The Flight of Gemma Hardy
by Margot Livesey
9780062064226, $25.99, HarperCollins
I’ve never read anything by Margot Livesey before, though she has published many novels, but this book caught my attention because it is a contemporary nod to Jane Eyre set in Iceland and Scotland. Sounds promising. Here is the publisher description:
When her widower father drowns at sea, ten-year-old Gemma Hardy is taken from her native Iceland to Scotland, to live with her uncle’s family. But the death of her doting guardian soon after leaves Gemma under the resentful eye of her aunt. When she receives a scholarship to a private school, Gemma believes she’s found the perfect solution, and she eagerly sets out again to a new home. Alas, at Claypoole she finds herself treated as an unpaid servant. To Gemma’s delight, the school finally goes bankrupt and she takes a job as an au pair on the Orkney Islands. The remote Blackbird Hall belongs to Mr. Sinclair, a London businessman; his eight-year-old niece is Gemma’s charge. Even before their first meeting Gemma is intrigued by Mr. Sinclair. Rich, single, flying in from London when he pleases, Hugh Sinclair fills the house with life. The unlikely pair are drawn to one another, but their courtship is cut short by Gemma’s discovery of a secret that has shadowed her employer’s life; soon after, she resolves to flee to mainland Scotland and vows to forget Mr. Sinclair. But as she rebuilds her life she wonders with increasing intensity whether she may still have a family in Iceland. As for her vow, that proves harder to keep than she imagines.
WildlyRead 
I'm eagerly awaiting this one too!
This was the first Margot Livesey that I read and I really enjoyed it. Of course, it felt rather like visiting old friends since I grew up reading Jane Eyre, so I was surprised that I liked it.Makes me wonder, though, about the bizarre inverse-mirror line between writing fanfiction (which lots of people decry) with other people's characters but using your own original plot and basically borrowing an entire plot structure from another work but creating your own characters to go in it.
Em – I'm glad you liked it! And great/thoughtful comment. I admit, I'm partly interested in this book for that reason – I'm trying to write an adaptation of 12th Night and so am very interested in "borrowing an entire plot structure from another work", etc.
This sounds really good! I love any book based in Scotland 🙂 The cover is pretty, too! Great pick!Jess @ Gone with the Words 🙂 (Waiting on Wednesday!)
This is a new one for me! Sounds interesting!GiselleXpresso Reads
I love these kinds. I think this book looks wonderful, I have never heard about it. Thanks for sharing :)http://brunettelibrarian.blogspot.com
I love learning about new books through this meme – I hadn't heard of this one but I definitely want to read it! Jane Eyre. is one of my favourite books and I love the contemporary versions. Thanks Broche!