The Light Between Oceans in The Light Between Oceans Read-A-Long

Jun 06, 2016 Cassandra marked it as dnf · review of another edition

I'm DNFing this for now but I would like to give it another go. I'm still interested, I just don't think I've picked it up at the right time. ...more

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Jun 06, 2016 Jaclyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Such a good book. Tough decisions with no easy answers. Bring Kleenex.

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Jun 07, 2016 Hilary rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016, worth-a-re-read, owned, historical, adult-fiction

I went into this book not expecting to like it. It's not something I would generally read, a little too dramatic and romantic for my tastes. Honestly, the only reason I kept coming back to it in the first place was because I adore the ocean. So when Simon & Schuster Canada offered to send me a copy so I could participate in the read-along, I figured I should give it a shot.

And I'm glad I did. I actually enjoyed this book more than I would have ever thought. It was overly dramatic and intense (I I went into this book not expecting to like it. It's not something I would generally read, a little too dramatic and romantic for my tastes. Honestly, the only reason I kept coming back to it in the first place was because I adore the ocean. So when Simon & Schuster Canada offered to send me a copy so I could participate in the read-along, I figured I should give it a shot.

And I'm glad I did. I actually enjoyed this book more than I would have ever thought. It was overly dramatic and intense (I was a little off on the romantic idea), but it had a lot of redeeming qualities as well. It was a heavy story, but Stedman pulled it off beautifully, and handled some very sensitive and difficult topics in a lovely way.

The Good Points of The Light Between Oceans:

Perhaps a personal point more than a critical one, but if you're homesick for the ocean, this book will take you right back.

So many books like to tell us things that are happening with the characters, rather than showing us. This book just shows us, and lets us draw our own conclusions about what is happening and what we think the characters should be doing. After far too many books that just tell us what's happening, this was a breath of fresh air.

The Light Between Oceans is a gorgeous work of art. Even if you hate the characters and the story, you may find that you've fallen in love with Stedman's writing style and how she handles some of her paragraphs. This alone makes me want to read more books by Stedman.

It is so easy to get emotionally invested in the characters. And I don't necessarily mean in a positive way. I hated Isabel throughout, was increasingly frustrated by Tom, and annoyed by Hannah. But the fact that this book stirred up these feelings is not something to be overlooked. This isn't something I get out of books often.

The Downsides of The Light Between Oceans:

With the exception of Lucy, I didn't like any of the main characters. They were all awful, and had no idea how to handle the child, and they drove me crazy. And maybe this isn't a bad thing (see above), but I would have liked it if there was an adult character I was rooting for.

I thought that the last 2-3 chapters were unnecessary, and didn't add anything to the story. I think it would have been better if we'd been left to wonder what happened to Lucy and the others, rather than having every questions answered for us.

There were a few parts of the story that seemed unnecessary. I understand why we got a lot of background on Isabel's family and such, but it could have been left out and would have had no effect on the book.

All in all, I surprisingly enjoyed this book, and I think it's earned a spot on my shelf. It's a gorgeous story, and I need Stedman to write some more so I can escape into her writing once again. If you're looking for a beautifully written story, and don't mind a bit of heaviness, you should definitely check this one out. ...more

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Jun 16, 2016 guiltlessreader rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I thought I'd be moved by the tragedy of the story and wowed by the literary quality of the writing. Loved the setting, the promise of the themes of parenthood ... but I did not get suckered into the melodramatics of this predictable tale. I'd say pass. My full review on my blog Guiltless Reading. ...more

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