several valid reasons to be as angry as she is. Blind since birth, she's navigated her way through life without the ability to see what's coming at her. Widowed just a few years into her marriage, her grief was compounded by the fact that she was pregnant at the time and lost the baby shortly after the horrible accident that took her husband Harvey. Living with her sister Louisa in a flat neither of them much like, she goes about her daily routine with almost furious precision. Counting and memorizing the number of steps from here to there, she has a place for everything. Her few outlets include walking through the park, touching the trees, listening to the rain, and going to the occasional opera. One snowy eve she drops her key outside her door and a man comes along and offers to help her find it. Not thinking much of it at the time, she finds herself remembering his voice at odd times. So that when she randomly comes across him again on her next opera outing, Marianne is surprised at how pleased she is to have a chance to talk with him again. Keir Harvey shares more than just his last name with her departed husband, though. He, too, works on an oil rig, predicting where the best places to drill are, how complications will arise, and when storms might interfere with the work. Originally from the Isle of Sky, he returns home as often as he can to the only place he feels truly comfortable. When he offers to take Marianne there and show her the beauty of that wild place, she throws her habitual caution to the winds and jumps at the chance.

I ended this book so conflicted! The first half is literally moving. Simply and carefully written, it is so beautiful and readable. I was almost instantly enamored of Marianne and the dogged way she went about living what was left of her life. Even though I could not perfectly understand the monumental challenges she faced on a constant basis, I felt as though I was there right there with her. Her frustration and longing were palpable to me and I allowed myself to hope just a little bit along with her that Keir would be the unlooked for sweet resolution to her years of struggle and pain. Keir is a wonderful character. Strong and extremely blunt in his speech and mannerisms, he pushes Marianne to move past her carefully constructed inhibitions, even as he carves out a space of peace and gentleness for her in his life. Their interactions are taut and quietly affecting. Marianne's sister Louisa and her hilarious assistant Garth the Goth brought a nice level of humor and warmth to the story and I found myself laughing more than once at this homey woman who writes vampire romance novels by the score, takes care of her sister, and finds herself in the most unexpected of romantic scenarios. Suffice it to say, I was hooked. And then somewhere along the way things got murky. Marianne's anger and fears overwhelmed her and things got out of step between all of them. That in and of itself did not bother me at all. Rather it moved the tale forward in interesting and complex ways. But it never seemed to find its rhythm again after that. The conflict grew and grew and their interactions became stilted to the point that I was crying out for some sort of harkening back to that original connection they formed to relieve the awkwardness that had taken over. Somewhere along the way my involvement was severed and by the time the ending arrived I had become lost and could not find my way back to that breathless place of discovery that so enchanted me for the half of the novel. I guess I wanted a little more time to explore the resolution they came to. That said, I enjoyed it enough that I am definitely going to seek out Ms. Gillard's earlier work. Emotional Geology in particular looks good and I foresee myself ordering it in the very near future as I loved the first part of STAR GAZING.(less)

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Jan 28, 2013 HÜLYA YILMAZ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Müthiş bir yazar müthiş bir anlatım gücü..Önce Aşkın Büyülü Mucizesi sonrada Yüreğimde Aşk Kıvılcımı
iki kitabı birbirinden ayıramadım çok beğendim..Muhakkak takip edeceğim bir yazar olacak.
Orjinal Adı : Star Gazing olan Yüreğimdeki Aşk Kıvılcımı Goodreads Puanı 5/3,71 Benim puanım 5/5 keşke daha fazla puan olabilseydi....

Yazarın kalemi müthiş günümüz aşklarını duygu sağanağı ile hayat veriyor..Historical romanlarda bulabileceğimiz bir romantizm var kaleminde..Özellikle en ümitsiz anınızda karşın...more Müthiş bir yazar müthiş bir anlatım gücü..Önce Aşkın Büyülü Mucizesi sonrada Yüreğimde Aşk Kıvılcımı
iki kitabı birbirinden ayıramadım çok beğendim..Muhakkak takip edeceğim bir yazar olacak.
Orjinal Adı : Star Gazing olan Yüreğimdeki Aşk Kıvılcımı Goodreads Puanı 5/3,71 Benim puanım 5/5 keşke daha fazla puan olabilseydi....

