Letters from Skye

[Peggy]

Cherie, Ariane, Casceil and myself plan to read Letters from Skye for this month's themed read. The plan is to start in the second half of September, let's say the 17th for now. Anyone who would like to join us is very welcome!

[Cherie]

Thanks for setting up the thread, Peggy. I am looking forward to reading this book.

[Peggy]

Hi ladies, I'm not sure if I can be a very active participant in this discussion after all. Work has gone crazily busy so I'm working on the train (my usual reading time) and I'm too tired and stressed in the evening to focus on a book. I think I've read a book only once in the past 1.5 weeks (the month is halfway through and I'm not even halfway through my first September book) and checked GR only a few times (instead of several times a day).

I will get started on this one in the weekend (I think I have to work on Saturday too though) but I'm afraid I will get behind soon and won't be able to be super active in the discussion.

I'm very sorry, this never happens to me.

[Cherie]

It is okay, Peggy. I am sure we all understand.

I am still willing to do the buddy read, and at least you will have a place to come back to when you can have time to read the book and make comments. I would be reading it anyway, because it is one for my Geochallenge list. Hopefully Ariane and Casceil can stall join in too.

[Roz]

I bought the book so count me in too.

[Cherie]

Oh, great, Roz! I will be done with Year of Wonders by then. Weird only having one book going on right now. I have gotten so used to jumping back and forth between several at a time. Different too, because I am listening to and reading it. ;)

[Ariane]

the book is still not available at the library, I hope I can join you too...

[Peggy]

I think the whole book is in letter format. I'm never sure whether I will like that.. have you all read many books like that?

I know two off the top of my head, the guernsey literary and potato peel society (or was that only partly in letters?) and dear rosie (is it that one? or another cecelia ahern book).

[Lisa]

Peggy, as far as I remember, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was all in letter format.

I'm looking forward to hearing what you all think of this. I recently bought a copy but I won't be able to join in with this buddy read because I have too many other books that I need to get through.

[Cherie]

Peggy - I read both of the books you mentioned and at least two or three others. I like the format and I am looking foreword to this one.

[Peggy]

I finished cleaning this morning and worked in the afternoon, and now I have an hour to get started on this before dinner. Also, boyfriend will watch the F1 competition on tv tomorrow afternoon, so again some definite reading time for me :)

I'm glad this one's not too long!

[Peggy]

I read the first 4 chapters already. It's a very quick read! I think it's due to the short letters, I kind of fly through them. My ereader says the whole book will take me only 4 hours.

I like these letters. I wasn't sure about the letter format before, if letters are very long and detailed and that's all there is, I tend to get bored.

I wonder about Elspeth and David. (view spoiler)[ First I wondered if he was maybe Margareth's dad, but now I wonder if Elspeth and David ever got to meet at all.

And apparently Elspeth got off her island at some point, as she is now in Edinburgh. I wonder what made her do it. (hide spoiler)]

One thing I'm wondering about the letters: they are written with only a few days in between (the ones between Elspeth and Margareth at least) and sometimes contain only one or two sentences. Do you think that during the war and when rationing was in place, people really sent letters that often with so little content? And that they were delivered in 2 or 3 days with a war going on?

[Peggy]

Chapter 5: I'm starting to really like Elspeth. (view spoiler)[ I love how independent she is, that she may not want kids (a big thing in 1913 I think) and her opinions on men and women. She seems very progressive for her time. (hide spoiler)]

[Cherie]

I am on Chapter 7. I had no idea where this story was going to take off from, but the first chapters with the letters between David and Elspeth were fun. I have to keep stopping myself from plowing right into each one without taking a breath to look at the dates and be aware of the passage of time. I try to keep in mind that many other forces and events are happening outside of these few words written in each letter.

The story of Margaret and her mother has introduced a mystery and a potential link to the past time line of David and Elsbeth. It seems exciting with the possibility of things having gone wrong. Where has the mother disappeared to? Why did she go like that?

[Peggy]

I have the same Cherie, with sometimes forgetting to look at the dates. I think I stopped reading at chapter 10 yesterday.

I started to find Elspeth a bit condescending, is that the right word? The way she keeps writing to David as 'boy' even though they're only a few years apart.

[Peggy]

I finished chapter 15. (view spoiler)[ is this the last contact between elspeth and david? I don't believe he's not writing back on purpose.. (hide spoiler)]

[Peggy]

I finished already! It was a super quick read, I was done before I realized.

