Shoulder the Sky

This follows directly on from Music in the Hills. James and his new wife have come to live across the river from Mureth at Boscath. James has new responsibilities on the farm, while Rhoda has to adjust to an entirely new life -- without electricity or a telephone.

Boscath Farm-house was small but Rhoda was pleased with it; the rooms had been painted and papered and her colour-scheme of dove grey and turquoise blue was a great success. It was restful; pictures looked well upon the walls and various pieces of furniture which she and James had acquired from their relations seemed to be settling down together uncommonly well.

This story gives one a more general impression of what farming actually entails, rather than enough detail to serve as show more a how-to book, but it’s a vivid insight into how poor roads and poor weather can isolate one from the outside world.

I enjoyed seeing Rhoda find her feet -- and find time to still pursue painting. I loved seeing more of Mamie. And I didn’t mind spending time with James and Rhoda’s friends, but they rather became the focus towards the end and maybe I’d have liked this book more if that hadn’t been the case?

Stevenson has a tendency to end her stories rather abruptly -- she reaches the point where her reader knows what will happen next and leaves it there, rather than showing the conversation the characters are about to have (or whatever). It didn’t bother me so much with earlier books in this trilogy, because there was a sequel I could dive into, but this time I didn’t just want to know that everything was going to turn out okay, I wanted to see how certain characters would react! show less

This is the first D.E.Stevenson novel that I have read. I quite enjoyed it and plan to read more. It is the third in a trilogy and think it would help to read the earlier ones. The plot lines are different from the typical romance novel. I liked the remote setting in rural Scotland and the emphasis on married couples.

D.E. Stevenson's books don't always take you where you expect; they're usually more about life moving forward than about one big plot, climax and ending. Sometimes hints of trouble come to nothing. Other times plot turns come out of thin air.
Anyway, in this book it was nice to revisit James, Rhoda, Jock and Mamie and see how James and Rhoda make the transition from "will-they, won't-they" in the previous book to a committed, content and happily married couple. Provides background information for when their characters pop up in "Bel Lamington."

A pleasant book; clearly would have been better had I read the previous ones with the same characters. It's funny how much more dated a book from the mid-1900's can seem than one from much longer ago.

A pleasant book; clearly would have been better had I read the previous ones with the same characters. It's funny how much more dated a book from the mid-1900's can seem than one from much longer ago.

This may be my very favorite D.E. Stevenson book of all. But to truly appreciate it you have to at least read Music in the Hills first...

Potboiler. Chicklit avant la lettre.