The Light Between Oceans
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Am I the only one who think Isabel is stupid and should of listen to Tom ?
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May 13, 2013 10:04AM
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Isabel SHOULD have listened to Tom but she was in so much pain from losing her babies........I don't think she planned on keeping the child long, neither did Tom but one day turned to two, two days to a week, then months and then years....too late now to say something and yet.....you know it couldn't go well.
Also, Tom should have been more forceful.......it was eating him up!
Very true! I couldn't imagine going through that! And they really did love Lucy but it still wasn't right.
So right, Tom and Isabel loved Lucy with ALL their heart. It was also painful to see Lucy go through that pain, especially since she didn't understand. That's what hurt me the most.
Tom did love Isabel. .. I had hoped they would have reconciled... but, too kuch time gad passed and too much pain endured.... sad all around....
great story! certainly memorable!
I will not say that she was stupid but she was being unreasonable at times. I tried to sympatheize with her though, she wanted to do the right thing but she became so attached to Lucy.
I think Tom should have listened to Tom and done what he knew was right from the start (but then I guess we wouldn't have had such a wonderful book.) People are flawed and do things out of love that they know are wrong but that they believe are justified because of love.
I could not stand Isabel. Very rarely do I dislike a character so much. She ruined the book for me.
Loved this book. I think Isabel was suffering from depression and that is why she made the choices she made Tom loved her too much to see her suffer so went along with it against his own better judgment.
I was pretty upset with Isabel throughout the book. She made so many bad choices. She hurt Lucy so much, as well as Hannah. It made me mad at her for turning her back on Tom. I wanted Tom to tell the truth about the baby coming to the island, and that Isabel was so depressed over the lose of her own babies. I felt agitated through most of the book.
I agree with all the comments, Isabel was selfish and wrong from the start. Tom new better and after awhile should have made it right. But then again, we wouldn't be talking about how we also liked the book and disliked the characters!! lol
I saw it as a bit of a dark fairy tale. It didn't ring true to me. Tom was the plausible character and Isabel took him for granted. I didn't feel she was depressed but revelled in the "poor is me" syndrome. If she was a truly caring person she would have realised that the tragedy happened to both of them and they needed to share their grief and their love for each other.To then drag Lucy through the make-believe was a huge error of judgement on Isabel's part and she wouldn't give up the charade for anybody.
Sounds awfully selfish to me.
However, having said that, I did enjoy it as an engrossing read - I like to figure out what makes people tic. I felt more empathy for Tom & Lucy.
Tom was such an inherently good character that I really struggled with liking Isabel. She wasn't evil by any means, but compared to Tom she was much less like-able and well intentioned. The way she treated Tom towards the end of the book made me really hate her.
To me Isabel was an example of a girl/woman who never matured beyond the age of 14. She continued to go through life and love pleasing her own emotions. I found myself more than once wanting to "mother" her. That is not to say I didn't like her - I did. Poor, poor Tom. Like any good husband he was so willing to do anything to make her happy - I wish he would have tried harder to reason with her regarding Lucy, the dead body, the boat. Perhaps their relationship would have been better if they had more people around them.
Human emotion is a complex thing and Isabel's decision to keep the baby is not surprising. Can totally understand where she was coming from after losing so many babies of her own.
I think Isabelle was so used to having whatever she wanted, no matter how misguided, that she never would have considered giving up the baby. That is why I found her choice of Tom over Lucy at the end rather unlikely. Nice and neat for the author, but unlikely given Isabelle's self-entitlement. Lucky for Lucy she did, her life would have been all about pleasing Isabelle, and she never would have been able to grow up.
I think Tom bears most of the blame for the situation getting out of control by not being stronger in the beginning. I understand that he wanted to do anything he could to ease Isabel's suffering, but he compromised what he knew was right to meet her needs. Tough call, but in the end I just can't imagine going along with it. What a great book. One of my top five this year.