I enjoyed it and the mystery of what happened kept me reading. But I never really connected to the characters, it feels like it could have been more. I'll give it 3 stars.

[Cherie]

I have been reading off and on all afternoon to just get to Chapter 10. I have been fighting a bad headache all day.

I thought it was interesting how the letters between Elsbeth and David have changed over the three years. At first, I didn't think Elsbeth was really married. That was a surprise. It seems like she and her husband were not very close when he went to fight.

(view spoiler)[Was it inevitable that they would think that they love each other? Neither seemed happy. Why is it so easy to write to someone that you don't know and tell them things from your heart? (hide spoiler)]

Peggy - Re your remark about E being condescending to David and calling him "my boy". I think it her way of teasing him because she IS older, even only a few years. It is also a swipe at his maturity, since she is married. She prefers to think of his college antics as boyish charming and fun. Their letters have taken on a life-line quality for both of them.

I did not know that the Americans could go to France and drive ambulances. They don't get paid??? Is it part of the Red Cross or something? I will look it up tomorrow.

I am going to bed. I am looking forward to reading the letters between Margaret and her Uncle. I want to know why he left Skye and never went back. I am interested in what Margaret has to say about her mother and what she knows.

[Peggy]

Cherie, I was also surprised that Elspeth (view spoiler)[ was actually married. I wondered about it when she wrote that she was a Mrs. in one of the first letters, but then she never mentioned it again. It seems a bit of strange thing to not mention. And also her husband, he never noticed that she received so many letters? Or was Elspeth so secretive? On such an isolated island where you have to pick up your mail from the post officie, surely people will know and talk.. (hide spoiler)]

[Cherie]

It is hard when we only have the contents of the letters to go by. Elsbeth said in one of them that she was practically living at the post office waiting for letters. Maybe it did cause some talk among the family and other islanders. Maybe that is why Findlay was mad at her. Maybe he said something to her husband.

[Cherie]

I just finished reading during my lunch time. I am in Chapter 11.
Isn't it wonderful how the letters have changed? So much longer and so much background information. Sue/Elsbeth and Davey/David are becoming so much more real and filling out. (view spoiler)[I loved the two letters Elsbeth wrote to Davey after he left for France. Yes, I know she is married and it was wrong, but it seems right for them. (hide spoiler)]

End of Chapter 10: London 10 August 1940 (view spoiler)[I was so glad that her mother wrote to Margaret, especially after her Uncle Findley had told her to stop writing to him. I can hardly believe that any of this is going to end well, and we already have an insight into it or else things would not be the way they are, but I still want to know. (hide spoiler)]

[Peggy]

Can't read your spoilers now, but I also liked to see how the letters evolved.

[Cherie]

No worries. ;)

[Cherie]

Only a little time to read today, but I made it to Chapter Fourteen.

I was mad at Margaret for a few minutes this afternoon, when she told Paul that she did not know how her mother had ever met an American up on the Isle of Skye. It sounded so snotty. I can understand her having questions. And Elsbeth has written to the old address where David's family used to live. Oh, I want to know as much as Margaret and more!

I am really enjoying reading these letters and this story. I can't believe you read the whole thing over the weekend. I want to know, but I almost don't either. Right now, I don't want it to end.

[Peggy]

I found the letters very fast-paced and I was curious about what happened, so I wanted to find out ;-) but for me it was not one of those books I don't want to end, so that's probably why I didn't mind reading it quickly. And it's not very long, I think it took me only 4 hours.

I have to remember to read your spoilers when I get to work today!

[Cherie]

Funny how we all read books differently! You read faster than I do too. It is your 30 years younger eyes. :)

I just finished Chapter 16 and am ready to start on 17. 1916 - Why isn't David writing? What happened to Iain?

1940 - I thought it was wonderful how her grandmother was waiting for Margaret at Elspeth's old house on Skye, when she got there. And that Elspeth had sent all of the letters and photographs of Margaret to her mother, all of those years that Margaret was growing up in Edinburgh.

To me, all of the letters that Elspeth is sending from London to the states, looking for information on David or his family, sound so sad. Did she loose him?

[Peggy]

Haha, must be the eyes ;-) although right now I'm reading the same 400 page book for more than two weeks already. That one is going extremely slow.

I was touched by those letters and pictures too!

[Peggy]

Cherie wrote: "I just finished reading during my lunch time. I am in Chapter 11.
Isn't it wonderful how the letters have changed? So much longer and so much background information. Sue/Elsbeth and Davey/David are..."

