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There are currently 30 member reviews
for The Light Between Oceans
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Philip K. (San Anselmo, Ca)
Bright Lights
What a wonderful book. It takes place at the end if the land where two oceans meet in Western Australia.The key protagonists are to very wounded light house keepers, living in isolation 100 miles from land.Tom is a WW 1 veteran and Isabel has miscarried 3 children. Into their life comes a lifeboat with a dead man and a baby girl. They keep the child and do not mention the incident to anyone . In a small village a woman believes her husband and child have disappeared. The consequences from these actions affect all these protagonists through the years.at the end of the book I was in tears for all the characters.
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Marjorie W. (Bonita Springs, FL)
The Light Between Oceans
Couldn't put it down! From the first chapter to the final words, this book held my attention. The moral dilemma that Tom faces mixed with his love for his wife and commitment to honesty and duty is devastating to him.
I think this would be an excellent book for discussion and will recommend it to my book club.
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Nikki M. (Fort Wayne, IN)
Perfect novel--not to be missed!
This novel had it all--characters you felt you knew and cared about, beautiful writing, compelling story! Very satisfying read--highly recommended...
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Barbara E. (rockville, MD)
The Light Between Oceans
This is a wonderful debut novel. The book is a morally complex tale, filled with flawed characters whom you nevertheless end up routing for. From its opening pages to its final ones, I was enthralled. This is a wonderful exploration of life, love and responsibility. I would highly recommend this book.
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Rebecca E. (Bala Cynwyd, PA)
Love and Loss, Light and Dark
The Light Between Oceans is a promising debut from Australian author M. L. Stedman. As good historical fiction is supposed to do, this book introduced me to several new topics, namely, everything I ever wanted to know about lighthouses, and also the deeply felt impact of far-away World War I on the citizens of a small coastal Australian town.
At the heart of the well-drawn plot and characters is a terrible moral dilemma, and the ramifications and heartbreak of the solution to the problem. As a mother who knows the pain of pregnancy loss and miscarriage, Isabel and Tom’s story resonated with me and kept me up late at night reading until I had finished the novel. Stedman’s writing and use of metaphor is skillful, and the reader can feel the emptiness and solitude of life alone at the edge of the world, the profound darkness of the ocean relieved by the lighthouse, and the tremendous longing and loss that can only be relieved by hope eternal.
I look forward to Stedman’s next novel, and highly recommend The Light Between Oceans.
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Michelle N. (Hillsdale, NJ)
Read this book!
I have just finished reading this book and it is way past the time that I usually stay up at night - I just could not put this book down! I was very fortunate to be able to obtain this book and write a review about it - it is excellent from start to finish. The story grabs you from the first page and keeps you enthralled until the very last. The characters come alive off the page and the story will have you picking up the book at every opportunity to see the choices that the characters make. This book is definitely about choices - what do you do when your conscience tells you to do the right thing, even when it will destroy those you love? A very difficult choice, some very wonderful characters, and a truly terrific book. Coming from someone who reads a ton of books, this is one of those stories that will stay with you. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book - no doubt you will love it!
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Shirin M. (Beverly Hills, CA)
The Light Between Oceans - M. L. Stedman
A good book transports you to a different time and place; better books stay with you long after you've turned the last page. "The Light Between Oceans," does both. Quiet controlled prose creates a sense of time and place inhabited by real people. There are no heroes or villains. Just regular folk who have to live with the consequences of their decisions in a world that is after all never fair. The reader's notion of right and wrong is challenged in circumstances where there are no easy answers. An engrossing read. While you want to know what happens to the main characters, you don't want the book to end. A stunning debut novel.
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