The Metal Heart: The beautiful and atmospheric story of freedom and love that will grip your heart
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- Create Date：2021-05-07 10:51:35
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Caroline Lea
- ISBN：0241423309
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Summary
Orkney， 1940。 On a remote island， a prisoner-of-war camp is constructed to house five hundred Italian soldiers。 Upon arrival， a freezing Orkney winter and divided community greets them。
Orphaned sisters Dorothy and Constance volunteer to nurse the men。 Dot is immediately drawn to Cesare， a young man fighting on the wrong side and broken by war and destruction。
The soldiers spend their days building a secret barricade between the islands。 By night， however， they construct a reminder of their native land - an exquisite chapel。
As tensions between the islanders and outsiders grow， the sisters' loyalty is tested。 Will Dot choose love， or family？
Orphaned sisters Dorothy and Constance volunteer to nurse the men。 Dot is immediately drawn to Cesare， a young man fighting on the wrong side and broken by war and destruction。
The soldiers spend their days building a secret barricade between the islands。 By night， however， they construct a reminder of their native land - an exquisite chapel。
As tensions between the islanders and outsiders grow， the sisters' loyalty is tested。 Will Dot choose love， or family？
Reviews
Christine - LifeWithAllTheBooks
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I absolutely adored Caroline Lea’s previous book The Glass Woman so I was thrilled at the chance to read The Metal Heart！ I am pleased to report it is just as phenomenal as I’d hoped and expected。 The book has a basis in truth， covering events involving Italian prisoners-of-war being sent to the Orkney Islands in World War Two to fortify the area。 The story follows orphaned twin sisters Dorothy and Constance and Dorothy’s instant connection and growing feelings for Italian POW， Cesare。 Tensions I absolutely adored Caroline Lea’s previous book The Glass Woman so I was thrilled at the chance to read The Metal Heart！ I am pleased to report it is just as phenomenal as I’d hoped and expected。 The book has a basis in truth， covering events involving Italian prisoners-of-war being sent to the Orkney Islands in World War Two to fortify the area。 The story follows orphaned twin sisters Dorothy and Constance and Dorothy’s instant connection and growing feelings for Italian POW， Cesare。 Tensions rise on the island and between the sisters and build to an intense and deeply emotional conclusion。I’m really not sure I can articulate just how brilliant The Metal Heart is but I’ll give it a go！ Caroline Lea is， quite simply， a stunningly good writer。 The prose is evocative， elegant and achingly beautiful。 There is an incredible sense of setting which makes every page gorgeously atmospheric。 I’m Scottish but I’ve never actually visited Orkney and after reading this book it is going on my travel wish list immediately。 Lea builds such a strong feeling into her descriptions of Orkney and weaves in so much mystical Scottish folklore which ties into the romance， tragedy， fear and hope present in the plot。 Orkney has a particularly rich sense of folklore and mythology which makes it the perfect setting for this moving tale of love and prejudice in all its forms。The characters in The Metal heart， especially the twins and Cesare feel so real and so human that it is impossible not be swept up in their story。 The romance is tender and authentic whilst the relationship between the sisters is so full of depth， loyalty and shared trauma。 These characters will all be staying in my mind for quite some time。 I really cannot recommend this book highly enough。 Lea has masterfully taken the true story of the building of the Orkney Italian Chapel and the presence of the Italian POWs and morphed it into a compelling and heart wrenching story of all consuming love。 Please pick up this book – I promise you will not be disappointed。 。。。more
Billie
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This is a brilliant read。Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start。Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable。Great drama and romance with wonderful world building。Can't wait to read what the author brings out next。Recommend reading。I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review。 This is a brilliant read。Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start。Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable。Great drama and romance with wonderful world building。Can't wait to read what the author brings out next。Recommend reading。I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review。 。。。more
Amanda
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In the 1940's， twin sisters Dorothy and Constance have moved to the remote island of Selkie Holm off the main island of Orkney。 As the only inhabitants， after a family tragedy， the sisters just want to be left alone to get on with their lives。 This is all about to change when a German submarine attack causes panic。 Five hundred Italian prisoners of war are moved in to build barriers in an attempt to fortify the island。 As time goes on， Dorothy gets to know Cesare （a trained painter and carver） w In the 1940's， twin sisters Dorothy and Constance have moved to the remote island of Selkie Holm off the main island of Orkney。 As the only inhabitants， after a family tragedy， the sisters just want to be left alone to get on with their lives。 This is all about to change when a German submarine attack causes panic。 Five hundred Italian prisoners of war are moved in to build barriers in an attempt to fortify the island。 As time goes on， Dorothy gets to know Cesare （a trained painter and carver） who decides to build a chapel as a way to unite everyone and dispel the tension between the locals and their new neighbours。 What seems like a simple love story begins to take a dark turn - friction grows between the sisters as Dorothy and Cesare's relationship becomes more serious， while at the same time， Constance is unable to move on after being attacked by one of the islanders Angus。 A powerful story of war， trauma， death and hope - The Metal Heart completely transported me to another time and place。 My personal preference is to read stories with a mystery element， which is why for me， the story got better and better towards the end of the book as the tension increased。 At the same time， there are elements of the story that would be perfect for fans of historical fiction in general， stories set during the war， or even readers who are more drawn to a love story。 That is what I think is so fantastic about this book - there really is something to appeal to everyone as it crosses several genres。After seeing images of the actual chapel which inspired the story， it gave me a completely different perspective on the book。 Even though I knew that it was only a vague inspiration， and that the real story was quite different， it still helped to place the events and it really hit home that the types of relationships she had written about did actually happen， and how challenging it would have been for the people involved。A highly descriptive and atmospheric novel which will draw you in from beginning to end - and in addition， the most gorgeous cover design - definitely one to add to your collections！ 。。。more
Kerry Henderson