I really wanted to knock some sense into Isabel. Tom loved her so much, he put aside his misgivings, jeopardized his job and was thrown into a life filled with guilt and remorse just to make her happy. If Isabel had loved Tom half as much as he loved her, she would never have put him throught that.Right is right, no matter how much you want it to be otherwise.
I am glad she was able put aside her selfishness in the end and see the real value of the man she married.
I think people are forgetting the incredible effect of hormones on a woman during and after pregnancy when they are critical of Izzy's desire to keep Lucy. Then, by the time of the christening, both Tom and Izzy had learned to love her as their own. That would make it very hard to give her up.
No doubt wrong, but part of the beauty of this book to me is that I was able to feel the strong emotions of all the characters. I loved the book!
I think once they made the decision they should have stayed with the decision. Tom should not have gone back and told . It really didn't help the little girl or their family.
Adriana wrote: "I really wanted to knock some sense into Isabel. Tom loved her so much, he put aside his misgivings, jeopardized his job and was thrown into a life filled with guilt and remorse just to make her h..."I think Tom did this for himself. He wanted to fix the things that were broken from his childhood. Not having his mom. He wanted to give Isbella the child because essentially, he wanted his mother to have him.
I think this is what I kinda loved about this book. It brought to head the thought of spouses and morals/ethics/values for me. I love reading the reviews of both sides to gain more perspective on it. I don't know if I could have done what Tom did and let it go on. I understand she wanted a baby really bad but I want to be rich really bad too but I can't go rob a bank.
This book made me crazy. I desperately wanted them to do the right thing. I ached for it. I understand that back then people didn't have resources to work through their grief or whatever, but was it really necessary to put layer after layer after layer after layer of abandonment in this book?? Jeepers! I just kept waiting for ONE ray of sunlight. Seriously, LIFE eventually offers a ray of sunlight. This book was soooo full of loss and poor decisions, I couldn't stand it.
Stacy wrote: "This book made me crazy. I desperately wanted them to do the right thing. I ached for it. I understand that back then people didn't have resources to work through their grief or whatever, but wa..."I agree. There were so few sympathetic characters in the book. Only Tom got my attention as basically a good person. Even Lucy was a brat, and honestly, by the end, I wanted them all to just get over themselves.
For real. I was cheering for Tom, and I kept yelling "NO!!!" every time he made a decision. Every time there was a choice to be made, his decision was ridiculous. His inner life, his background, even his demons; none of them were congruent with the eventual choices he made. I couldn't believe any of it.
I read both books, and honestly loved The Forgotten Garden much more than The Light Between Oceans. Kate Morton's books are all great.
OMG...Forgotten Gardens was so good and heartbreaking. Giving up that baby to her best friend....and that scene where she finally gets to cuddle the child after all that time that she didn't get to. While Light between Oceans was great, it was no Forgotten Gardens. There was so much more depth and layers to it. I do like that you compared the two. They are similar.
I recommend page 526 of Forgotten garden...so heartbreaking...and sweet ....and finally, she gets to be with her daughter...
gertt wrote: "Isabel did suffer from depression after losing her babies, but I think she also had other issues as well...she always bent the rules or pushed the limits. When Tom met Isabel she was on the beach ..."I couldn't agree more! Isabel is a destructive character right from the beginning. I wish Tom would have seen that sooner. I would have loved for him to send her on the boat back home with Ralph and Bluey...
Melissa wrote: "I think once they made the decision they should have stayed with the decision. Tom should not have gone back and told . It really didn't help the little girl or their family."I disagree, because Tom went back and told because the guilt was eating away at him. He knew Hannah was grieving back home and she deserved to know the truth about what happened and the poor choices that he made. Tom didn't even blame Isabel because he knew it was his fault that he didn't stand his ground from the beginning. The family that you're referring to isn't even "their" family. The child didn't belong to them. Lucy belonged with her mother back home, long before she would grow old enough to even remember Isabel and Tom.
Lauren wrote: "gertt wrote: "Isabel did suffer from depression after losing her babies, but I think she also had other issues as well...she always bent the rules or pushed the limits. When Tom met Isabel she was..."I think destructive is not the right word...because you fail to take into account that Tom did this for his own reasons. He was trying to fix the baggage from his childhood. He wanted that baby to be with Isbelle because he got taken from his mother...but that is also why the guilt got to him....
