It's My Island

I started The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman as I thought it would be a nice complement to my journey to Australia (the book's setting, though it had me by nearly 100 years on the date).  In the end, the described isolation reminded me more of last year's visit to Maine that my journey down under, but I could see that in less populated areas than my journey, it could definitely seem like man and island are one (to contradict the expression).

The book moved well for me.  I was captured by the struggles of Tom and his wife maintaining a "lighthouse life" on the island and too felt wonder when the boat bearing a dead man and a baby washed ashore.  What would happen next?  I could not quite guess the story line (which is a plus in my book...so to speak).  [Don't worry, I'm not giving too much away here.  Nearly every review I saw gave this tidbit away and this critical event happens pretty early on in the novel.]  I read the book nearly in one sitting (with my seat belt securely fastened in the unlikely event of turbulence).

So what did happen?  Of course, I can't spoil that, but I will say the last few chapters left me a bit disappointed as the author seemed to want to tidy up the bits which perhaps should have been left to dangle.  Admittedly, this could have been my dark brooding rather than a reader who likes to know all the "what happened".  I would give the book a shot, but perhaps more a "borrow" rather than "buy."

Have a great weekend!