I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

As a history student, this was a book I was really interested in. Having learnt about the Highland Clearances in brief during school it’s something I’ve always had an interest in. Sally Magnusson writes so frankly and beautifully about the consequences of the Clearances on people’s minds and existences. The two timelines of the story were both written with heart and I found that the splitting wove together the fact and fictional parts of this story in a way that I absolutely loved and made me want to learn more about the history behind the novel.

I enjoyed reading this book, which gives quite an understated but stark portrayal of a woman's life against the backdrop of poverty, women's oppression and state brutality carried out during the Highland Clearances in Scotland.

Initially that might sound like a slightly strange book! But the author weaves together the political situation of the time and Jamesina's personal life very well, and does a brilliant job of bringing it all to life.

We meet Jamesina when she seems to be towards the end of her life. Her husband and children are dead, and she lives alone doing other people's washing to make ends meet. But then a man shows up looking for somewhere to lodge, and her life begins to change.

Through flashbacks and other people's testimony we learn that Jamesina has a fascinating and eventful past. Not only was she involved in battles with the police during the clearances, but she also was once an aspiring writer and poet, being fascinated by the origins of words. Now she feels that this was all fanciful on her part and she's settled into the role that society expects of her.. But her passion for words remains.

We learn that her new lodger, Niall, isn't in fact a stranger to her. He knew her when she was younger, when his mother was also involved in the clearance battles. He was scarred by this experience and has much empathy for Jamesina. As the story goes on, they become more affectionate, despite Jamesina's apparent automatic attempts to thwart it.

I loved the way that the author has written their developing relationship, and especially like the way she describes Jamesina's insecurities. At one point she talks about the impact of numerous childbirths on her body, and her fears about whether Niall will be disappointed when they are in bed together. Jamesina marvels at the fact that so many women's bodies are damaged by childbirth and yet it's one of many things no one speaks about because it affects women.

Jamesina is also grieving for her many lost children. Most died young but one survived for some years, and she's feeling the loss even more. She's also possibly suffering menopausal symptoms and possibly early signs of dementia.

Niall's efforts to support her with this are just one of the ways that we are shown how much he cares about her. Descriptions of how people live with people they love having dementia are very moving.

I have to admit that I did skip through some of the historical parts of this book because I wanted to stay with the story of Jamesina in the present and follow how her life was developing. However, I think it's a very impressive novel for combining these things and a really enjoyable read.

Music in the Dark offered a historical version of what happened during the Highland Clearances, which was a very dark period in Scottish history. It's written from Jamesina and her lodger’s points of view over two different timelines and portrays the tragedy and injustice of the Highland Clearances. At times there were some shocking events, which add to the thoughts of the injustice of the wealthy.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction and appreciate reimaginings of actual events, then this beautifully written novel, about a dark period in Scotland’s past, is for you. Revolving around the Highland Clearances of the mid-1800s, when landowners forcibly evicted entire communities from their villages, Music in the Dark is a powerful and emotional read.

Thirty years after the brutal events that changed her life, Jamesina, a widow and horribly disfigured, is living in a tenement flat in Rutherglen. When she takes in a lodger, recently returned from America, little do they know of the ties that bind them.

Told over two timelines — one the true account of the notorious clearing of the village of Greenyards in 1853, the other a tender love story — this had me captivated from start to finish.

I adored the character of Jamesina; her fierce intellect and ambitions as a young girl enchanted by poetry and music, her quiet stoicism in the face of multiple tragedies, and ultimately the gentle unfurling of her scarred and hardened heart.

Magnusson’s writing is melodic and evocative, her weaving together of characters, real and imagined, effortlessly convincing.

Before reading this, I’m embarrassed to say that I knew nothing of the vital role that women of that time played in trying to protect their communities. I was ignorant of their bravery and sacrifices and of the awful physical and emotional trauma they had to live with for the rest of their lives.

I love that Magnusson took this tragedy and showed that good, kindness and compassion could still prevail.

I found this story truly mesmerising. And I read with interest Magnusson’s author’s note, in which she details her research and the real-life historical figures mentioned in the book. It’s clear that this is a subject very close to her heart and probably the reason why her words carry such emotional heft.

A new-to-me author, whom I shall be following with interest.