Lauren wrote: "Melissa wrote: "I think once they made the decision they should have stayed with the decision. Tom should not have gone back and told . It really didn't help the little girl or their family."I ..."
I guess you have to think about the Nuture vs Nature debate because at the point that he gave the child back, that child thought her parents were Isbelle and Tom. So even though they made the wrong choice in the beginning, they were a family. And they were her parents. What makes a parent? Someone that gives birth or someone that raise the child. Luckily, it worked out in the end but if Lucy had rejected the real mother forever, then it would have been a much worse situation, taking her away from Tom and Isbelle.
gertt wrote: "Melissa wrote: "So even though they made the wrong choice in the beginning, they were a family. And they were her parents. What makes a parent? Someone that gives birth or someone that raise the ch..."I agree with gertt. That is why the original decision taken by Isabel, who begged her husband to agree with her, was wrong. THe authorities should have been notified and if there was no responsible adult to claim Lucy, then Isabel could have applied for custody and then adoption. Tom was a pawn used by Isabel. I don't call that love but manipulation. I empathise with her grief but that should have made her more concerned about Lucy's true mother and Lucy's future. It's easy to blame Tom for not standing up to Lucy, but remember Tom loved Isabel and he had lost their babies too - he was in an even more vulnerable position as he had Isabel to care for and protect and he had to suffer his grief in silence.
I think Isabel didn't respond in the normal way and her grief was no excuse. She should have turned to Tom for support, no involved him in an illegal act in what was her decision to do something incomprehensible. Why didn't she feel for Lucy's mother, after having lost her own babies.
Elyse wrote: "Did anyone read the book "The Forgotten Garden"? A baby was also found in a boat (both authors are from Australia) --In "The Forgotten Garden" the baby was also raised by a couple who were not t..."
I've read both books. There is a mystery in The Forgotten Garden. The child searches for her mother, when she learns the truth from the man she thinks is her father, when he tells her at the age of 18. I found it hard to believe she would turn so, against the parents she knew, and her sisters. I found it to be a very excellent book.
I agree with Laureen - what Tom and Isabel did was wrong, period. End of discussion as far as I'm concerned. The book really annoyed me for this reason. In my opinion, they have absolutely no defence for what they did. Later on, however, it gets a little murkier when Lucy is older and doesn't know her biological mother etc., etc., but it should never have gone that far. I know it's just a story, but it did really irk me!
Frenchie wrote: "I think that people tend to forget that once upon a time, the main thing for a woman was to have a husband and children. Things may have changed, women are going to work, are independent, but one t..."Yes Frenchie, I understand your perspective but I can't agree. Treat others as we would like to be treated is a motto I would like to be able to live by. How would Isabel feel if her last baby had been taken from her and she had no clue about how to find her. At least she knew where her babies were.
Also, if I remember correctly, didn't Isabel suffer from guilt which she found difficult to talk to Tom about because she knew she was at fault? If I am correct, doesn't that mean that Isabel was fully aware of the consequences of her actions? She was suffering extreme grief and hopelessness for which I can, indeed, feel empathy but many people in the world experience much worse. Some mothers in the world have to watch their babies die from malnutrition, one after the other. We simply can't control everything in life. Isabel did have choices.
Yeah, I know it is fiction and I don't mean to sound preachy and I do appreciate that the author has caused some debate which is always good if something positive comes out of it. I'm afraid this book irritated me too, like Ellen.
DreamWorks are trying to acquire the film rights for 'A Light Between Oceans.' This will make a brilliant film IMO, get the tissues ready for the weepy of the year!http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/11/27...
