Flight of the Heron read-along: Part I chapters 1-2

[regshoe]

Hark! now the drums they beat again for all good soldiers, gentlemen...

Welcome back to the Flight of the Heron read-along! This week we read the first two proper chapters, and meet Keith Windham—and Keith meets Ewen Cameron.

As you'll have noticed, Broster is fond of including both Gaelic and Scots words in dialogue; this online Gaelic-English dictionary and this one for Scots may be of use if you'd like to look anything up.

Next week we will continue with chapters 3 and 4.

Comments

[friendofthejabberwock]

I think I liked these couple of chapters even more than the prologue, honestly. Keith's continual bewilderment about Ewen just never got old. Keith just not knowing what to do with a not-so-barbaric "barbarian" was especially good during the surrender -- the combination of Keith trying to do things properly and at least going down with a fight and Ewen being exceedingly polite the entire time made for a very entertaining dynamic that also gave some more character detail.

And ooh, the heron! I feel badly for the poor horse but I was very excited to encounter it again. I'll be interested for Ewen's thoughts on that -- he certainly must have been shaken if he let it be that obvious to Keith.

That's so interesting about Keith's attitude towards the mountains! I chalked that up to his general disgust for all things Highland, but the land as beautiful because of its usefulness vs. inherent beauty makes a lot of sense. I always find those little differences in attitudes between past and present so interesting. I've been enjoying your historical notes -- while I'm not familiar enough with the period to catch the references while reading the book, I'm always happy to be reading a historical novel that fits in so well with history.

And last but certainly not least, I love that we got another reminder of how splendidly built Ewen is, and from Keith, no less.

[luzula]

Here's an actual 18th century Englishman opining about the Highlands: "an eye accustomed to flowery pastures and waving harvests is astonished and repelled by this wide extent of hopeless sterility," where the mountains, "always horrid to behold, looked positively diseased when the heather was in bloom."

Keith seems almost restrained by contrast!

[hyarrowen]

It was the depths of the Little Ice Age at that point, so it'd be a much starker scene than present-day Scotland. And even I, much though I love the uplands, have to admit that an entire landscape full of heather in bloom is a startling sight!

[friendofthejabberwock]

Keith does indeed seem somewhat restrained, then! Where's the quote from?

[luzula]

It's from Captain Edward Burt, who was one of General Wade's road-building crew in the Highlands in the first half of the 18th century. Not that I've read his book; I got the quote via Christopher Duffy who has written some great books about the '45.

(Hmm, I wonder if I can track down Burt's book...)

[regshoe]

Here it is! (I looked it up when I was using the quote in 'I'll Mount the Air on Swallow's Wings' :) )

[luzula]

Yes, I had also found it now. But thanks! : )

[friendofthejabberwock]

Thank you for the information! I can definitely see where someone trying to build roads would be especially unhappy with the terrain, lol. And I'll have to look up Christopher Duffy -- this isn't a setting I'm particularly familiar with but I'm hoping to change that.

[dr_zook]

Wonderful quote! Haha, I may develop a thing for restrained!Keith. :q

[regshoe]

Without spoilers, there is indeed a bit more drama over the heron to come in the next couple of chapters...

I always find those little differences in attitudes between past and present so interesting.

Yes, it's one of the most interesting things about good historical fiction—especially when specific historical attitudes inform the characters' motivations in plot-important ways that wouldn't work in a modern setting. Which is something I think Broster does very well!

I love that we got another reminder of how splendidly built Ewen is, and from Keith, no less.

:D

[friendofthejabberwock]

Ooh, thank you for the heron hint... :D

And yes, exactly! Looking forward to more interesting history.

[impala_chick]

Oh interesting point about the horse - I didn't think much of Ewen's reaction but you're right, he did let on that it was disturbing to him. And he seems to do most things deliberately in front of Keith.