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Many thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this book。 Con and Dot are living on their island trying to survive with the war raging around them when they learn their island is no longer just them。 A temporary prison is being built so the prisoners can help build defences to protect the island from enemy submarines。 The girls soon find themselves helping out at the prison and Dot finds herself growing close to one of the prisoners but nothing is safe in these dark time Many thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read this book。 Con and Dot are living on their island trying to survive with the war raging around them when they learn their island is no longer just them。 A temporary prison is being built so the prisoners can help build defences to protect the island from enemy submarines。 The girls soon find themselves helping out at the prison and Dot finds herself growing close to one of the prisoners but nothing is safe in these dark times。 I'm not usually a fan of war stories， they're often so sad but I really enjoyed this one。 Its a different sort of story。 It still has many sad and hard to read moments but its touching and hopeful at times too。 There are some very bleak moments and this does touch on some dark subjects。 The plot is steady and builds to an interesting climax， I had figured out the ending though but I liked the way it came together and it fitted with the story。 An interesting， story。 。。。more
Rhia （rhiareads。。。）
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Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review。This is a beautiful， sad， heartwarming， heartbreaking novel。It follows Orcadian twins Dot & Con， who， after the loss of their parents， move from Kirkwall to a tiny， supposedly cursed island， populated with only some ruined huts and the half-ruined bothy in which they live。 Their peaceful life is shattered by the building of a prisoner of war camp and then influx of the Italian POWs and their guards Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review。This is a beautiful， sad， heartwarming， heartbreaking novel。It follows Orcadian twins Dot & Con， who， after the loss of their parents， move from Kirkwall to a tiny， supposedly cursed island， populated with only some ruined huts and the half-ruined bothy in which they live。 Their peaceful life is shattered by the building of a prisoner of war camp and then influx of the Italian POWs and their guards。 It is a story of finding love in the unlikeliest of places， of fighting against all the odds， of faith and belief and trusting in oneself。 It is beautiful and I almost cried into my coffee finishing it this morning。 。。。more
Zoe B
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1940Identical Twins Dot and Con live in isolation in a run down bothy on Selkie Holm， an island in Orkney， They come across as odd and have a strong belief in superstition but they are left alone by the occupants on the main island。 However their peace is shattered by the island when it is used as a base to house Italian Prisoners of War （POW）Cesare one of the POW who falls in love with Dot， their love story is beautifully told whereas Con struggles with her deep rooted issues concerning a man n 1940Identical Twins Dot and Con live in isolation in a run down bothy on Selkie Holm， an island in Orkney， They come across as odd and have a strong belief in superstition but they are left alone by the occupants on the main island。 However their peace is shattered by the island when it is used as a base to house Italian Prisoners of War （POW）Cesare one of the POW who falls in love with Dot， their love story is beautifully told whereas Con struggles with her deep rooted issues concerning a man named Angus from the main island。 As the relationship develops between Cesare & Dot， the friction between the sisters increases。The POW are at first treated with contempt and suspicion and the conditions they had to work in were horrific as well as quite brutal but the author writes with compassion and shows the kindness shown by some which made the story so captivating。The setting is described intricately and beautifully by the author， the cold setting felt very real and I had goosebumps at some moments but at the same time there is extreme warmth that radiates from the story。I did not want this beautiful story to end and I felt very emotional towards the end。Although this is a fictional story involving the characters， there are factual parts of the story with the construction of the Italian chapel which was built during world war 2， which has clearly been researched well by the author。If you are a fan of historical fiction， you will adore this。 A story of compassion， hope and love set in the war， this is the kind of book that will stay with me。 I have started to research further about the history after reading this book which is is a sure sign that it is an outstanding book。 A glowing 5 stars 。。。more
Lauren Lewsley
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Caroline Lea's books are always 5-star reads and the Metal Heart is no different。 The Metal Heart is an absolutely stunning read。 The story follows twins Dorothy and Constance living in Orkney during the Second World War。 The twins' lives are changed when a prisoner of war camp is set up close to their home holding Italian soldiers。 This is the second book Caroline Lea has written within the setting of the Second World War and in both， she manages to convey the human cost of the war on every sid Caroline Lea's books are always 5-star reads and the Metal Heart is no different。 The Metal Heart is an absolutely stunning read。 The story follows twins Dorothy and Constance living in Orkney during the Second World War。 The twins' lives are changed when a prisoner of war camp is set up close to their home holding Italian soldiers。 This is the second book Caroline Lea has written within the setting of the Second World War and in both， she manages to convey the human cost of the war on every side。 Caroline Lea has a huge talent for character-based emotional storytelling which I think is more special and personal than a larger over convoluted plot。 。。。more
Mel Pretorius
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Having read "The Glass Woman"， I jumped at the chance to read "The Metal Heart" by Caroline Lea。 Set in the remote islands of Orkney during the Second World War， twin sisters Con and Dot's island is changed by the arrival of 500 Italian prisoners of war。 The story， and relationships portrayed in this book are beautiful。。 I loved the fact that the Italian chapel they build， and the metal heart are based on fact。 Makes the book all that bit more special。 Having read "The Glass Woman"， I jumped at the chance to read "The Metal Heart" by Caroline Lea。 Set in the remote islands of Orkney during the Second World War， twin sisters Con and Dot's island is changed by the arrival of 500 Italian prisoners of war。 The story， and relationships portrayed in this book are beautiful。。 I loved the fact that the Italian chapel they build， and the metal heart are based on fact。 Makes the book all that bit more special。 。。。more
Lou
