The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Scribner, 2012
A captivating, beautiful, and stunningly accomplished debut novel set in 1918 Australia. The story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who make one devastating choice that forever changes two worlds.
I thought about this story long after I finished reading the book.
The life-changing decision that principal characters Tom and Isabel make is, in its first moments, unquestionable in its rightness and wrongness. But when Tom and Isabel labor over the ramifications of their decision, readers will find themselves reasoning, right along with Tom and Isabel, over what is right and what is wrong.
Keep a tissue box handy while reading this book. Isabel’s desperate experiences of losing babies, alone at a remote outpost, are heart-wrenching. (Sensitive readers may want to look up from the page and re-group.) And Tom’s tender love for his vulnerable wife is noble.
The fascinating descriptions of lighthouse-keeping responsibilities before the benefit of modern conveniences are a bonus. To readers who love watching movies, I suggest that you read the book even if you’ve seen the movie. Significant changes were made to the film, limiting the story. (The cinematography, however, was gorgeous.)
I love that this story placed me right into the shoes of characters considering tough choices. I love that I was encouraged to rethink my tendencies.
What about you, reader? Have you ever watched someone make a decision and wondered why they weren’t making the obviously “right” decision?
