Sight and sound

     Here's an idea: check the weather forecast for the weekend. If it's going to be cold and wet, sit by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate and read this book; if it's going to be warm and sunny, get a seat in the shade and read this book.
     Linda Gillard's latest novel Star Gazing is a delight. It's the story of Marianne, who has been blind since birth, and the hesitant relationship she becomes involved in with the strong, silent Keir. Add in Marianne's sister Louisa, a very successful writer of "Scottish Gothic Vampire Romances" (did you guess there was such a genre?) and her Goth assistant Garth, and you have a great deal of humour to season what is a very tender and touching love story.
    Apart from the fluency of Linda's writing what particularly struck me about this book is the wonderfully perceptive and sensitive depiction of what it is to be blind, and to what degree a lack of sight causes a reliance on other senses. There are many references to music, for instance, and Marianne uses music as a cypher for the visual, 'seeing' something by likening it to a particular piece. Here's Keir's description of cobwebs: "Cobwebs are very beautiful, especially if you're of a mathematical turn of mind. Fiendishly delicate. Or perhaps I mean delicately fiendish. Think The Well-Tempered Clavier. On a harpsichord."
    If cobwebs are Bach, Keir interprets a mountain range for Marianne as Beethoven: the Cuillin in Skye becomes The Hammerklavier. Elsewhere, architecture is described as "frozen music", and I found this almost synaesthetic response to the world fascinating.
    On a purely personal level, as the book is set mostly in Edinburgh and Skye, there was much I was familiar with. Marianne's favourite haunt is in our neck of the woods ( have a look here ) while Keir's house on Skye is in almost the same spot as this cottage. Whether or not you know the locations you're unlikely to be disappointed in the book.

     Read what Linda says about  her novel  here

Comments

[Peter the Flautist]

Dark Puss, who is fond of star gazing when he is in central Scotland, rather fancies a romance with a Scottish Gothic Vampyr, but I suspect that isn't quite what you intend here. As a great admirer of J S Bach I think the cobweb analogy is an interesting one to which I will give further thought. Do any 20/21 century composers appear in the descriptions? From reading this book you will understand why I almost always listen to music (especially live music) with my eyes shut (and I also wish the rest of the audience would go away too).

[Linda Gillard]

Peter, as the author, may I comment? The main composer featured in the book is Rautavaara. (The Cantus Arcticus.) Poulenc also gets a mention. (The organ concerto.)

Thanks Cornflower, for a lovely review! I'm pleased someone's homed in on the music. This synaesthetic aspect was one of the things that most interested me when I was writing the book.

[Peter the Flautist]

Dear Linda Gillard, thank you very much for your response. I am listening to part of Cantus Articus as I type this (but with my eyes open sadly!). If my library has a copy of this book I'll have a go at reading it. I have read Emotional Geology. Thank you, Peter

[Danielle]

Lovely review Cornflower. I plan on reading this as well.

[Charity]

Thanks for the recommendation! This hasn't been released here yet, but I've marked it for later. :0)

[Susie Vereker]

Interesting review. I've just ordered Linda's book. I know her, of course, as she was a fellow Transita author. (I've re-blogged about Sicily at your request!)

[Ruth]

describing architecture as "frozen music" is usually attributed to Goethe

[Margaret Powling]

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you for praising my friend Linda's book so highly. It's thoroughly deserved as she's a fine novelist. I've known Linda for more than 20 years and I don't know anyone who has worked harder at perfecting the craft of novelist. I hope this book sells by the shed load as, in my opinion, it's her best to date. As the Irish comedian says: it's a cracker!

[Lyn Baines]

This is a wonderful book, I can't recommend it highly enough. Glorious romance, a real, prickly, not always likeable heroine & a gorgeous hero, Edinburgh & Skye - what more could you want? Thank you Cornflower for a lovely review.

[Lesley]

I bought Emotional Geology on your recommendation and absolutely loved it. It spoke to me on a number of levels. How can I resist another book partly set in Skye? Happy happy happy. Love the flowers btw. :)

[Simon T]

I've just started reading this... response when done, of course, but if it's half as great as A Lifetime Burning..!

[Elaine]

I have just started this and am already loving it. In my opinion, Linda gets better with each book

[Hazel]

I read this on a rain-bound day in a self-catering cottage in Achintraid, Scotland, a few weeks back. I too especially appreciated the music references -I know and love the Poulenc organ concerto and bought Cantus Articus on my return - I'm absolutely blown away by it, thank you so much Linda - both for the book and the music!