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The Metal Heart is a captivating， historically accurate and exquisitely written epic set in Bonny Scotland and telling the story of all the innocent people caught up in the machinations of a brutal war。 In the dark days of World War II， an unlikely romance blossoms between a Scottish woman and an Italian prisoner of war in this haunting novel with the emotional complexity of The Boat Runner and All the Light We Cannot See—a powerful and atmospheric story of love， jealousy， and conscience that il The Metal Heart is a captivating， historically accurate and exquisitely written epic set in Bonny Scotland and telling the story of all the innocent people caught up in the machinations of a brutal war。 In the dark days of World War II， an unlikely romance blossoms between a Scottish woman and an Italian prisoner of war in this haunting novel with the emotional complexity of The Boat Runner and All the Light We Cannot See—a powerful and atmospheric story of love， jealousy， and conscience that illuminates the beauty of the human spirit from the author of The Glass Woman。 In the wake of the Allies’ victory in North Africa， 500 Italian soldiers have been sent to a remote island off the Scottish coast to wait out the war。 Their arrival has divided the island’s community。 Nerves frayed from three years of war and the constant threat of invasion， many locals fear the enemy prisoners and do not want them there。 Where their neighbours see bloodthirsty enemies， however， orphaned sisters Dorothy and Constance see sick and wounded men unused to the freezing cold of an Orkney winter， and volunteer to nurse them。 While doing so Dorothy finds herself immediately drawn to Cesare， a young man broken by the horrors of battle。 But as the war drags on， tensions between the islanders and the outsiders deepen， and Dorothy’s connection to Cesare threatens the bond she shares with Constance。 Since the loss of their parents， the sisters have relied on each other。 Now， their loyalty will be tested， each forced to weigh duty against desire until， one fateful evening， a choice must be made， one that that will have devastating consequences。 This is a richly told tale that pulled me in from the first few pages and refused to let me go。 Set in the wild， remote， stunning Orkney Isles at the height of World War II， Dorothy and Constance are beautifully developed characters and the narrative between Constance and Italian POW Cesare is a love story to end all love stories。 It's a complex， emotional and visceral read with intelligence and a real warmth that means you cannot stop reading and you take the bulk of these fantastic， relatable characters into your heart。 A story packed with heart and soul， charm， wit and peopled with an unforgettable cast。 Darkly atmospheric and sometimes unsettling， Based on the true story of the building of the Orkney Wedding Chapel during the Second World War and set in a vanishing world of myth and superstition， The Metal Heart is an astonishing novel about an island community torn apart by the arrival of outsiders。 Heartbreaking and thrilling in equal measure， Caroline has created a fascinating love story。 I was very much swept up in the lives of these damaged yet hopeful characters， to experience the exquisite beauty of art in war， and to be as moved by these extraordinary real-life events as I have been。 The novel really comes to life with the introduction to the Italian Chapel in Orkney: it is a breathtaking testimony to the hope that exists， even in the darkest of times。 In the current， fractured climate， beautiful creations like the chapel act as reminders。 Highly recommended。 。。。more
Gee
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This is set on the beautiful island of Orkney， and takes place during WWII。 Dot and Con are twins， their parents tragically both drowned some years ago， Con， damaged by an incident that happened not long after they died， is so hurt that she retreats into herself and which no one knows the full truth about， not even her twin。 Part of this book features the building of a Catholic Church by Italian prisoners of war， a building which still stands on Lamb Holm today， visited annually by many tourists This is set on the beautiful island of Orkney， and takes place during WWII。 Dot and Con are twins， their parents tragically both drowned some years ago， Con， damaged by an incident that happened not long after they died， is so hurt that she retreats into herself and which no one knows the full truth about， not even her twin。 Part of this book features the building of a Catholic Church by Italian prisoners of war， a building which still stands on Lamb Holm today， visited annually by many tourists。 This is a re-imagining of how it came to be built， with all the tensions there would have been when 1000 POWs are brought to islands where the locals don’t have enough food for themselves。 The twins are so close that they seem to know what each other is thinking but are still able to hide secrets from each other。 The descriptions of the islands are powerfully written， very atmospheric and this makes for an intense read。 It was a little slow to start， but builds up the pace nicely。 It’s difficult at times to think of the POWs as the enemy， as they are only men， most of whom just wanted to survive and go home。 An unexpected ending， which was just what was needed to satisfy the reader。 Enjoyable， though provoking read。 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book。 。。。more
Rachael
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After reading The Glass Woman with the wonderful #HFBookClub last month I jumped at the chance to read Caroline Lea's newest novel， and Oh My Word。。。 I LOVED it！Set in Orkney 1940 I already knew I was going to love the setting of this one， and Lea did what she does best; she promised us a story with lots of heart in a wild and windswept setting with buckets of atmosphere， and boy does she deliver！This one tells the tale of twin sisters who have removed themselves from society and live outcast an After reading The Glass Woman with the wonderful #HFBookClub last month I jumped at the chance to read Caroline Lea's newest novel， and Oh My Word。。。 I LOVED it！Set in Orkney 1940 I already knew I was going to love the setting of this one， and Lea did what she does best; she promised us a story with lots of heart in a wild and windswept setting with buckets of atmosphere， and boy does she deliver！This one tells the tale of twin sisters who have removed themselves from society and live outcast and alone， until that is， five hundred Italian prisoners of war arrive to fortify the island。 The story that unfolds from there is both beautiful and heart-aching in equal measure。This was a total delight to read， I reveled in every page and absolutely flew through it。 The beginning packs a real punch and sets the tone for what is to come， with secrets and mystery， love and betrayal， this tale draws you in and holds your interest until the very last page。If you enjoyed The Glass Woman then there is no question， you are going to love The Metal Heart too。 The writing here is instantly familiar and truly beautiful。 For all lovers of Historical Fiction， do yourself a favour and pick up these books - Caroline Lea is now an auto-buy author for me and I cannot wait to see what's next！5 glorious stars。Thank you so much to Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of this gorgeous book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Farshana ❤️rainnbooks❤️
