regshoe: A grey heron in flight over water (Heron)
regshoe ([personal profile] regshoe) wrote2021-09-25 06:10 pm

Flight of the Heron read-along: Prologue

The news frae Moidart cam yestreen will soon gar mony ferlie...

Welcome everyone to the Flight of the Heron read-along! I'm delighted by the amount of interest there's been in this lovely book recently, and I hope this will be a great opportunity to discuss it in more depth.

Some notes:

A reminder of where to find the novel as a free ebook and a free audiobook.

My plan is to cover two chapters in most weeks, but I thought we'd start with just the Prologue, partly to provide a gentle introduction and partly because it makes it easier to split the rest of the book up in a way that makes sense.

We have a mixture of people re-reading the book and people reading it for the first time participating, so, if you've read the book before and would like to discuss earlier chapters in the context of what happens later on, please warn for or hide spoilers! I suggest using rot13, if that works for everyone.

Next week we'll read Part I chapters 1 and 2, and meet Keith Windham...
luzula: a Luzula pilosa, or hairy wood-rush (Default)

[personal profile] luzula 2021-09-25 08:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, I think you're right about Broster being fond of Ewen!

Broster's humorous use of epithets is great: '“Stop!” said the marrow of his heart peremptorily.' is one of my favourites.

Heh, I do like that one, too.

Re: the opening passage, she often opens descriptive sections with what the light is doing. I remember you doing so very nicely in fic, too. : )
osprey_archer: (Default)

[personal profile] osprey_archer 2021-09-26 12:39 am (UTC)(link)
I've noticed that older books are often a bit more willing to blur the line between realistic fiction and fantasy. Here there's Angus's visions and the presence of fate; I've also seen a number of otherwise realistic children's books from the time period that give their heroines a dash of clairvoyance (Emily in Emily of New Moon, Norah in the Billabong books). Maybe there was a less stringent demand for genre separation in the 1920s?

I love that Ewan shows up the first time buck naked and glistening with water. Broster, making sure that we know exactly what kind of book we're getting into.
tei: Rabbit from the Garden of Earthly Delights (Default)

[personal profile] tei 2021-09-26 04:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, this is a really good point! It also feels like something to do with historical fiction and how an author approaches the mindset of the characters-- if the characters wholeheartedly believe something, then I think it makes more sense (and is more interesting and... respectful, I guess?) for the author to accept that it is "true" in the context of those characters' lives, instead of the narrative adopting a "silly people in the Past who didn't have science!" attitude.
luzula: a Luzula pilosa, or hairy wood-rush (Default)

[personal profile] luzula 2021-09-26 05:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Good point in general! But in FotH, neither of the main characters actually believes it, because of 18th century Enlightenment values, although Lachlan and Old Angus do. I suspect Broster of having fun with confronting that Enlightenment skepticism with the existence of the prophecy...
tei: Rabbit from the Garden of Earthly Delights (Default)

[personal profile] tei 2021-09-26 06:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Aha, I look forward to it! :D
lirazel: An illustration of Emily Starr from the books by L.M. Montgomery ([lit] of new moon)

[personal profile] lirazel 2021-09-28 12:11 am (UTC)(link)
I wasn't expecting to come across an Emily Starr reference in this discussion, but I'm glad to see it!
osprey_archer: (Default)

[personal profile] osprey_archer 2021-09-28 01:19 am (UTC)(link)
It's always a good time for a reference to Emily Byrd Starr!
lirazel: An illustration of Emily Starr from the books by L.M. Montgomery ([lit] of new moon)

[personal profile] lirazel 2021-09-28 02:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Agreed!
impala_chick: (Default)

[personal profile] impala_chick 2021-09-26 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
I was trying to google what herons might have meant at the time, but I'm definitely curious to see what significance this heron has for Ewen.
dr_zook: (esca & marcus)

[personal profile] dr_zook 2021-09-26 07:19 am (UTC)(link)
Her describing the scenery really sets the table, I agree!

And Ewan's introduction is pretty awesome, not only because he is over six feet and splendidly made (haha, SERIOUSLY), but the way she describes him as embedded in nature/wilderness could mean either he's a fairy thing himself or (which gets confirmed in his talk with his foster-brother) that he's rather grounded in the literal soil of his home turf, exploring it, and not shying away from adventure (that dive from the cliff).

I also snorted out loud when I read the marrow of his heart exchange, wonderful!

Thank you for the water-horse fic link! I have saved it for a later read already. :3
dr_zook: (esca & marcus)

[personal profile] dr_zook 2021-09-26 03:43 pm (UTC)(link)
What a wonderful song, thank you for the link! I must admit I discovered Steeleye Span through Rose Kemp (Maddy & Rick's daughter)-- but better late than never. :D