The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey

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A captivating tale, set in Scotland in the early 1960s, that is both an homage to and a modern variation on the enduring classic Jane Eyre. 


Fate has not been kind to Gemma Hardy. Orphaned by the age of ten, neglected by a bitter and cruel aunt, sent to a boarding school where she is both servant and student, young Gemma seems destined for a life of hardship and loneliness. Yet her bright spirit burns strong. Fiercely intelligent, singularly determined, Gemma overcomes each challenge and setback, growing stronger and more certain of her path. Now an independent young woman with dreams of the future, she accepts a position as an au pair on the remote and beautiful Orkney Islands. 


But Gemma's biggest trial is about to begin . . . a journey of passion and betrayal, secrets and lies, redemption and discovery that will lead her to a life she's never dreamed.

A modern retelling of Jane Eyre? Of course I wanted The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey! While this aspect was what drew me to The Flight of Gemma Hardy, I also enjoyed Livesey's unique elements that made it distinct from Charlotte Bronte's masterpiece. However, those looking for a close parallel with Jane Eyre will be dissatisfied.

Though set in the 60s, the book begins much like the original: Gemma is a plain and unwanted relative who is sent to a harsh boarding school by her cold aunt. This segment of the book, along with the following part, when Gemma goes to the Orkney Islands to be a nanny to an unruly wild-child, are the two sections which I engaged me the most. Livesey's depiction of the terrible conditions in the boarding school and by contrast the stark, natural beauty of the Islands is fascinating.

As the title alludes to, Gemma is rendered as a fledgling bird who goes through trials and tragedies before finally taking flight. Rather than solely focus on Gemma's love affair with Mr. Rochester/Mr. Sinclair, Livesey takes her time exploring Gemma's rich inner life and emotional growth, slowly moving from a state of complete solitude to finding love and friendship, then finally discovering the truth about her origins.


"In the west the sky was still light and the bats were out, uttering their high-pitched cries. From the fields came the lonely, fluting call of the curlews. The beauty of the evening only made me lonelier. And what was I lonely for? I asked as I climbed on the gate and gazed down the road along which any car must come. I was used to being alone and I had more friends here than I had at any time since my uncle died. But I remembered how Mr. Sinclair had talked to me when the bee stung my hand, and how later he had asked my views about God, as if my answer mattered. In those moments I had felt seen by him, and I wanted, I thought as a bat swooped by, to go on being seen."

Enough of Jane Eyre's themes are recognizable to make The Flight of Gemma Hardy a sturdy retelling. However, I found Gemma's relationship with Mr. Sinclair to be lacking in passion. Further, there's a long section after Gemma runs away from the terrible secret she finds out about her beloved (not what you might expect) which was dull compared to the first two sections. Not even Gemma's flight to beautiful Iceland sufficiently enlivened the ending for me.


Thank you very much to the Amazon Vine Program for providing a copy for me to review!