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Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an ARC copy of this beautiful story。 All opinions are expressed voluntarily。Oh， my heart， there is another way to love。 Do not love the gift for what the gift is。 Love the gift for Who it came from。Yasmin Mogahed A heart-wrenching and mesmerizing tale of love and kindness amidst the II World War， Caroline Lea’s The Metal Heart left me with a lump in my throat。 Hopeful， at the same time， heart-breaking， the author takes us to Orkney in the 1940s thru a Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an ARC copy of this beautiful story。 All opinions are expressed voluntarily。Oh， my heart， there is another way to love。 Do not love the gift for what the gift is。 Love the gift for Who it came from。Yasmin Mogahed A heart-wrenching and mesmerizing tale of love and kindness amidst the II World War， Caroline Lea’s The Metal Heart left me with a lump in my throat。 Hopeful， at the same time， heart-breaking， the author takes us to Orkney in the 1940s thru a sweeping tale of two sisters and their struggles and their hope and the love that is found in unexpected circumstances offering freedom and future。Selkie Holm， an island in Orkney is home to the orphaned twins Dorothy and Constance。 Bound by superstitious beliefs and folklore about the island Orcadians tend to leave the girls to their own choices。 As the island is chosen as the POW camp for Italian prisoners， Dot and Con have no option but to allow the encroachment to their peace。 Con’s struggle to overcome the trauma is haunting。 The powerful writing by the author allows the reader to understand the deep-rooted fear that Con has to endure to move on and forward， to overcome her terror， and accept the strangers in their midst。 But the war does bring strange bedfellows as Dot discovers love with Cesare， a prisoner in the camp whose pure soul offers a soothing balm to Dot’s heart。Give away your love， freely and without expectation。 Give it away， and soon your life will be filled with love， and you will have set others on the path of love and peace。John RobbinstCesare’s character is utterly captivating， you can’t help but fall in love with the goodness of his heart and his delight in creating something out of the scraps of bits and pieces from shipwrecks。 The Metal Heart reinforces belief in love and humanity， as the islanders accept these prisoners to their land and instead of ill-treating them allow them the leeway to build the chapel for their prayers。 The characterization of Major Bates and John O’Farrell and even some of the villagers felt touchingly real。Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows， the light， and dark which that thing provides。Junichiro Tanizaki Fans of historical fiction are gonna devour this novel， the evocative tale so compelling and utterly moving。 With a suspense-filled ending， that I couldn’t help but read with dread in my heart， The METAL HEART is surely gonna leave you holding your heart in your hands！This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks。com/， Goodreads， Amazon India， Meduim。com， Facebook， and Twitter。 。。。more
rina dunn
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I'm really picky when it comes to historical fiction especially WW2 but my goodness this book captured my entire heart from the very first page and never let go！ Caroline Lea is up there with the very best of storytellers in my opinion and I honestly couldn't find a single fault with any of this glorious novel。In 1941 Dot and Con Reid， twin sisters are living in a dilapidated bothy on the Island of Selkie Holm， a place steeped in Orcadian legend， the two choose to live in this somewhat isolated I'm really picky when it comes to historical fiction especially WW2 but my goodness this book captured my entire heart from the very first page and never let go！ Caroline Lea is up there with the very best of storytellers in my opinion and I honestly couldn't find a single fault with any of this glorious novel。In 1941 Dot and Con Reid， twin sisters are living in a dilapidated bothy on the Island of Selkie Holm， a place steeped in Orcadian legend， the two choose to live in this somewhat isolated place rather than live in the house that belonged to their deceased parents in the main town Kirkwall。 There's something almost ethereal about them and have a very strong bond。 Both are fighting internal battles but are stronger together than they are apart。 I wholeheartedly loved them， they aren't perfect and their imperfections are what made me just fall head over heels in love with them。 They are the kind of characters you really champion and want to succeed。Selkie Holm is about to become more than just Con and Dot's home。 When a German Submarine destroys a ship killing many people Churchill instructs that the islands need some fortification。 Italian Pow's built barriers known as the Churchill Barriers。 I really loved that I knew little about this！ Even though some parts have been fictionalised it really was fascinating to read about！When Dot saves Cesare， an Italian Pow from drowning it sparks the beginning of a beautiful love story。 Con is deeply troubled after her own horrific experience with one of the guards Angus and she's scared of what will happen to her sister if she let's her go。 Can they both be happy？ Can they bare to be separated？It's been a long time since I've read any historical fiction as compelling and emotive as this beautiful book。 A story of love and sacrifice I honestly urge everyone to read this！ Honestly Caroline Lea is an auto buy author for me。 Her talent is epic and it really shows in this book！ 。。。more
KT
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Hauntingly beautiful with an atmospheric setting and intriguing plot。 The landscape and inspiration behing the plot was fascinating and only added to the depth of the novel。 With hints of folklore threaded through， I was immersed into the story and complex dynamics between the two sisters and the relationship with the prisoners of war。 It is a book that is hard to forget
Teresa Cornelius
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The Metal Heart by Caroline LeaThis was a story set during the war but with the unusual perspective of being set in 1940 on Selkie Holm， a small island in the Orkneys。 Twins Dot and Con live there alone after they have fled following the disappearance at sea of their parents。 The island is then turned into a prison for 500 Italian prisoners of war and their lives and that of the islanders is turned upside down。 This is an episode in the war about which I knew very little。 I was also fascinated b The Metal Heart by Caroline LeaThis was a story set during the war but with the unusual perspective of being set in 1940 on Selkie Holm， a small island in the Orkneys。 Twins Dot and Con live there alone after they have fled following the disappearance at sea of their parents。 The island is then turned into a prison for 500 Italian prisoners of war and their lives and that of the islanders is turned upside down。 This is an episode in the war about which I knew very little。 I was also fascinated by the story of Dot and Con and the reasons why they had hidden themselves away on this barren island。 Their initial meeting with the prisoners is powerfully drawn and the relationship which develops between Dot and the Cesare is beautifully evoked。 I was fascinated to discover that the chapel which is built on the island is based on a real building and it made me keen to travel to these far flung islands once the Covid situation allows。 The story kept me engaged throughout and I became emotionally involved in the twins’ story。 I will definitely look out for other novels by this author。 I would like to thank the author， the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Emma Shaw
