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There are currently 29 member reviews
for Letters from Skye
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Barbara K. (Brooklyn, NY)
A wonderful read!
It was a joy to read this beautifully written, captivating novel, told in a series of letters.
In 1912, a man & woman begin a correspondence from across continents. We see friendship, then love develop, learn of other people in their lives & see how WWs I & II affected individuals & families. Because I began to care about all these people, I waited in anticipation for each new letter to arrive!
The letters end in 1940, having shown , on a very personal, intimate level what people endure for love in its many forms - love between a man & woman, love of family, maternal love, love of country & even love of adventure.
I would recommend this book to everyone!
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Madeline M. (FL)
Letters from Skye
From David's first letter - smart, cocky, with a hint of humor - to Elspeth, I was hooked. And by the time I finished her reply, I was ready to be swept away by their story. This novel has it all - great characters, foreign settings, friendship, love, poetry, war, mystery. Oh, and the ending! A great read all around.
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Rosanne S. (Franklin Square, NY)
War Time Romance
Thank you BookBrowse from giving me the opportunity to read Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole. It reminded me very much of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which I also enjoyed.
Elspeth Dunn lives on the remote island of Skye in Scotland. She lives a very sheltered life. She has never left the island and lives on a farm with her husband. She writes poetry and most recently has had a book of poems published.
David Graham an American college student loves poetry and after reading Elspeth book he writes her a fan letter. What begins as a simple fan letter becomes much more.
As the Great War begins Elspeth's husband goes off to war. Davy unhappy with his career options becomes eager for an adventure. He joins the corps of ambulance volunteers in France. Through it all the correspondence continues. The letters become personal and intimate revealing their secrets and desires.
The author does an incredible job telling their story through letters. The characters are so real and the correspondence so compelling, I would forget that I was reading a book. I think I became as eager as Elspeth to read each new letter.
For anyone who has received a love letter and for those who wish they had, Letters from Skye is a must read.
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Bink W. (Sopchoppy, FL)
Views of wartime
I generally do not enjoy novels of letters, but this one is well done. The romance is sort of cheezy, but seems in keeping with the times as did the young men's attitude towards war. Most just can't wait to get involved to prove their manhood and get some excitement in their lives. Very poignant and sad. It is a quick read and enjoyed the glimpse of the isolation of the Isle of Skye. Wish there had been a little more about their lovely music.
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Peggy K. (Long Beach, CA)
Love in the Air
What a truly beautiful story and actually you get two stories for the price of one in two different eras. It would seem hard to develop a real story using letters as the main course but it works very well here and I believe this will appeal to ages 14 and up in females. Overall though I believe that most who read this book will enjoy the characters very much. I liked Elspeth and Margaret but felt closest to Elspeth. It does indeed celebrate the written word and that is something that is losing its power today. This is a topic for Book Clubs certainly. Letters are not as important as they were and in this book one can see what is being lost. Take this book to the beach this summer and enjoy the love.
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Joan N. (Evanston, IL)
Love Letters We'd Love to Get
Letters from Skye is made up of letters between David Graham who is studying at the University of Illinois and Elspeth Dunn, a young woman poet living an isolated life on the Scottish island of Skye. The letters range from 1912 to 1940. These are the romantic love letters we'd all love to get. It's not a long book—I couldn't put it down. I marveled at how the author could convey so much character, history, and emotion just using letters. I didn't think the letters rang totally true to their times but that didn't diminish my complete enjoyment.
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Judith B. (Omaha, NE)
Perfect for a Summer Read
If you are looking for a pleasant view of the experiences of two everyday people in wartime, then this is your book. It is written in a "letters" format and covers the timeframe of WWI and WWII. I found the writing style to be charming, and the author's ability to describe her characters, their emotions, and their surroundings brought the two time periods alive. I particularly enjoyed the parts describing life on the Isle of Skye. There are complex morale issues that will make for an interesting discussion if the books is selected for a book group. It's a good, solid debut novel.
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