Written from a duel point of view this novel tell us a story of Jemesine Ross and her lodger. Moving between 1854 at 1884, this is the time of the traumatic Highland clearances with families turned off their land and the novel depicts the terrible hardships of the life that follows. A slow burn, this novel follows the relationship that develops between the two main characters and the shared history that they discover. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review

Very deep and moving.
I found some of this book hard to follow as it moved backward and forward only revealing the truth towards the end. The story of the Highland clearances and the part played by Jamesina.
Jamesina is taught Latin by the local preacher Mr.Aird, she is a diligent and intelligent pupil, throughout the novel she dissects words into Latin and gives all of the tenses. Her ambitions is to write songs or poetry, there are quotes in the book.
The village she lives is set for clearance although the residents have always paid their rent, they are forced to seek shelter in a church and in a graveyard, when a reporter comes to investigate he takes their side and Jamesina becomes attracted to him. The hardship and poverty that people endure is well documented but so is their spirit and comradeship. The women repel a couple of attempts at being removed but the third one is vindictive and cruel as they are beaten with batons by policemen. A lot of the women suffer life changing injuries, Jamesina is facially disfigured, after recovering she gets a job as a maid and meets her future husband Willie a cruel, selfish man who often takes his temper out on her. She has lots of children, some dying at birth or later, the first one Archie survives till 16 and dies of consumption. Willie has died previously so she is alone, left to take in washing to make ends meet.
A shoemaker Niall takes lodgings with her, he also has a turbulent past. They live under the same roof, she has forgetful moments and he tries to assist her. Eventually through a tune that he hums, they recognise one another as childhood acquaintances, his brother Iain had intended marrying her. Jamesina can not get over the loss of her son, her injuries and the loss of her friend Grace. Niall through kindness and perseverance gets through to her and takes her to a Doctor friend of his, Niall and Jamesina marry and start to heal together with the help of the songs she has written in the past.
Thank you Sally and NetGalley.

Jamesina Ross grows up happy but poor in the Highland village where her forebears have farmed for generations and where she is educated by the local minister. Music is Jamesina's escape and she composed many wonderful songs of life in the glen. Then the landlords demand that the people move from the land, the Clearances, and Jamesina's life is turned upside down. A violent altercation and Jamesina loses more than just her family home, she is injured and never the same again. Years later she takes in a lodger who offers a solace and maybe some closure.
The Highland Clearances are a dark period in history, when thousands of people were displaced and forced to emigrate or move to the cities. Here, by focusing on two characters, Magnusson explores both the diaspora and the city dwellers. The writing is very lyrical and the story moving. At its heart it is a love story and deeply satisfying.

Despite the horror of its subject of the Highland Clearances in the 19th century, when crofters were evicted from their smallholdings to make way for sheep, this is a beautifully lyrical story from master story-teller Sally Magnusson. It begins with Jamesina Bain, a widow in Rutherglen, and still battling with the physical and mental scars of her community's violent eviction, first from Glencalvie, then Greenyards. Bitter and broken, with a string of dead children behind her, it seems there is no future to enjoy - until the arrival of her new lodger, a Scotsman who grew up in America and has returned to work in Rutherglen. As he gently inserts himself into her life, he draws her out and we see the young girl she once was, feisty and passionate, ready to love and be loved, and blessed with the gift of song-writing. Her songs now are an elegy to a people lost, but never forgotten.
Due to old injuries, her memory is fading, but her spirit remains strong - as does her dry wit, sarcasm, and intelligence, as evinced by her knowledge of Latin, and the words it gave to the English alphabet.
I found this a bit jarring in the story, inserting itself as it does so fully into the narrative, but I think it was there for a reason - one, to remind the reader that Jamesina is to be admired, not pitied; two, to show that old cultures always leave their mark, and that the Celtic people's legacy will live on.
I also found the first few pages hard going, as it is not clear exactly what is going on with Jamesina and her lodger, but very quickly everything dropped into place, and the story found its pace and rhythm, exploring the present, the recent past and the tragic past of over 40 years ago, which has left its mark on the Highlands to this day.
It's a sad story, but also one of hope and redemption, and though there are no spirits, sprites or selkies, as I've come to expect from this author's books, it still carries a feyness in its lyrical description of the lives of people who matter, far more than profits.

Moving and evocative, Music in the Dark unfolds the life of Jamesina Munro (formally Bain, née Ross) as she peers back through the distant memories which seem easier to recollect than those such as what she had for breakfast.

Introduced as a bitter, aloof, loner, recently having lost her son, the arrival of a person from her past provides a lens through which to explore the many traumas Jamesina, and many of those originally from the Highlands, faced during the Clearances.

Filled with sadness and sensitivity to the challenges faced by many women, while rarely discussed, the story is also filled with flashes of hope and joy, including when old friends are reunited unexpectedly.

A perfectly mixed blend of fact and well crafted fiction makes this a delight to read and learn from.

As much as I'd enjoyed Sally Magnusson's previous novel, I've got to admit I couldn't finish this one. I found the rhythm too slow and the whole narrative lacking consistency. It's a shame as the theme itself was of much interest, but it just didn't work for me.