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Oh， my heart。 This book is something truly beautiful。 From the moment I read the chilling， tense and gripping prologue， I knew this was going to be something special， that this was going to be one of the best books I’ve read this year。 But I was unprepared for just how magnificent it would be。 I was mesmerised， lost in the pages， breathing the author’s words in like I needed them for my own survival。 This book has reached into my soul and taken up residence there。This is a story of love， sacrifi Oh， my heart。 This book is something truly beautiful。 From the moment I read the chilling， tense and gripping prologue， I knew this was going to be something special， that this was going to be one of the best books I’ve read this year。 But I was unprepared for just how magnificent it would be。 I was mesmerised， lost in the pages， breathing the author’s words in like I needed them for my own survival。 This book has reached into my soul and taken up residence there。This is a story of love， sacrifice， fear and survival set against the backdrop of war。 It explores how joy and hope can be found in the most unexpected and darkest of places， and how those who should be our enemies might turn out to be a friend。 It is a story of star-crossed lovers， perfectly capturing the heady feeling of falling in love， the power of passion， and the hopefulness new romance brings。 She has taken the true story of the building of the Orkney Cathedral and crafted a spellbinding story and compelling， richly drawn cast of characters that feel completely real。 It is exquisitely written， with a cinematic quality that made me feel like I was watching everything happen in vivid technicolour。 It was like I was right there， living every moment alongisde the characters。Another theme that ran through this book was prisons。 Selkie Holm is a prison twice over; an enforced one for the POWs and a chosen one for the sisters。 There are also emotional and mental prisons， such as the ones Con’s trauma has put her in， and the prison that Dot has made for herself in order to help protect her sister。 We also see how Dot， Con and Cesare all have a desire to escape their prisons; to live， be free， and find happiness。 But they are all bound by their shackles， be they metal or mental， and don’t know how to break themselves free。I loved the trio of narrators and the different perspectives they brought to the story。 I was totally invested in Dorothy and Cesare’s love story and was rooting for them to have their happy-ever-after， even against seemingly insurmountable odds。 I liked how different they were yet how they fit together so perfectly， overcoming language barriers and hailing from countries that are sworn enemies。 While their feelings for each other are immediate， I liked that the author wrote their story slowly as it made it believable。 I admit， at first I did wonder why Constance had been given as much of a voice as Dorothy and Cesare， seeing as this was their story。 But it soon became clear that she had a vital perspective and role to play in what transpired。 I liked how her perspective， experience and relationship with her sister tempered the joy and excitement of the lovebirds， adding a layer of tension and unease that seems partly an overreaction， but is also understandable given the trauma she’s experienced。 I also liked how it showed us a real selflessness to Dot’s character as she weighed up her loyalty to her sister against her own desires。 But it isn’t just the narrators who make this story what it is。 The background cast are as important to propelling the story forward， and the backdrop is a character in itself; the vivid imagery of this bleak， unwelcoming place， creating a claustrophobic atmosphere where there is no escape， only helplessness and despair。 Hauntingly atmospheric， addictive and breathtaking， this novel reminds of the best and worst of humankind， shattering your heart and then giving you hope again。 I can’t recommend this enough and even after days of agonising over this review， I worry I haven’t done justice to this phenomenal novel。 YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK！ 。。。more
Jo_Scho_Reads
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Orkney 1941。 Twins Dorothy and Constance live alone in a dilapidated bothy （small hut） on Selkie Holm， a remote island。 They are mourning the loss of their parents and have no wish to return to the safety of the mainland， despite war raging。 But their solace is disturbed with the arrival of a thousand Italian prisoners of war， who have been sent to fortify the islands。 They try to keep their distance， but when Dot ends up working in the infirmary she invariably comes into contact with them and f Orkney 1941。 Twins Dorothy and Constance live alone in a dilapidated bothy （small hut） on Selkie Holm， a remote island。 They are mourning the loss of their parents and have no wish to return to the safety of the mainland， despite war raging。 But their solace is disturbed with the arrival of a thousand Italian prisoners of war， who have been sent to fortify the islands。 They try to keep their distance， but when Dot ends up working in the infirmary she invariably comes into contact with them and feelings develop between herself and one of the prisoners。This is much， much more than a love story though， it’s a beautiful thought provoking tale about the horrors of war， the evil of men and the strength of love。 This book was a joy to read; the descriptions of Orkney were incredibly vivid， so much so that I could almost see the bothy in front of me， and then there was the Chapel， again described in vivid and breathtaking detail。 The developing relationship between Dorothy and Cesare contrasted dynamically with the brutality and unpleasantness from some of the guards。It’s a while since I’ve read a historical novel and this was definitely worth the wait。 It was particularly interesting to read about a prisoner of war story where the prisoners were held by the British。 And what I loved most is that this book is inspired by fact - based on the true story of the Orkney Wedding Chapel during the Second World War。 The author has used artistic license to merge fact and fiction， creating a wonderfully meaningful and compelling story。 Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC of this book。 All views my own。 Published 29th April 2021。 。。。more
Thebooktrail
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Visit the literary locations of The Metal HeartTransport yourself to the island of Orkney and a true story…This book drew me in the moment I saw Caroline Lea’s name on that fantastic cover。 She’s a writer I just have to read。 Then， I discovered that this was inspired by a true story about Italian men who built a chapel on the island during the war。Well， that made me want to read it immediately so I did。 Pretty much finished it in one day – snatching moments to return to Orkney with these fine ch Visit the literary locations of The Metal HeartTransport yourself to the island of Orkney and a true story…This book drew me in the moment I saw Caroline Lea’s name on that fantastic cover。 She’s a writer I just have to read。 Then， I discovered that this was inspired by a true story about Italian men who built a chapel on the island during the war。Well， that made me want to read it immediately so I did。 Pretty much finished it in one day – snatching moments to return to Orkney with these fine characters and fascinating story。The author has really done her research and although， she admits that there is fiction mixed with some fact， this is a captivating read。The novel is at once hopeful and sad。 The war is ongoing and the fear of these outsiders is real and raw。 The two main characters however were wonderful to get to know。 Two very different souls brought together in trauma but joined by love。 Ah， I felt their feelings too。 I feel compelled to head to Orkney as soon as I can to visit this chapel and recapture at least some of that magical feeling I have from this novel。The scene setting is quite frankly， wonderful。 This is an author who crafts her words with care， ladles them with love and places them to complement each other on the page。 Her characters come to life and give the story life and that ending？ Aaah Caroline！What a remarkable story and this novel really pays homage to that and more。 It’s a story in its own right too and comes highly recommended from me。In the author note， the author talks about her research process and mentions the Orkney Library and their fantastic twitter account。 Seems like the Orkney magic is alive and well， albeit in a different form today。 。。。more
