In Little Wing, Freya North gives us three unforgettable characters across two timelines: pregnant schoolgirl Florence, who is banished in 1969 to one of the farthest outposts of Scotland to deliver her baby; lonely, untethered Nell, who divides her time between care in the community and visiting her mentally impaired mother; and photographer Dougie, a man estranged from his roots and troubled by a painful past. Florence Lawson, a 16-year-old schoolgirl who dreams of being an artist, finds herself pregnant and banished to one of the most remote parts of the UK.

Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and Little Wing: A beautifully written, emotional and

Between the sprawl of London, suburban Essex, and the wild, unpredictable Outer Hebrides, three lives collide and interweave as questions are asked and secrets surface. What happened to Florence? Why is Dougie now so reluctant to return home? How can Nell make peace with the lies she's been told? Little Wing is told from the perspectives of three characters: Florence, who is sixteen and pregnant and has been banished to one of the remotest parts of the UK in 1969. And the parallel lives of Nell and Dougie in 2005. As the reader, we know that Florence, Nell and Dougie must be linked somehow; the result is incredibly emotive. I especially loved the moment Nell and Dougie’s lives connected, it made me smile so much. Oh my gosh - what a blindsider of a read! Emotional, poignant, tender, and with descriptive prose to die for, this hit me with all the feels. I expected light and fluffy and got instead the most affecting, absorbing story of identity, belonging and second chances. And the clincher: the ruggedly beautiful setting of the Outer Hebrides. I drowned in it and savored every word.

I loved the characters in this book and I cared about them all. I also loved the sound of windswept and beautiful Harris in Scotland and was sorely tempted to jump on a plane and go there until I thought to look up the weather forecast which for this week in February is 7 straight days of rain, short days and highs of 7 degrees. Little Wing shares the story of a pregnant teenager who is sent away from her family to give birth. Years later, Nell (the child) is a young adult and concerned for her mom who suffers from dementia. Her mom’s ramblings cause Nell to question her past. Nell sets out for the Outer Hebrides in search of answers. While there, she crosses paths with Dougie and makes significant discoveries.

Little Wing by Freya North | Waterstones Little Wing by Freya North | Waterstones

North gets to the heart of relationships very well. They are messy, glorious, heart-breaking, soul soothing and complex. Nell's relationship with her mum Wendy (who had very challenging mental health issues) gave so much more depth to Nell's personality and patience. Nell was overflowing with love and kindness, she had dedicated her life to working with and supporting those who needed it most. It was this inherent kindness that made me really fond of Nell. The story has well-developed characters, depth and history , and I absolutely loved finding out more about a remote area of the UK. The story weaves its beautiful way to the conclusion, which was exactly how I wanted it to end. But to be honest, I didn’t really want it to end at all.Told from three points of view, the structure facilitates a connection with each character. We experience Dougie’s and Nell’s work frustrations and empathize with their parental relationships. I love hearing from Nell’s birth mother in her own voice through journal entries. I need to note that I appreciate this point of view printed in italics. It made the transition to her POV easy to navigate. In addition to the three main characters, I loved the portrayal of the kind and compassionate nurse in both the present and past timelines.

Little Wing by Freya North | Goodreads Little Wing by Freya North | Goodreads

As the past begins to close in on them both, they find themselves travelling to a remote village called Harris in the Outer Hebrides Don’t you just love it when characters in a book become to feel like friends or family? That is precisely what happened with the characters in Little Wing, Nell and Dougie especially. They just brought such warmth to me, and I wanted nothing but the best outcome for them both.Two timelines, two main characters and two different stories. The first timeline begins in the 1960's with a pregnant 16-year-old banished from her home and sent away to one of the most remote parts of the UK.