Yazarın kalemi müthiş günümüz aşklarını duygu sağanağı ile hayat veriyor..Historical romanlarda bulabileceğimiz bir romantizm var kaleminde..Özellikle en ümitsiz anınızda karşınıza çıkabilecek aşkları çok iyi işliyor..Okuduğum iki romanında da ikinci şansı işliyordu yazar..Hikayeyi iki kişi gözünden aktarıyordu yazar.Çok akıcıydı sayfalar nasıl aktı anlamadım bile.

Bu romanda ise görme özürlü bir kadının hikayesi vardı. Marianne Fraser genç yaşta kocasını kaybetmiş bir kadındı kocasını kaybedeli on sekiz yıl olmuştu.Sıra dışı yazar olan ablası ile yaşıyordu..İkiside orta yaşlarını sürüyorlardı...Marianne kocasını kaybettikten sonra aşkı beklemiyordu.Ama hayat sürprizlerle doludur,çoğunlukla hiç ummadığınız zamanda beklemediğiniz bir anda aşk kapınızı çalıverir...İşte Keir ile karşılaşmaları böyle bir zamanda oldu...Keir sıra dışı gizemli bir adamdı..Olağan dışı gücü yüzünden karşı cins ile ciddi ilişkileri olamamıştı.Tanışmaları arkadaşlıklarının evreleri çok güzeldi. Özellikle ona yaptığı tasvirler çok özeldi.Kendi yaşadığı adaya onu götürüp adadaki yıldızları tasvir etmesi müthiş olağan üstü idi..Birbirlerine nasıl bağlandıklarını anlamadılar bile...Marianne'nin adada yolunu kaybedip bir görme özürlünün yaşadığı zorlukları sergileyen sahne beni çok etkiledi..
Bir de Marianne'nin sıra dışı ablası vardı vampir romanları yazıyordu.Onun hayatı ve aşkları özellikle yardımcısı ile yaşamaya başladığı aşkı çok çarpıcı idi..Roman baştan sona kadar gerçek hayatın acıları ile birlikte aşkın sihiri ile süslenmişti..Dediğim gibi çok beğendim okumakta çok geç kaldım ama kendime tam anlamı ile Linda Gillard ziyafeti çekmiş oldum..
Günümüzde de böylesine özel aşkların yaşanabileceğini okumak isterseniz tavsiye ederim..İmkansızı başarmak zor değil...(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Lainy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Blurb From Goodreads

Blind since birth, widowed in her twenties, now lonely in her forties, Marianne Fraser lives in Edinburgh in elegant, angry anonymity with her sister, Louisa, a successful novelist. Marianne's passionate nature finds solace and expression in music, a love she finds she shares with Keir, a man she encounters on her doorstep one winter's night. While Marianne has had her share of men attracted to her because they want to rescue her, Keir makes no conc...more Time taken to read - 2 days

Blurb From Goodreads

Blind since birth, widowed in her twenties, now lonely in her forties, Marianne Fraser lives in Edinburgh in elegant, angry anonymity with her sister, Louisa, a successful novelist. Marianne's passionate nature finds solace and expression in music, a love she finds she shares with Keir, a man she encounters on her doorstep one winter's night. While Marianne has had her share of men attracted to her because they want to rescue her, Keir makes no concession to her condition. He is abrupt to the point of rudeness, and yet oddly kind. But can Marianne trust her feelings for this reclusive stranger who wants to take a blind woman to his island home on Skye, to "show" her the stars?

My Review

The book centers around 3 main characters, Marianne being the main one, her sister Louisa and Keir a stranger who happens upon her in a moment on need. Marianne is blind from birth and lives with her author sister. After a chance meeting Marianne and Keir form a relationship were opposites really do attract and their friendship threatens to spill into something much more.

The book is written between Marianne's point of view, then third person and then Louisa's. It works very well and is really easy to follow. The story goes along without any big fireworks or huge events, although there is a handful tottered out throughout the book (mostly in the latter half). What made the book for me was seeing the world through Marianne, how she experiences the world, colours and scenery when she has never had any visual reference, I also loved how Keir taught her how to see things.