Frenchie wrote: "I think that people tend to forget that once upon a time, the main thing for a woman was to have a husband and children. Things may have changed, women are going to work, are independent, but one t..."Some very good points Frenchie. I don't think I was ever unclear as to the "why" Isabel and Tom did what they did. It's actually quite easy to see the powerful reasons behind their decisions. The point that I was trying to make was that it's pretty clear what is the right thing to do and what is the wrong thing. If this story had been told from the biological mother's point of view, instead of Isabel's, I think the reader would have had a more sympathetic view of her plight.
Interesting, engaging discussion - thanks!
Elyse wrote: "Joanne, Melissa, Grett, Lauren, Nancy, Ellen, Frenchie....( I missed anyone...please forgive me)....just great conversations!WOW!!!!!! You guys are AWESOME!!! GREAT POSTS.
*Nancy*: I agree wha..."
I just finished The Woman Upstairs, and I agree: it was sad. I got impatient with her at times, but the betrayal she felt was just visceral. I loved this book more when I thought about it later than I did while reading it.
All 3 books in this post were exceptional.
Elyse wrote: "*Joanne*: OMG....I am sooooooooooooo glad you read that book. I've been wanting to chat with another female who has read it. It sure brought up many thoughts and feelings for me (some that fee..."This has been really fun for me to discuss these books, as I don't have a book club here. I love to see how other readers are reacting to the books I've read.
It seems you all have a love of reading and discussing books, if anybody is interested a few of us started a book club on here 6 months ago and it's a really friendly place. We have 4 book choices a month and hold our discussions on the 1st of every month. 'The Light Between Oceans' was one of our book choices for last month and we all loved it.Anyone who might like to join is welcome to PM me :)
Edit to add: Frenchie is already a member, forgot to mention that :)
Elaine4wales wrote: "It seems you all have a love of reading and discussing books, if anybody is interested a few of us started a book club on here 6 months ago and it's a really friendly place. We have 4 book choices..."Thank you for the invitation. I am away for September but might be interested over the winter. Like Elyse, will you keep me in mind?
Hi Elyse and Joanne,Sure thing, have a think about it, no pressure whatsoever. It's a very laid back, friendly group. So if you want somewhere with nice people who all share a love of reading, then the invite is always there :) Thank you both!
P.S. - sorry for my interruption too! - lol
I loved this book! I did get really mad at Isabel and at Tom for not making her do to right thing. But it was so emotional and like a train wreck you couldn't look away from. I highly recommend it.
Lauren wrote: "gertt wrote: "Isabel did suffer from depression after losing her babies, but I think she also had other issues as well...she always bent the rules or pushed the limits. When Tom met Isabel she was..."I didn't see Isabel as destructive. She was young and immature and like many young people she was selfish. I saw her actions as selfish even though partially fueled by depression. I also thought Tom was partially to blame. His refusal to deal with his past and let Isabel know about his past inadvertently lead to his past repeating itself in many ways. Maybe Isabel would have given more thought to her action if she had the context to understand his comments that keeping Lucy was in essence bring war to their island and their bed.
gertt wrote: "Isabel was the cause of Lucy's pain. Lucy was still a baby when Isabel found out Hannah was her mother, had she told the truth then, Lucy's transition would not have been nearly as painful. Isabel ..."well said
I think the unique circumstances of their isolation on the Light House island really played into the choices the characters made. I felt sympathetic towards Isabelle even as I reviled her choices. Tom was so conscientious and loving he was certainly the self-sacrificing hero in the book but I felt Isabel's character was engrossing and made the book highly emotional in a way that it didn't with Tom. I sided with Tom on almost all fronts but I saw Isabel as extremely sad rather than stupid, and I do think her isolation on the island contributed to both the negatives--depression and the positives--freedom from normal rules. They made decisions each day that were not influenced by society. I think for Isabel her need was so great and her bond so fierce that she really could not see the harm she caused Lucy or Lucy/Grace's mother. It was selfish but she didn't strike me as an awful person and her prayer that Lucy's mother would get over the loss clearly showed that she didn't lack some understanding of what she was doing but her perspective was one where she was cast in a positive light (as the savior of the baby). The scenes with Lucy begging for connection with Isabel were utterly heart-wrenching to read. I enjoyed this book very much!
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