Title: The Light Between Oceans
Author: M.L. Stedman
Publication: Scribner; July 31, 2012
Edition: Hardcover: 345 pages
Synopsis:
After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to
Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a
day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat
comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years
later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a
baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and
a living baby.
Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them. (Amazon, 2010)
Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them. (Amazon, 2010)
Setting/Time Period: Australia 1920s
Genre: Historical Fiction
Subject Headings: Australia—fiction
Domestic fiction
Married people—fiction
Foundlings—fiction
Lighthouse keepers
Elements of historical fiction: Set before author’s lifetime; uses historical
accurate place and events; world building based on the time period that very
descriptive; storyline heavily focused on Australia circa 1920s and social and moral
issues presented at that particular time; contained historical accurate dialect
that reflects Australia in the 1920s; leisurely paced.
Appeal: Intriguing, unique storyline that kept me on my toes wanting
to know what happens next. Slow paced yet still interesting. Generally good
page length that flowed nicely. Painted
a good picture of Australia in the 1920s that presented social and moral issues
in an interesting manner, reflective to that time period. Love presented with
really sad elements of loss and fear. Great character engagement in a way that
you can feel what each character is going through. I enjoyed reading The Light
Between Oceans. Previously, I preferred not to read historical fiction or
pretty much anything that wasn’t based on present time. I was impressed with
this read and now I’m interested in reading others in this genre. The questions
of morals, decisions and love and what the book’s characters had to go through
is what kept me interested and wanting to know how things ended. Very
impressed.
Read A Likes:
The
Lightkeeper’s Wife by Karen Viggers
Orphan Train by
Christina Baker Kline
All the Light We
Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
What She Left
Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman
This book sounds so good! Like you, I'd never been a very big fan of historical fiction for the same reasons, but sometimes a story is compelling enough that the fact that it's not set in present day doesn't really matter. The book that I read for my historical fiction annotation ('The True Story of Hansel and Gretel') was similarly compelling to me. All of the read-alikes you gave are books I've heard people rave about, and they all sound great too. I might have to start giving historical fiction a chance now!
ReplyDeleteI generally don't read historical fiction. I'm not sure why, it's just not something I've ever really liked. This book sounds interesting, though. I'm going to have to try historical fiction again.
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of Orphan Train and I really want to read All the Light We Cannot See. Based on your suggestions for Read-Alikes, it makes me want to read this book. Your annotation adds to that desire! I'm really curious to see what moral issues of that particular time period are a factor for this couple. Adding this title to my list!
ReplyDelete