I have never read a book like it, it isn't a conventional love story but about two people finding a middle ground when they are both from different worlds. It was lovely to see the friendship form and the relationship build. I found myself getting annoyed and frustrated with both Marianne and Keir and how their inability to be upfront with each other lead to so many "issues". Sorry to be vague but I hate spoiler reviews. Overall I really enjoyed the book, it was nice to read something so different, 4/5 for me.(less)

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Nov 20, 2011 Carol Kerry-green rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, contemporary, romance

I found this book very uplifting. Marianne, blind since birth, shares an Edinborough flat with her older sister, Louisa the author of a series of vampire fantasy novels. Marianne is fiercely independent and we first meet her as she returns from a shopping trip and loses her key through the railings at the front door to her flat, blind she can't see where they have fallen, but a passing man with a familiar accent picks them up for her. He is Keir Harvey, an oilman. Which for Marianne is particula...more

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Jul 07, 2010 Barbara Mitchell rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. The characters are so well depicted that they come alive to the reader. The story is about Marianne, blind since birth, widowed young, childless, and living with her novelist sister in Edinburgh. Her sister's Goth assistant is a great character as well.

The love interest is Keir, a tall, handsome stranger from the Isle of Skye, who meets Marianne at her doorstep. He is slightly mysterious at first but as they come to know one another he is shown as a caring person, rather poeti...more

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May 12, 2010 Paula rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished 'Star Gazing' I could not put it down, I wanted to know so badly how it would all turn out for Keir and Marianne, I was not disappointed.

A lovely romantic story, Marianne is a fantastic character, as stated before, I felt at times that Marianne was her own worst enemy, I understood why and she had built so many barriers around herself, it took a man like Keir to see how wonderful Marianne is, which was a delight to read. I loved Louisa and Gart too, lovely characters, Louisa's en...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Ana Isabel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ver o mundo pelos olhos de um cego é algo desconhecido para uma pessoa "normal" mas este livro mostra que perdemos tantas coisas, ignoramos tanto pelos nossos outros sentidos só porque conseguimos ver. Marianne sente a música da natureza, o toque das árvores, o som da água da chuva, coisas que nós tomamos como certas e que nem nos passa pela cabeça tomar atenção.
Ela é tratada de forma diferente só por ser cega mas, então, surge Keir, que a trata como se fosse qualquer outra pessoa e fala com ela...more

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Apr 05, 2011 Dizzyc rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel explores the world, through the senses, of someone who was born without one of those senses we take for granted, sight. We 'see' the world as Marianne 'sees' it in wonderful detail.

Marianne, is blind and widowed, but don't feel sorry for her. She is a strong independant woman. She knows about loss and survival.

Marianne lives with her sister, Louisa, an author, in Edinburgh.

Keir is a strong, rugged reclusive Scot from the Isle of Skye. An unlikely hero from the description but he ins...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Rosa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporaneo-romantico, raro

3.5
Para mi es un libro dificil de catalogar, el libro no solo es la historia de un romance entre la "pobre desvalida ciega" y un macho men fuera de lo comun, esta historia trata de narrar de la manera en que la prota que es ciega de nacimiento percibe el mundo, para mi esto es lo mas especial del libro , me parecio muy real y agradable de leer.
Mil puntos a los personajes secundarios ( que son solo dos) pero se llevan el show Louisa y Gareth son de lo mejor!!!

Respecto a la historia en si, me gust...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those that like something a bit different but not heavy

Recommended to Brenda by: RISI Book Group

Shelves: keeper

Loved the way in which this was written, just as I thought I'd got it sussed something would happen to make me change my mind.
Probably the paragraph that will stay with me the longest is how our speech favours the sighted.
'Look here', I see what you mean' etc
Marianne has been blind since birth. She was married to an oilman who was killed in the Piper Alpha rig disaster. When he left for his tour of duty it wasn't on good terms as she had just told him that she was pregnant. Subsequently she los...more

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May 29, 2011 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-keeper

I won this book on Dizzy C's Little Book Blog and the book was sent to me by the author, who had kindly signed it for me too. I was thrilled. I had never read any of her books before and was not sure what to expect.

The synopsis grabbed me instantly as it was about a woman who had been blind since birth. This resonated with me as my Paternal Grandmother was blind and I appreciate the difficulties a blind person faces. Plus I appreciate their hightened sense of touch and sound.

Synopsis
Blind since...more I won this book on Dizzy C's Little Book Blog and the book was sent to me by the author, who had kindly signed it for me too. I was thrilled. I had never read any of her books before and was not sure what to expect.

The synopsis grabbed me instantly as it was about a woman who had been blind since birth. This resonated with me as my Paternal Grandmother was blind and I appreciate the difficulties a blind person faces. Plus I appreciate their hightened sense of touch and sound.