abookshared
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The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea is set on Orkney during WW2 when Italian prisoners of war tasked with building fortifications following a German U-boat attack。 These men are imprisoned on a small island believed by locals to be cursed， where the only two inhabitants are Dorothy and Constance， twin sisters who have been living in a derelict bothy to escape their grief and fear。 When Dorothy saves one of these Italian men from drowning， a relationship against all odds is born， testing the sister’s The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea is set on Orkney during WW2 when Italian prisoners of war tasked with building fortifications following a German U-boat attack。 These men are imprisoned on a small island believed by locals to be cursed， where the only two inhabitants are Dorothy and Constance， twin sisters who have been living in a derelict bothy to escape their grief and fear。 When Dorothy saves one of these Italian men from drowning， a relationship against all odds is born， testing the sister’s loyalty to its limits。 I devoured this book in just a few days， I loved the storytelling and was completely absorbed in the characters and their connections to one another。 Lea’s writing is beautifully moving， I was transported to the freezing Orkney island and fully invested in the story between Dot and Cesare。 It is told from three points of view， which I enjoyed as it revealed more of the complexities of their character and the shape of their pasts as the story moves along。 Despite being a bleak and remote setting， this is a heart-warming story about how there is always love， beauty and humanity to be found even during the darkest of times。 Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for a digital copy for review。 。。。more
Alice
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The prisoners-of-war are subject to a brutal regime， performing back-breaking work building defences for the islands and bullied by nasty local guard Angus McLeod。 Having previously attacked Con， Angus is strongly opposed to the relationship developing between Dot and Cesare， and will do anything in his power to sabotage it while continuing to terrorise Con。It’s not all grim， though - this is a tale of beautiful things happening despite adversity。 As well as the moving love story of Dot and Cesa The prisoners-of-war are subject to a brutal regime， performing back-breaking work building defences for the islands and bullied by nasty local guard Angus McLeod。 Having previously attacked Con， Angus is strongly opposed to the relationship developing between Dot and Cesare， and will do anything in his power to sabotage it while continuing to terrorise Con。It’s not all grim， though - this is a tale of beautiful things happening despite adversity。 As well as the moving love story of Dot and Cesare， we watch the prisoners-of-war as they create their very own chapel on the island of Selkie Holm。 While the materials they use seem uninspiring and unlikely at first， under Cesare’s guidance they create something truly spectacular。I found the twins’ relationship really interesting - while they’ve stuck together all their lives， and are devoted to one another， the story shows that their relationship is far from static or settled。 Con hides her experience with Angus from Dot， thinking that she was to blame for what happened。 At the same time， she distrusts men， so is alarmed when Dot and Cesare become close。 Over the course of the novel， we see them pull apart， then spring back together。The Metal Heart is a moving and brutal story of light coming out of darkness。 。。。more
Jennifer Vance
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This is a story about twin young woman that are from a community。 They have lost their parents。 A group of Italian pow’s comes to the island they are living on。 They are building a barrier。 One of the twins saves a prisoner and they fall in love。 The other twin has been hurt by a man from town。 I enjoyed learning about the chapel and how they built it from nothing。 The story of the twins， the town and the prisoners is good。 It was a good book overall。 It was a slow read in the beginning and pick This is a story about twin young woman that are from a community。 They have lost their parents。 A group of Italian pow’s comes to the island they are living on。 They are building a barrier。 One of the twins saves a prisoner and they fall in love。 The other twin has been hurt by a man from town。 I enjoyed learning about the chapel and how they built it from nothing。 The story of the twins， the town and the prisoners is good。 It was a good book overall。 It was a slow read in the beginning and picked up towards the end。 I received a free promotional copy of this book in a goodreads giveaway and am very thankful for the opportunity to read it。 。。。more
Lindsay
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A great read given to me as an advanced reader copy from the publishers。 Twins living on a desolate small island off Orkney after the loss of their parents and issues with an islander for one of the sisters。 We see the sisters trying to get through the day to day and avoiding the locals。A great engaging read and loved the history of the Italian prisoners coming to the island to create defences against the Germans after a ship is bombed by a submarine。A truly great read one I would advise
Robin
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I enjoyed the book， it was quite descriptive， made me feel as if I was there。
Jen
