The Light Between Oceans
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Josée Leon
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rated it 5 stars
Mar 04, 2013 05:51AM
I abosolutely loved this book. I rated it a 5. I thought it was beautifully written and the story was so very sad. I shed some tears...
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SPOILER ALERT* Absolutely loved this book. It was so beautifully written and explored such a heart-rending dilemma. I think it is was expertly crafted: Tom's desire to stand by Isobel in their unimaginable grief, with his experience of loss and the madness that loss can cause. Her initial inability to stand by Tom in her grief and madness, totally understandable, thankfully redeemed when she finally sees him. There can be no fairytale ending to this story. Life isn't like that.
From the beginning there was no "happily ever after". What choices the main characters made were just wrong. You can't bury a dead person and not report it and you cannot keep a baby without finding out where she came from. Very compelling book, but very sad.
Did it really end in despair? Sure she died of cancer, lots of people do (and it is horribly sad for those left behind) However, Lucy reuniting with Tom and making plans for another meeting filled me with hope. Life isn't always black & white. I thought this was a very well told story. Her style reminds me of Geraldine Brooks.
I really like the book, felt sorry and at the same time sympathized with both characters. Obviously the story would have been different if lies weren't told in first place, but that's the clue. What would you do if you were IZzy, alone with your husband in a desert kind of island, sorrowing three stillbirths already, feeling a bit lonely? I think that's what the author meant us to think about. I don'T personally agree with their decisions, but life has its turns overs. I liked the authors style of writting.
I agree, loving the child may have blind her to the possibility of the baby having a live mother, but when she met hannah.... that's another story...
One of the best books I've read in a very long time. Will read other books this author may write!
Really enjoyed this book. The characters the setting the raw emotions were all so well fleshed out. Felt sympathy and incredulity all at the same time. Just an excellent story.
I had no compassion for Isabelle regardless of her miscarriages. That child had a mother somewhere and it was her obligation to find family for the baby. I realize this is a story, but I couldn't get past not liking her and her selfishness. Also the misery she caused so many. However, she made me read it all to see the outcome of the book!
I liked this book a lot, but didn't like Isabelle at all after she made the horrible decision to disregard the possibility of a grieving mother elsewhere. Her decision caused pain to many people. What a book to be the first written by the author! Really well thought out and deeply thought out. I will be looking for another book by her.
I loved this book.I listened to the Audio version from Audible. ( I can't be away from my books even when I'm driving or out for my walks!) I sympathized with both women, but felt really bad for Lucy. I have a two year-old granddaughter and I know how horrible it would be for everyone involved if she were suddenly taken away and given to a complete stranger.I was out walking when I finished the book and got some strange looks because their were tears running down my face.I sympathize with Tom too. He was put in a difficult position but never felt comfortable with it. I don't think he intended the consequences that occurred when he wrote to Hannah. People are human and do the best they can at the time.I was disappointed to find there were no more books by M.L. Stedman to read!
Yes, Lucy was a victim also and how horrible for her as a young child to have the change of situations happen. This is an author I will follow for certain.
Yes, exactly. She did what she wanted with no regard to anyone else or their suffering.
Loved this book very very much ! The ending tho
In one way I can understand Isobel because something similar happened to me. Okay, it was with a dog, but it was still similar. My husband found a collarless puppy by the side of the road in the snow, and brought it home. I completely bonded with her in about five minutes. We did find out later that she was the last of a litter living outside, and all the rest had wandered off (out to the highway?) and the owner of the mother dog was happy that the last one had "disappeared." But that precious pup gave us joy every day for the next ten years. Okay, this is a totally irrelevant story, but I enjoy telling it.But, it is too bad that they couldn't just have asked around, saying, well, if no one wants her, we'll take her.
I loved all the emotions this well crafted novel aroused in me.In a perfect world, of course Isabel should have returned Lucy to Hannah when the truth was made known. However, we don't live in a perfect world with perfect people making perfect decisions all the time. How lackluster the novel would have been if it had ended with Isabel willingly giving Lucy back to her birth mother. I doubt that ending would have generated many reader discussions.
SPOILER ALERT:When Isabel marries Tom, she is an emotional and, at times, impetuous young woman. Add years of loneliness on the island and the despair and sadness of losing three babies, it becomes understandable why she made so many bad decisions involving a baby miraculously washed up on shore.
All this, and what felt like betrayal by Tom, made Isabel's choice to choose to tell the truth about Tom and give up Lucy a very poignant moment in the novel.
I read this book in April... One of the best book I read... Really enjoyed...
I could not put this book down. I have recommended it for discussion at our next book group meeting. I thought it was well written and was surprised it was a first book for this author
Linda wrote: "The book really deals with the question,"what (and who) is family?" Is it birth or nurture? Blood or love of the deepest kind? What would possess someone to take a baby and love it without reason?..."
Thank-you so much for sharing your personal story. I think that people have been involved in adoption (in any of the roles) have a different and valuable perspective on this book.
gertt wrote: "Paulina wrote: "I think that people have been involved in adoption (in any of the roles) have a different and valuable perspective on this book. ..."Isobel did not adopt Lucy. Lucy was not given..."
Agreed.
I'm at a loss for names right now, forgive me, it's been a few months since I read this and have so many other characters from other books running around in my brain. But did anyone else catch that the title of the book could be symbolic and not the literal meaning of the lighthouse where the two oceans meet?