Synopsis
Blind since birth, widowed in her twenties, now lonely in her forties, Marianne Fraser lives in Edinburgh in elegant, angry anonymity with her sister. Marianne's passionate nature finds solace in music, a love she finds she shares with Keir, the man she encounters on her doorstep one winter's night.

Keir makes no concession to Marianne's condition. He is abrupt to the point of rudeness, yet oddly touchingly kind. But can Marianne trust her feelings for this reclusive stranger, who wants to take a blind woman to his island home on Skye, to 'show' her the stars?

This beautiful, passionate and deeply haunting novel has the power to move and gives hope to even the most fractured heart.

Review
This was one of the most touching and beautifully written books that I have had the fortune to read. The authors beautiful description of the scenery and surroundings in Skye, that need to be 'translated' into a musical comparison for the blind Marianne to understand, was hauntingly amazing. The way Marianne is taught by Keir about the surroundings of Skye by touch and sound, brought back memories of my Grandmother who I used to buy things for that she would 'see' by her touch. The research that the author has put in to the feelings of a blind person and the way they 'see' is truly brilliant. I found myself comparing Marianne to a younger version of my Grandmother.

The book itself is so beautifully written and the relationships between all the characters is warm and loving. The book is a mixture of joy, sadness and apprehension. I have to admit that I did actually cry in places whilst reading the book, which is very unusual for me. I don't want to write what the joy's, sadness and apprehension entail for fear of adding spoilers, so you will have to read it to find out for yourself.

I thoroughly recommend you read this one, but if you are a sucker for a good story, make sure you have plenty of Kleenex at the ready.

I have no other option but to give this wonderful book 5/5.
(less)

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May 29, 2009 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: scotland, transita, women-s-fiction

Bookcrossing ring/ray. Delightful book set in Edinburgh & Isle of Skye, 2006. Marianne is in her 40's, blind from birth and a widow. Her husband died in a tragic offshore oil drilling accident. She meets Keir who does not try to protect her because she is blind, but rather introduces her to his world through music and other senses. There are several obstacles. Keir is also an oilworker w/ a job that involves international travel and extended stays away from home, not to mention the risks of...more

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Aug 29, 2009 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Marianne has been blind her whole life, so for her 'seeing' involved sound, smell and feel. So when a guy she barely knows asks her to spend a week with him on Skye so he can show her the stars, she doesn't really know what to expect. But Keir manages to show Marianne beauty she never could have imagined.

I adored this book, I thought all of the characters were greatly written and perfectly complimented each other. The descriptions that Keir gave to Marianne were so beautiful and I loved how he d...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Esra Çetin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Marienne ve Kier.... Kier, Marienne'in kapısında birden bire belirdi ve daha sonra olup olmadık yerlerde karşısına çıktı... Acaba adamı kafasında mı yarattı diye düşünmeden edemedim... Yazar oldukça büyülü bir şekilde anlatıyor bu iki yaralı insanın hikayesini... Arkadaşlıklarının ilerlemesini, yaşadıkları olayları, hissettikleri duyguları yazar harika betimlemelerle anlatmış, her bir anlarına şahit oldum sanki kendi gözlerimle ve yüreğimle.. Son bir ay içinde okuduğum en güzel romanlardan biriy...more

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Jun 04, 2010 Stuart rated it 3 of 5 stars

This tale of the romantic escapades of a woman, who is blind from birth, is at times moving and griping. It starts well and has a reasonable mid section, but the final section felt contrived. I will not mention the details; suffice to say it has a narrative that is difficult to end in a satisfactory way. The references to Edinburgh, my local city and the Isle of Skye are well imagined and the four main characters are well fleshed out. I read it in two sittings, which is something I rarely do, an...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Katie Grainger rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book follows the love story of Marianne and Keir. Marianne has been blind since birth and widowed in her late twenties. She meets Keir a man who makes no concession for the fact she is blind, they form a touchingly sweet relationship. Probably the most interesting factor about this book is that because Marianne is blind the descriptive elements of the his book are completely different. Sound is used to describe colour and other situations which is quite fascinating. Thought the characterisa...more

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Feb 26, 2009 Kellie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookring-bookray, fiction-literature, 2009-reads

This was the third book I have read by this author. I really like Ms. Gillard’s writing style. She writes with intelligence that sets her apart from other fictional writers. I don’t consider her books strictly chick lit or romance. There is definitely a romantic aspect to her books, but it is not the focus of her writing. Ms. Gillard weaves interesting subjects like the environment and Global Warming (in this case) within her story line. In addition, I love her description of the surroundings an...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Dácil González rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Una novela que nos habla de la superación personal, de la fortaleza y la lucha de una mujer que aparentemente lo tiene todo en contra.
Y sobre todo nos habla de la esperanza y las segundas oportunidades.