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What a beautiful， emotional slice of historical fiction The Metal Heart was！ I love this genre – the blending of facts and real events with the poetic licence of fiction really captivates me。 Mix in Caroline Lea’s amazing ability to weave a heart-wrenchingly emotive love story – both the romantic kind and the one between sisters – and I’m hooked！Set in 1942， during WWII on the Orkney islands in remote， northern Scotland， this story is narrated by flame-haired， 23-year-old twin sisters Dorothy （D What a beautiful， emotional slice of historical fiction The Metal Heart was！ I love this genre – the blending of facts and real events with the poetic licence of fiction really captivates me。 Mix in Caroline Lea’s amazing ability to weave a heart-wrenchingly emotive love story – both the romantic kind and the one between sisters – and I’m hooked！Set in 1942， during WWII on the Orkney islands in remote， northern Scotland， this story is narrated by flame-haired， 23-year-old twin sisters Dorothy （Dot） and Constance （Con）， as well as Cesare， an Italian prisoner of war。Dot and Con live on （the fictional） Selkie Holm in a tiny Bothy， an old shepherd’s house that was abandoned and they now take refuge in。 They moved from one of the bigger， more populated islands to this smaller one with no people after an incident makes Con wary of being around men。It is decided that the islands need more war defence， so 500 Italian prisoners of war are brought over to build sea barriers between the islands。 The men’s camp is made on Selkie Holm – the twin’s island。 They are not happy about this but their lives do end up becoming entwined with the men of the camp， particularly one named Cesare， who changes life for the twins， particularly Dot。The Italian Chapel （take a little virtual tour of it here） is a Roman Catholic church that was really built by Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War on the island of Lamb Holm， constructed from two nissen huts， cement， found materials and the power of craftsmen’s hands。 It takes centre stage in The Metal Heart and is truly an amazing monument to peace and hope – both in real life and in the story。During the weeks in the run up to The Metal Heart‘s publication date， author Caroline Lea posted pictures of her research trip to Orkney on her Twitter。 It’s so fascinating to see both an insight to her thought process and the amazing scenery that inspired her book。 It’s also where I saw that there is an actual metal heart embedded into the floor of the chapel。I loved all the themes that are explored in this book – from how women are made to feel scared and vulnerable by men all the time， the abuse of power， the loss of identity， the true impact of war， the strength of love。 Yes， there may seem like a lot but they were all so effortlessly woven into both the story and each other， it just felt rich and so satisfying to read。 And some of the wonderful sentences just made my heart ache， this is such a marvellously written book。Weirdly， I read The Metal Heart straight after finishing Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone: both books are set in Scotland and both feature identical twin sisters as their lead characters。 What are the chances？ Themes of identity and loss crop up in both too， but otherwise， they are very different reads。 Both excellent though！Aside from Con， Dot and Cesare’s story （which you may have gathered， I loved）， I also adored learning about the Italian Chapel。 I had no idea it existed， so it led to a little Googling and discovering more about this time in history。 Books that tell me a great story and teach me something new – my favourite combination。 。。。more
Shannon
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The Metal Heart is set during World War II in Scotland where some Italian prisoners of war were sent to the Orkneys to build a barrier to prevent German U boats attacking the British fleet。 While some of the prisoners worked on the barriers a group of them built a chapel which can still be seen today。Constance and Dorothy live on an island close to Kirkwall that has a history of haunts。 They moved from Kirkwall after a traumatic event made them leave their family home。 This is island where the c The Metal Heart is set during World War II in Scotland where some Italian prisoners of war were sent to the Orkneys to build a barrier to prevent German U boats attacking the British fleet。 While some of the prisoners worked on the barriers a group of them built a chapel which can still be seen today。Constance and Dorothy live on an island close to Kirkwall that has a history of haunts。 They moved from Kirkwall after a traumatic event made them leave their family home。 This is island where the camp for the Italians is built。 Dot and Con become nurses in the infirmary of the camp。 This helped drive some of the key events through the rest of the book。There were a couple missed opportunities to explore some deeper topics。 The effect of the prisoners on the local community and the sexual assault impacts on a person and their family。Some parts were farfetched， but it is a good read。 The writing is light and enjoyable。3。5 Stars – Rounding to 4 for Goodreads。Thanks to Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts。 。。。more
Lauren
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Back home in Italy， churches may be collapsing， the land may be burning， but here， in this desolate corner of the earth， they have made something sacred。THE METAL HEART tells the story of a group of Italian prisoners that are sent to Scotland during WWII to build a barrier between the Orkney Islands， preventing German U-boats from attacking the British fleet moored there。 Choosing to forego their home on the larger island due to a trauma that Con endured， the prisoners' presence on Selkie Ho Back home in Italy， churches may be collapsing， the land may be burning， but here， in this desolate corner of the earth， they have made something sacred。THE METAL HEART tells the story of a group of Italian prisoners that are sent to Scotland during WWII to build a barrier between the Orkney Islands， preventing German U-boats from attacking the British fleet moored there。 Choosing to forego their home on the larger island due to a trauma that Con endured， the prisoners' presence on Selkie Holm is met with differing emotions by the Reid twins， the sole inhabitants of the island prior to the Italians arrival。 For Con， any illusion of safety she felt has been shattered， and for Dot， a promising romance blooms between her and one of the prisoners， Cesare。 As tensions increase between the locals and the prisoners， an agreement is forged， allowing the Italians to build a chapel as an offer of goodwill。 One night， a shocking event occurs， threatening to destroy the the tenuous peace the sisters have found。From moment that I read the synopsis， I knew that I wanted to read Lea's upcoming novel， THE METAL HEART。 Much of WWII fiction takes place in France， England， Poland， or Germany， and I was intrigued by the fresh take the book offered。 Set in the remote Orkney Islands and steeped in folklore， the beautiful， poetic prose made it easy to feel as though I was there。 At times， though， the descriptive nature felt heavy and cumbersome to wade through， but the style of writing became lighter as the novel progressed。 I shake my head， brushing her hands away and stare at the flaming ship in the middle of the bay。 Smoke plumes upwards and， in the orange glow， I can see bodies writhing。 From this distance， they might be dancing。In the author's note， Lea states that she intentionally fictionalized certain historical aspects of the novel， including timing itself。 I can see how genre purists would find this as a detractor from the overall story。 However， this did not impact my reading experience， and I loved the correlation drawn between then and now， and the way we are "transformed as a result of circumstances beyond [our] control"。 I do wish that greater emphasis would have been placed upon the prisoner's experiences， particularly the emotional impact of the chapel upon its completion， rather than the alternative storyline with Angus。 Also， I felt that there was minimal tension and build to Dot and Cesare's romance， and for that reason， I personally struggled to become invested in it。 Furthermore， there were several events that felt like a stretch， and I had a hard time believing some of the outcomes。Overall， I enjoyed THE METAL HEART and my reading progress never felt forced。 Thank you， Harper Perennial， for the early copy in exchange for an honest review！ All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Cathy
