The Light Between Oceans: A Novel

This was the choice for book club this month, and otherwise it may not have been a book I would have picked up to read. I like the cover and thought it suited the story quite well.English: Lighthouse keeper on the steps of Sandy Cape Lighthouse, Fraser Island, Queensland, ca. 1907 Chimney of the superintendent's house just visible behind the lighthouse, to the right. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)I found the beginning of the book interesting, and then ran into a bit of dry patch that I have to admit I skimmed through before becoming thoroughly engrossed in the book to the point I did not want to put it down. It is a love story between Isabel (happy go lucky) and Tom (serious young man just returning from war), who meet, fall in love, and live the first years of their marriage on a remote island south of Australia. Tom is employed as the lighthouse keeper on an island called Janus. Other than the supply boat, that arrives from the mainland with supplies every three or four months, they are virtually isolated from the world.After suffering three miscarriages, a boat with a dead man and a baby mysteriously appear in the lagoon, and Isabel, while visiting the grave of her baby, hears a baby’s cry on the wind. What follows is a story about right and wrong, and how the lines are not always so clear.The story is very well written and I found the book to be an enjoyable read. It was an informative story that teaches the reader about life as a lighthouse keeper on a remote island. The book also presents the reader with a moral dilemma, which may have you swaying first one way and then the other as you contemplate the decision of the characters, that you have to come to love, will make. You will read of decisions made out of love and in then in the name of revenge, and then forgiveness. As the quotes from the book suggest, The Light Between Oceans is a thought-provoking book and I encourage you to read it.Book Quotes:“Your family’s never in your past. You carry it around with you everywhere.”“I’m not trying to hide anything,” Tome said. “It’s just that raking over the past is a waste of time.” “And I’m not trying to pry. Only-you’ve had a whole life, a whole story, and I’ve come in late. I’m only trying to make sense of things. Make sense of you.” She hesitated, then asked delicately, “If I can’t talk about the past, am I allowd to talk about the future?” “We can’’’t rightly ever talk about the future, if you think about it. we can only talk about what we imagine, or wish for. It’s not the same thing.” “OK, what do you wish for, then?” Tom paused. “Life. That’ll do me, I reckon.”“So marry me!” He blinked. “Izz-I hardly know you! And, besides, I’ve never even-well, I’ve never even kissed you, for crying out loud!” “At long last!” She spoke as if the solution were blindingly obvious, and she stood on tiptoes to pull his head down toward her.For more visit [...]

I was a tad leery of this book after running into several similes within the first chapter. I do not think good writing calls for similes. And, if I read another book with a simile comparing such and such to "a row of teeth" I think I will scream. Please authors, this is so over-used.Now, after getting that off my chest, I enjoyed the book very much. When the author started to explain the workings of the lights, I thought I would probably end up skimming past it all, but in fact, it was quite interesting. I specifically recall reading of "the character" and how light flashes alert ships so they know they are in certain ports, such as Janue. Ships are able to read the character as they have a list of the lights on each of their courses.The story is about Tom, who was active in WW11 and needs and seeks a solitary life. He needed order and was compulsive about his entries in the light house log, constantly polishing brass, straightening papers and files in his little office. I enjoyed how the author compared the discipline of being a soldier to the demands of maintaining a light house to insure ship's safety. Tom married Isabel and they lived a very cloistered life on the little island with the only company being the two men who brought supplies in every three months or so. The crux of the novel centers around a baby that arrived on the shore, the wife's immediate love for the infant and the conflict of keeping this child and not notifying authorities. Tom seemed to be a man of conscience whereas Isabel operated on maternal love and what made her feel good with little regard for finding the biological mother of the infant. It is a gripping, heart rendering story and I spent several evenings reading until wee hours of the morning. It is a excellent novel and once the author ran out of similes, it was very well written. The characters were well defined and I found myself liking Isabel and then again not liking Isabel. I identified more with Tom who knew from the get-go that keeping this infant and not attempting to find the real parents was flat out wrong. However, I loved him for his willingness to set his conscience aside and going along with Isabel's reasoning and plans because of his profound love for her. I would highly recommend this book to my family and friends.