(view spoiler)[ Uncle Finlay seemed kind of a grumpy fellow! I wondered what had happened for him to be that way and not been in any contact with his family for decades. It's such a shame when close families fall apart, and often over such small things (at least in hindsight) (hide spoiler)]

[Cherie]

Peggy wrote: "Cherie wrote: "I just finished reading during my lunch time. I am in Chapter 11.
Isn't it wonderful how the letters have changed? So much longer and so much background information. Sue/Elsbeth and ..."

re your spoiler. Yes, I agree. (view spoiler)[ I have a suspicion that it was over Iain and am really waiting to find out. If Iain is really missing or dead, I can only suspect that David is Margaret's father and that Elspeth got pregnant by him before the war was over and Findley could not forgive her. I am wondering if their mother was not on Elspeth's side in it too. I just read that Elspeth went to France to see David while he was in the hospital and that they had managed to be "together" again. (hide spoiler)]

[Cherie]

Oh, and about your book that has taken so long to read. I know how that feels too. I thought I would never make it through two of mine for the Geo. It is harder when it is for a monthly challenge though.

[Cherie]

Chapter 25 I haven't wanted to put the book down from the minute I got home from work!
(view spoiler)[ I am in shock! Davy just wrote to say that Iain was alive and in the same prison camp! I was so sad to hear that she had lost the baby. Now, am I supposed to believe that Iain went home to Elspeth and took her back? And he had known that they were writing and falling in love and NEVER said anything???? Really? (hide spoiler)]

[Peggy]

Hahaha Cherie, I really enjoy reading all your thought about the book. Regarding chapter 25, I think my thoughts were the same.

[Cherie]

I could not stop until I found out if Elspeth found Davey. Every new letter was such a heart stopper after chapter 25. I really enjoyed it, Peggy. Thanks for having the buddy read and listening to me ramble on even after you finished. (view spoiler)[were you almost afraid that they were not going to be together at the end? I almost thought that the author was going to have David be killed in the bombing after Margaret found out how closely he had been living to the hotel where her mother had been staying. I really was holding my breath. Were you? (hide spoiler)]

[Peggy]

No worries Cherie! I'm sorry I read it in 2 days, I don't know what happened.

(view spoiler)[ I kept wondering too! They were so close! And didn't elspeth say she thought she saw someone who looked so much like him? I was a bit conflicted actually.. it sounded a bit too perfect if they would end a happy family although I hoped it for them, but I was also thinking a bit about different endings.. (hide spoiler)]

[Cherie]

Please, do not be worried about reading it in two days! I know that you were having a hard time finishing your translation book and needed something lighter, probably. I might have read it faster, but I had just finished two other books that I enjoyed a lot, and I was on a roll with something that was lighter and sweet especially after finishing The Lifeboat. I

I think the author could have taken the stories she was weaving in many other directions and given a completely different ending - I could think of several. What she gave us was a glimpse into the lives of people that we could only know through their letters. I thought she did it very successfully. Yes, maybe we wanted more details about their environment and other life circumstances, but we could only go with what she chose to give us. It was enough for me and I was happy with the outcome.

I know you read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and did not enjoy it as much as I did either. We obviously look for different things in the books we read and feel differently in the way that the stories move each of us.

[Peggy]

You're right Cherie. I think I rated Guernsey also 3. Both are books I enjoyed, but am not over the moon about. It might be that when I read historical fiction, I need everything to add up and make complete sense, and with both books I felt that some things were missing.

[Roz]

Sorry I'm late coming to the party. I just started reading last night. I've finished the first 5 chapters. I like the letter format. People just don't write letters like they used to. Today it's all emails and texting. I can remember my mother used to sit down at the kitchen table and writ letters to relatives in California and Wisconsin. When I lived abroad I wrote letters home on special air mail paper that folded up into its own little letter/envelope. My sister was the big letter writer - mostly to actors and actress. She kept them all in scrapbooks. I think it's a shame we don't put pen to paper any more. its taken a toll on good communication skills, and penmanship, Imo.
I agree that Elspeth is definitely an independent person not bound by the social mores of her time. (view spoiler)[wearing pants when she wants, her views on women (hide spoiler)]. Maybe it's easier for her to be that way, living in such an isolated location. Curious that she identifies herself as "Mrs." but never mentions her husband.
When the letters switch to Margaret/Mother(Elspeth)/Paul we see that (view spoiler)[Elspeth has finally left the island. I have to wonder who Margaret's father is, the mysterious "Mr." Dunn? Or someone else. Of course it wouldn't be much of a story if Daddy was the "Mr.", so I'm guessing someone else. Elspeth became pretty upset when her hiding place for her precious letters from Davis was destroyed by the bomb strike. What would cause her to hide them? (hide spoiler)]

[Cherie]

Hi Roz! Glad you could join the party. :)

All good questions, hehehe, and I agree with your letter writing comments.