Una historia de amor preciosa con unos personajes carismaticos y maravillosos.
Me ha encantado la actitud de Mariam, pese a todo el sufrimiento que lleva sobre sus hombros no se deja dominar por la desesperanza y se enfrenta a la vida con valentia y sobre todo bueno humor.

Si algo cabe destacar son...more

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Apr 24, 2010 Weebly rated it 5 of 5 stars

I too (like Wistfuldragon) needed tissues when I read this book. I started it on the way home from Amsterdam - a pictured by MarthaK-H, and on Friday realised I had made no time for reading since my return. So I picked the book back up and could not put it down. I cried in several places, and loved that Keir has the same unusual eye color that I have - who inspired this idea I wonder?

I disagree on one point though - David Tennant could play any roll in my eyes and do it brilliantly - so he is n...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Misti rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, favorites, 2013-best-reads

Loved it. I always say one of the reasons I read is for experiences I can't have as myself. This book is another one of those experiences. I loved Marianne and the way she deals with everthing in her life. I loved Louisa and Garth and Keir. They were all great characters. The whole concept of using musical sound to describe sight was fascinating to me.

This is a book I will probably read again... and I absolutely have to get to Scotland one day. Until then, I can see a little armchair traveling...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Jan Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'd like to award six twinkling stars from Skye.

Blind since birth and widowed in her twenties, Marianne has had more than her fair share of tough times. As a heroine, Marianne is not only immensely unique and likable, but she’s a tough cookie too.
By chance, she meets Keir.
A man of Skye, he is every bit the brusque, resourceful Scot. But beneath this almost rude exterior there is something special about Keir; a sixth sense, which manifests itself as a sensitive and tangible medium to Marianne; a...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Melek rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, sister-to-read

Wenn Marianne klassische Musik hört, fühlt sie sich lebendig. Wenn sie den Regen auf ihrem Gesicht spürt, ist sie glücklich. Wenn sie an ihren verstorbenen Mann denkt, ist er nur noch eine Erinnerung. Die vierzigjährige Marianne ruht in sich selbst. Als die Schottin den geheimnisvollen Keir von der Isle of Skye kennenlernt, ist es mit der Ruhe vorbei. Seine Stimme, seine Worte zeigen ihr die Welt, wie sie sie nie gesehen hat. Sie ist blind, aber mit ihm kann sie sogar die Sterne sehen.

Nach "Himm...more

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Sep 15, 2011 Lisa (scarlet21) rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful story. I was completely taken with the concept of Keir describing things through sound and smell to the blind Marianne - so much so that I caught myself shutting my eyes more than once and imagining the poetic desciptions of stars and sights that Keir gave. The challenges faced by Marianne were written about so thoroughly and yet so matter of factly, with great insight (no pun intended) that it really made you think deeply about life for blind people; things like choosing their...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Ellie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction

It's hard to imagine how anyone would experience the world if they had been blind from birth. Widowed Marianne never saw her husband's face or what colours are. Her world is full of sound, smells, taste and touch. One day she drops her keeps on her Edinburgh doorstep and is helped by a stranger, Keir, a man from Skye who she thanks but never expects to meet again.

Of course, she does meet Keir again and he does the one thing no one else does, he isn't apologetic towards her condition. As their re...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Margaret rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have wondered many times how I would cope if I were blind. This book goes some way to describing what it must be like - a world where the other senses are heightened, where sound is more distinct and touch and smell of great importance.[return][return]Marianne who has been blind from birth, is now widowed and even though she lives with her older sister in Edinburgh she is lonely and angry. Her husband was killed years before in the world� s worst-ever offshore disaster - the Piper Alpha oil ri...more

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About Linda Gillard

PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE 3 AUTHORS WHO SHARE THIS NAME.

Linda Gillard graduated from Bristol University, then trained as an actress at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Whilst under-employed at the National Theatre, Linda developed a sideline as a freelance journalist. She ran two careers concurrently for a while, then gave up acting to raise a family and write from home.

Twelve years later, she re...more

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