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I loved Caroline Lea’s first book， The Glass Woman， so I was delighted when I learned she had a new novel on the way。 Set in the Orkney islands during World War 2， The Metal Heart is inspired by the true story of how Italian soldiers constructed a chapel on the island of Lamb Holm （Selkie Holm in the book） during the period it was used as a prisoner-of-war camp。 You can find photographs of the chapel， the island and the surrounding landscape on Caroline’s Instagram feed。Alongside the building of I loved Caroline Lea’s first book， The Glass Woman， so I was delighted when I learned she had a new novel on the way。 Set in the Orkney islands during World War 2， The Metal Heart is inspired by the true story of how Italian soldiers constructed a chapel on the island of Lamb Holm （Selkie Holm in the book） during the period it was used as a prisoner-of-war camp。 You can find photographs of the chapel， the island and the surrounding landscape on Caroline’s Instagram feed。Alongside the building of the chapel， the author has created a wonderful story involving twin sisters， Dorothy （known as Dot） and Constance （known as Con）。 Although identical in appearance， as the reader learns from the sections written from each sister’s point of view， they possess a very different outlook on life。 For Constance， haunted by an experience that has made her distrustful of others， the dilapidated bothy on Selkie Holm which has become the sisters’ home is a refuge， a place she can feel safe。 So the arrival of hundreds of male prisoners along with the often brutal men who guard them， reawakens disturbing memories。 These， and feelings of guilt about her role in the fate of their father and mother， makes Con determined to protect her sister from experiencing anything like the trauma she has undergone。 In contrast， for Dorothy， bolder in spirit than her sister， the arrival of the prisoners to the island opens up the possibility of a different future。 The arrival of the prisoners is initially greeted with suspicion by the Orcadians， the inhabitants of the Orkney islands。 Fiercely independent， for them ‘mainland’ does not refer to Scotland but to the largest island in the group and the location of the centre of the community， Kirkwall。 Their reservations partly ease when some of the prisoners are deployed as much-needed labour on local farms。 The rest of the prisoners remain employed on Selkie Holm quarrying rocks in order to build barriers that will prevent German U-boats attacking the British fleet anchored in Scapa Flow。 In one of the many interesting contradictions the book explores， the barriers eventually form causeways， making access between some of the islands easier than before for the local people。I loved the way the author exposed the natural beauty of what could be viewed as a harsh， even bleak environment in some wonderful descriptive writing。 ‘The sky is clear， star-stamped and silvered by the waxing gibbous moon。’ The signs of earlier inhabitants of the island – barrows and caves – combined with the myths associated with the island create a wonderful atmosphere。 （While reading The Metal Heart， I was reminded of Amy Liptrot’s book The Outrun also set on Orkney and was delighted to see it mentioned in the author’s bibliography。） The sections of the book describing the construction of the Catholic chapel are absolutely fascinating， with the prisoners making ingenious use of everyday objects and materials reclaimed from the damaged hulks of ships that surround the island。 For the prisoners， and Cesare in particular， the building of the chapel is both a connection with home and a way of distracting themselves from the daily hardships of life in the camp: the gruelling， dangerous work; the brutality of the guards; the cold; the sickness that sweeps through the prisoners。 ‘He is， for a moment， no longer a prisoner。 His muscles do not ache， his stomach does not gripe。 He is a free man， standing in a church in his own country。 War and death are things that happen to other people， in other places。 The chapel will be a place of peace。’The chapel may be a place of peace but there is danger on other fronts， forcing each sister to make a heartbreaking choice and risk everything to do what they believe is right。 A fascinating blend of fact and fiction， The Metal Heart is a touching love story and a message of hope that beauty can emerge from unexpected places， even in time of war。 。。。more
Danielle
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The Metal Heart is a story about WWII in a way you’ve never rarely read before。 It takes place in the Orkney Islands of Scotland and follows twin sisters Dorothy and Constance， and their lives in a town away from home。 They’ve lost their family but at least they have each other， that is until the Italian prisoners of war show up in the camp。 They are put to work building a barrier in the water to keep the German U-Boats from attacking。 Constance goes through a traumatic experience she keeps from The Metal Heart is a story about WWII in a way you’ve never rarely read before。 It takes place in the Orkney Islands of Scotland and follows twin sisters Dorothy and Constance， and their lives in a town away from home。 They’ve lost their family but at least they have each other， that is until the Italian prisoners of war show up in the camp。 They are put to work building a barrier in the water to keep the German U-Boats from attacking。 Constance goes through a traumatic experience she keeps from her sister Dorothy。 Dorothy and a POW become close， leaving Constance to herself， often confronting her traumatic past alone。While I loved the fresh perspective of WWII， there were a few unrealistic parts to the story。 I did enjoy the story being told in Scotland as opposed to many other WWII novels set in France and Germany。Overall I enjoyed The Metal Heart and it’s twist at the end。 I would recommend the novel with the note that it is slightly unrealistic。 Thank you to Harper Perennial for the early gifted copy in exchange for an honest review！ 。。。more
Janet
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An historical romance set on Orkney in the early 1940s。 Although the story is based on true events， there is no attempt to be factually accurate。 This， coupled with geographical inaccuracies （you don't cross the Alps to get from France to Spain）， really annoyed me。 In the bibliography at the end of the book， it was clear that the author had carried out extensive reading so why not be historically accurate。 The condensing of the time period was totally unrealistic。 The writing itself was easy to An historical romance set on Orkney in the early 1940s。 Although the story is based on true events， there is no attempt to be factually accurate。 This， coupled with geographical inaccuracies （you don't cross the Alps to get from France to Spain）， really annoyed me。 In the bibliography at the end of the book， it was clear that the author had carried out extensive reading so why not be historically accurate。 The condensing of the time period was totally unrealistic。 The writing itself was easy to read although at times it was rather slow moving。 I couldn't engage with the characters and using the identical （interchangeable） twin idea is just so clichéd。 I'd have enjoyed the book more if I'd felt that the writer had made more of an effort with accuracy， without that I just felt disappointed and let down。I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review。 。。。more
Bookworm Blogger
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