The Flight of Gemma Hardy: A Novel
The talented Livesey updates Jane Eyre, changing the setting to Scotland and the Orkneys during the 1950s and &#x2019;60s but taking care to home in on the elements of this classic story that so resonate with readers: a resourceful orphan makes her way in an uncaring world and not only endures but also triumphs. Despite readers&#x2019; familiarity with the story line, they will be held rapt as Gemma Hardy, orphaned at age 10, is taken in by a loving uncle only to lose him, too. Her aunt so cruelly shuns her in the wake of her uncle&#x2019;s death that she looks forward to attending boarding school, but her status as a working girl means that she has little time for her schoolwork, often laboring to the point of exhaustion. Still, Gemma&#x2019;s high intelligence and fierce resolve see her through many difficult experiences until she lands a dream job as an au pair on the isolated yet beautiful Orkney Islands. There she meets the family that will change her life (minus the madwoman in the attic). A sure bet for both book clubs and Bront&#xEB; fans. --Joanne Wilkinson--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.