Flight of the Heron read-along: Prologue

[regshoe]

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...

Comments

[regshoe]

Ewen is such a sweetheart, really :)

I do feel bad for Lachlan, especially in that bit where he thinks Ewen is really asking him to swear on the iron (just the kind of literal-minded misinterpretation I'd make...). Although this is him when he's anxious about what he thinks is a serious threat to Ewen—perhaps he talks back a bit more in everyday situations when the stakes are a bit lower? The reference to them killing deer together makes me imagine happy brotherly hunting trips with casual mutual teasing and no worries about Fate.

Ewen is just as much the educated gentleman of the Enlightenment as Keith is, dismissing superstition.

Good point!

Hmm, perhaps Ewen has an uncle/aunt/cousin who's married to a close relative of Lochiel's? Although I think he says later on that they're second cousins, rather than related by marriage—perhaps Broster had got a bit confused.

The Ewen/Alison scene is really rather sweet, especially that comment about the plaid (dubious historical accuracy of clan tartans notwithstanding)—it makes me think, if only I shipped it...! :) And I do like the contrast with Alison, who's grown up in exile, appreciating Ewen's deep connection to the place he's lived all his life, too.

[luzula]

Although this is him when he's anxious about what he thinks is a serious threat to Ewen—perhaps he talks back a bit more in everyday situations when the stakes are a bit lower? The reference to them killing deer together makes me imagine happy brotherly hunting trips with casual mutual teasing and no worries about Fate.

Awww, I like that interpretation!