This novel tells of the effects of the Highland Clearances . Jamesina Bain was evicted from Greenyards in Strathcarron and was brutally treated at that time leaving her disfigured and possibly brain damaged. She lives in a tenement in Rutherglen . Now widowed she takes in lodgers and it is through one of these who also was there at the clearances that the tale unfolds

This could have been a very sad and heart breaking story but somehow the author was able to keep it light even if it's poignant and very sad at moments.
The violence of the power on a young and ambitious woman who's disfigured and suffering, a new tenant. A common story that makes them reflect on what happened and what is now
I loved this story and these characters. Excellent storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Sorry not for me.
I found this so slow, for pages nothing was happening and then it got confusing with timeline and characters.
I really wanted to like it but just didn’t.

A beautifully written almost poetic novel. A fictional story based on actual events with real life characters seamlessly blended with fictional ones.
With limited characters this novel has a dual timeline and tells us of dark times in Scottish history, the story of the Highland Clearances a time in the 1850's where tenant farmers were evicted from their properties,
Forward nearly 40 years and Jamesina Ross and a Munro brother are reunited. There then follows a slow burn attraction in which each other is given a chance to heal from the tragedies of the past

Sally Magnusson is one of my favourite writers of historical fiction and this book is another fine example. The Scottish Clearances was a dreadful time and this book captures the feelings well. I enjoyed the Jamesina and Niall element to the story and their different views in the seperate chapters gave a more rounded look at their relationship and memories. My only slightly negative comment is about the etymology which litters the book. I love this but I can see that it could be offputting to someone who just wants to read a book without having the origins of the chosen words explained in detail. Hence the loss of one star on what is a well researched and well written book. With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the advanced copy to read and review

This is the second book I have read by this author and I can honestly say, she is now in my top ten for historical fiction. I love the way she brings these historical stories to life, it’s like you are actually there. The plight of the locals, being fought for by the women of the settlement, was new to me- I’d never heard of this before. It’s so shocking to realise that those in charge would be so cruel to the locals. The beauty of this book though, is the successes achieved by those who were persecuted. The fact that love can still bloom in times of hardship and people will actually find strength in each other is reassuring. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for giving me a prepublication copy of this book to read- I would whole heartedly recommend this to lovers of historical fiction based on real historical events. It truly is a beautifully crafted tale.

"Music in the Dark" by Sally Magnusson will appeal to some but not to me. I really struggled with this book - how it was written, the subject matter and characters - none of it really was to my liking. I did plough on through but I don't think I'll be trying to read this again.

Beautiful writings with a somber tone story. Focusing on Victorian era in Scotland about women who were treated brutally as to defend their home. It reveals the dark past slowly with in between the present story (around 10 years later) and also flashback. Tbh, the past unravel a bit late and before that I was left wondering what was going on. It also focused on how society ensured women should lived instead letting the choices free.

Sally Magnusson's third novel is a beautifully written, understated and moving account of both an important episode in Scotland's history and its impact on two (fictional) characters. The novel is one of those that reads effortlessly, so it's only when you stop and reflect you realise the skill with which it is put together - and that's just as it should be.

The book is set in 19th century Scotland, where a shoemaker finds lodging with the irascible Widow Bain. Over time, a grudging affection grows between the two, and they realise they have a shared history. The widow was once Jamesina Ross, an intelligent young girl whose family was 'cleared' from their Highland home despite the efforts of the local priest and national journalists to shed light on their plight. A few years later, Jamesina's new community is under the same threat - and the local women decide to resist, with terrible consequences.

Everything is beautifully paced, moving between past and present and unspooling the story at just the right rate. It initially seems to reveal too much too early, but as the story progresses there are more and more layers of information about the characters, their present circumstances and their histories to discover. Despite a mostly quiet setting and a small number of characters, it manages to be compelling. Both Jamesina and her lodger, Munro, are fascinating characters - Munro is very likeable at once, and Jamesina over time.

I had no awareness of the Highland Clearances despite having grown up and attended school in the UK (albeit in England). It seems wrong to me that people are not educated about these appalling events that took place in our own country/union. Magnusson has done well to shine a light on this part of history through fiction - in the afterword she explains her own ancestors were victims of the Clearances.

It's also a sensitive and true to life depiction of the impacts of early dementia, which is shown in a way that is accurate whilst also allowing for a sense of hope despite the cruel nature of the disease. Again, Magnusson has drawn on her own experiences (she has published a non-fiction account of the impact of dementia based on her mother's time living with the disease). Despite the many sad themes of the novel, it is never maudlin or melodramatic and retains an overall positive feel.

If all those positives weren't enough, the love story between the two characters is so wonderfully and subtly done that it has to be best depiction of later-life romance I've read since 'Love in the Time of Cholera'. Really, Sally Magnusson has surpassed herself with every element of this book. Its gentle pace and sombre topics might mean it doesn't appeal to those looking for a book with laughs or thrills, but it is well worth reading by anyone else.