Think of the young girl (the baby that he found) as the light and the two "mothers" as the oceans. She is the light that keeps both mothers attention and love and brightens both of their worlds. The "oceans"/mothers are battling the whole time just like the literal oceans are battling one another at the peak of the island where the actual lighthouse is located.
If this was mentioned earlier (oops and forgive me). But this was my profound thought during our book club discussion that made everyone stop and say "wow, maybe"
I enjoyed reading this book, But I think the ending was unfair for Isabel, the author dealt her too many blows... It's just really sad...
I just finished the book and I loved it. I thought the story was compelling. I'm amazed this was her first book. I believe it's a must read, constant on-the-edge events about how decisions effect our lives, good and bad.
gertt wrote: "Lucy was Hannah's child. No matter how much you want a child, you can't just take another person's child and pretend it's your own."
Exactly! Nobody seemed to be thinking what was best for the child; the adults' needs were first and foremost. One other thing that bothered me about this book was the fact that Tom had met Hannah before; the book lost a lot of credibility for me at that point. It seemed "soap opera'ish" to me. However, having said all the above, I think this would be a great story to talk about in my book group. Lots of interesting issues to discuss.
This book underwhelmed me!! I felt that Isobel was extremely selfish and only thought of herself and I found that very frustrating. Tom was a good, loving man who wanted her to be happy, but allowed a horrible crime to be committed by keeping someone's baby. The ending was so sad as only it could be!!
Stedman is a very good author. I am interested to read more of her works - whenever more become available. She knows how to keep her audience intrigued. Well done!!!
gertt wrote: "Lucy was Hannah's child. No matter how much you want a child, you can't just take another person's child and pretend it's your own."
It was pretty much this simple for me too. The are thousands of reviews of this book talking about the moral dilemma central to the plot. There was no dilemma in the book I read.
Fran wrote: "I was disappointed. There were several things that just didn't make sense to me. Why did so many people believe, knowing Tom and Isabelle, that Tom acted alone? Why did Hannah offer Lucy back to Is..."I was also waiting for the King Solomon moment... Some break in the child abduction/abuse where adults would come together or make a sacrifice and act in the interest of the child.
The setting of the story really made it stand out for me. I love reading books set in exotic locations that are well written and have good plots. I don't remember what I rated it, but my guess would be a "4". I really enjoyed it.
I felt the book dragged on a bit and then the ending was a little rushed (plus it was incredibly sad). It was an overall good book though!http://thislittlebooknook.weebly.com/
This was a lovely and very moving book.
I just finished this book, one of the best I've read in a while.
This book was so heartwrenching and definitely made me cry. It was a story that I couldn't stop thinking about after I was finished reading it. I was angsting with each one of the characters as they faced such great losses. I agree with Linda, I wish that Tom had been stronger with Isabel in the beginning and done what he knew was right and was his duty. The moment he sent the notification about "their" baby the lie began which became more and more difficult to escape from. He seems to be somewhat of a passive man. Izzy was the one who pursued him in their relationship in the first place, and he seemed afraid to stand up to her throughout their relationship. I was so hoping that Izzy and Tom would be able to reconcile after his confession. I was so relieved when Izzy came to the police station to set things right. That was one of my favorite scenes in the book. I loved the strong picture of marriage in this story as the characters ultimately decided to remain true to their vows for better or for worse. I feel like Izzy lost sight of the wonderful blessing she had been given in Tom as the strong desire to be a mother began to overshadow everything else.
The first half of the book was so sweet and full of beautiful descriptions. I could picture life on Janus with the smell of the wind blowing in your face off of the ocean. I loved Izzy and Tom's relationship as it first started and how she wanted to name all the different parts of the island. Then, the second half of the book was stressful and distressing as consequences to actions had to be dealt with. The end was so bittersweet. I loved that Tom and Izzy seemed to have rebuilt their life together, but I was sad that they were never able to share their lives with a child. Everyone's life in the story was shaped by sorrow.
I few points of criticism...There was way too much taking the Lord's name in vain for me. In my opinion, it isn't necessary and takes away from a great story. I also thought the way the verb tense changed around was distracting. I have noticed this trend in a few other books that have been written recently. I don't like that style; I feel like it breaks up the flow.
This story really made you think. I wanted to be able to talk about it with someone after I finished!
Absolutely enjoyed reading this novel. It was an easy read and so difficult to put down. I enjoy the characters, even Isabel although her choices were selfish but I understand why she did what she did. I was really glad that we met Lucy's character as an adult in the end of the novel, which she goes back with her offspring to meet that two people that saved her life.
I thought this book was just beautiful and really loved it. Incredibly well written!
Lee wrote: "... She took it right to the edge of madness and brought it back. Well done..."That's how I saw it as well, although at first reading I found the book terribly sad and upsetting. After the discussion in my book club, I decided to reread the second half (basically from about the time Tom and Isabel realize Hannah is alive). Knowing the ending, and that Lucy, who was the one I was most concerned about, came through all right, I was able to read the really difficult parts without getting so upset.
True, the child didn't understand what was happening at first and missed Isabel terribly. But once she was older, I think Lucy would have appreciated that Hannah, who hadn't given her up willingly, fought so hard for her and cared so much about her. That kind of love is a rock for a person.
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