I did not think about Elspeth being especially independent. It made sense to me that she would wear pants sometimes, especially as she was alone and so isolated. I wish I knew more about Skye, but you are not going to get it here. I might have to do an internet tour one of these days.

I wondered why Elspeth kept the letters hidden too, but I think she did it because she was very private and in hiding them, she did not have to share. Lisa and I commented about the "Mrs." too. I think the first time, I thought she might have been joking.

[Roz]

I'm in the middle of chapter 6, 11/29/1914. Finally after almost 1/4 of the book is done Elspeth has provided some information about her husband. I was starting doubt he existed. I wondered the same thing as you did, Peggy (message 19). Maybe he was always out to sea. He did have to come back sometimes. (view spoiler)[After all, she did get pregnant. But it doesn't sound like a terribly close relationship. When he goes off to war and writes back to her he says nothing about her or the lost child. Not interested? He and Finlay seem to have been closer. That interesting too. He ended up alone and definitely sour. (hide spoiler)].
The letters are definitely getting longer after June 1914 (view spoiler)[when Elspeth didn't show up to meet David. (hide spoiler)]
I think Elspeth (view spoiler)[ is falling in love with David. In the letter on 11/29/1914 she talks about the characters in his story about the Mouse King and says that maybe the little girl falls in love with the King. "As though he were wearing a checkered jacket. It wouldn't be surprising if she fell in love." (hide spoiler)]
I'm going back to my reading now.

[Peggy]

Good to see you're reading it too Roz! Can't read the spoilers right now, but probably tonight or tomorrow :)

[Peggy]

Roz wrote: "Sorry I'm late coming to the party. I just started reading last night. I've finished the first 5 chapters. I like the letter format. People just don't write letters like they used to. Today it's al..."

Regarding the letters, (view spoiler)[ I also think she hid them because they were so personal and Elspeth doesn't seem the kind of person who just shares all her private stuff with everyone. Maybe she was afraid Margareth would find them if they were not hidden in a very good place, but maybe it was also some kind of self-protection? That she didn't want to come across them when opening a drawer in her desk, but also not wanting to throw them away. (hide spoiler)]

Don't read this until you finish:
(view spoiler)[ Although that last part maybe not makes sense since she never forgot about him and sat in that cathedral every single day.. (hide spoiler)]

[Roz]

I've finished Chapter 14. After all these years Elspeth doesn't know where David is? Being alone in 1940 I just figured they ended the affair or he died. She doesn't give much thought to Iain. And Margaret's letter to Paul (view spoiler)[letting him know that she needs to think about her feelings for him, that maybe the engagement isn't right for her after all...that must have blind sided him (hide spoiler)]

[Roz]

Well I finished the book today. I was at work having lunch. Luckily there was no one in the room. (view spoiler)[I figured Margaret was David and Elspeth's daughter, that she really didn't lose the child. Margaret never knew who her father was, Elspeth was always evasive on the topic. The whole situation was so touching to me. The letters never delivered (Iain probably got them first and destroyed them), David coming to Skye and seeing Elspeth from the road and misreading the scene, Elspeth waiting at the church all those years, and then David living all alone around the corner from the hotel even when Elspeth went there reliving her memories. I'm glad it had one of those 'happily ever after' endings. After everything they'd been through, don't you think they deserved it? It would have been too tragic if one of them died in the bombing at the hotel, or if David had died in prison, or married someone else. (hide spoiler)] I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

[Cherie]

Roz - I loved your spoiler! (view spoiler)[ I did not figure the baby angle out and had totally been holding my breath about it. I totally agree with all you said about the happy ending stuff. We are just two sappy romantics, I guess. (hide spoiler)]

[Peggy]

Glad you enjoyed it so much Roz!

(view spoiler)[ I was wondering throughout the book about who Margareth's father was, and David was a possibility, but I was never 100% sure. (hide spoiler)]