The Light Between Oceans in Ask M.L. Stedman

Jul 22, 2012 Les rated it it was amazing

Shelves: top-ten

Do you see that? A 5/5 rating! It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had one of those and Stedman’s debut novel deserves nothing less! I’m not even going to knock off any points for the slow start, because that could easily be attributed to my fatigue from an exhausting week at work. Once I got a few pages in, I was hooked and could barely set the book aside. I even read a few pages while fixing dinner!

On a violent ocean:

There are times when the ocean is not the ocean—not blue, not even water, Do you see that? A 5/5 rating! It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had one of those and Stedman’s debut novel deserves nothing less! I’m not even going to knock off any points for the slow start, because that could easily be attributed to my fatigue from an exhausting week at work. Once I got a few pages in, I was hooked and could barely set the book aside. I even read a few pages while fixing dinner!

On a violent ocean:

There are times when the ocean is not the ocean—not blue, not even water, but some violent explosion of energy and danger: ferocity on a scale only gods can summon. It hurls itself at the island, sending spray right over the top of the lighthouse, biting pieces off the cliff. And the sound is a roaring of a beast whose anger knows no limits. Those are the nights the light is needed most.

On the persistence of the passage of time:

The wind had kept up its sullen howl. The late-afternoon sun continued to shine in through the window, laying a blanket of bright gold over the woman and her almost-baby. The old clock on the kitchen wall still clicked its minutes with fussy punctuality. A life had come and gone and nature had not paused a second for it. The machine of time and space grinds on, and people are fed through it like grist through the mill.

On isolation:

Anyone who’s worked on the Offshore Lights can tell you about it—the isolation, and the spell it casts. Like sparks flung off the furnace that is Australia, these beacons dot around it, flickering on and off, some of them only ever seen by a handful of living souls. But their isolation saves the whole continent from isolation—keeps the shipping lanes safe, as vessels steam the thousands of miles to bring machines and books and cloth, in return for wool and wheat, coal and gold: the fruits of ingenuity traded for the fruits of earth.

The isolation spins its mysterious cocoon, focusing the mind on one place, on time, one rhythm—the turning of the light. The island knows no other human voices, no other footprints. On the Offshore Lights you can live any story you want to tell yourself, and no one will say you’re wrong: not the seagulls, not the prisms, not the wind.

The Light Between Oceans is the type of book that could easily be read in a few days, but I took my time, slowly savoring the lyrical prose, dreading the turn of that final page. However, as the conclusion drew near with an ominous sense of foreboding, I couldn’t pull my eyes away from the words, holding my breath as the tension mounted. Each of the characters faced a moral dilemma with no perfect solution; the heartbreak of both was inevitable. And yet, in spite of this tragic story, I came away from it with a feeling of satisfaction.

Final Thoughts:

An outstanding debut that is sure to be a winner among fans of literary fiction and book clubs alike. Stedman’s vigorously evocative narrative, along with a strong sense of place, depicts the powerful isolation and ultimate desperation of an Australian lighthouse keeper and his family. The author’s skill in crafting a thought-provoking and gripping tale, peopled with fully-realized characters (who in spite of their flaws, will win over even the harshest of critics), is more characteristic of a seasoned writer than one fresh to the world of bestsellers. I anxiously await her second endeavor and meanwhile, I plan to listen to the audio version of this remarkable novel. Kudos, Ms. Stedman! ...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Natalie rated it it was amazing

I loved this book, from cover to cover, I was totally enthralled and found myself looking forward to getting to bed a little earlier so that I would have some extra time to devote to my reading :)

The author manages to portray the "Human-ness" of the characters well.
One gets confronted with the different options we have in our day-to-day lives.
The fine line between what is right, what is wrong and what the heart just wants!

I often am touched by a well written book, but never have had the experie ...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Angie Swain rated it it was amazing

This book is a diamond. The quality of the writing is of the best, the story is original and the characters are well drawn and believable.
The book is set just after the First World War, and tells of the isolated life of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who is unable to have a child. When a row boat is washed ashore with dead man and a baby on board, the wife justifies keeping the child and persuades her husband to keep the matter from the authorities. But of course, there is a woman grieving for ...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Robin rated it really liked it

This book provides a good story, good characters and offers some wonderful life advice about not living in the past and forgiving is easier than holding a grudge. Wasn't, sure how it was going to end right up until the last chapter. That,s always a treat! ...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Beth rated it it was amazing

Easy and quick read. Good and plausible story, engaging characters.
Many will say it was a predictable ending but there were several possibilities (who ends up with the baby).
The author teases back and forth between the possibilities.
I tried to predict but didn't quite get it. Part 3 felt rushed--the aftermath.
I grew to care about the people and it was not satisfying.

I expect the movie rights will quickly sell and we'll see this as a movie.

The weekend I started this book I took a tour of a light ...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Lynn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: unforgettable-books

Oh My!!! Five stars aren't enough. What an emotional roller coaster this read was! I'm not one to cry, but certainly could have shed a tear or two as Tom [the Lighthouse Keeper] and his wife, Isabel, want a child so badly, and yet are confronted with only miscarriage and stillbirth. One day, a boat washes ashore, and in this boat is a dead man and a very-much-alive baby. Oh, the turmoil that ensues. Moral dilemna after moral dilemna. Heartbreaking. What to do when your arms ache to hold a baby, ...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Kari Yergin rated it liked it

"You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day. You have to keep remembering all the bad things."

Tom telling Isabel about eating honeysuckle as kids: "He bit the narrow end of the flower and sucked the droplet of nectar from its base. 'You only taste it for a second. But it's worth it.' "

A few good lines, great cover art, and an intriguing beginning couldn't help me get past lots of the middle and much of the behavior of the characters. It was worth finishing, th ...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Roberta rated it it was amazing

Beautifully written. Powerful and engaging universal story.

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Dec 06, 2012 Debbie G rated it really liked it

I was surprised when I saw on the end flyleaf that this is a first novel. It is a riveting story.Warm moments, hard moments, no sugar coating of characters' responses or flaws ; I couldnt stop reading it til I was done. I will look for this author's next book. ...more

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