Whispers in the Glen
This dual-timeline novel transports readers to a small Scottish village in the first half of the 20th century. Alternating between the years prior to and during World War I and the period of World War II, this story centers on the Anderson family and their circle of neighbors.
Sisters Nell and Effie Anderson grow up with a tyrannical father and a mother whose early death from suspicious circumstances remains a mystery. The sisters are relatable, and their occasional bickering at their shared home feels authentic. Nell is fiercely independent, serving as an ambulance driver during World War I for the Scottish Women’s Hospital in France. Returning home, she works as a “Cameron,” one of the first female postal delivery workers in her rural county, riding her bicycle all over the area. Effie’s intelligence and kindheartedness shines in her work as the village teacher. A brutal attack, however, leaves Effie feeling vulnerable and hesitant to venture far from home.
The strength of this novel is its depiction of this small Scottish village with its slow pace of life. The interwoven stories of the townspeople add to the atmosphere. Themes of patriarchy, women’s quest for self-determination, and marriage and romantic entanglements predominate. Although real-life events are woven into the book, the details of these events are lightly sketched. While Nell and Effie’s stories draw readers in, the constant switching of time periods between each short chapter may disorient readers. The switches become less frequent as the story progresses, and that shift helps readers better appreciate the story’s many reveals of family secrets and the restrictions on women’s lives. If readers can stay with this narrative, their efforts will be rewarded with an atmospheric story that speaks to an earlier time.
