What readers think of The Light Between Oceans, plus links to write your own review.

This novel had it all--characters you felt you knew and cared about, beautiful writing, compelling story! Very satisfying read--highly recommended...

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.

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.

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!

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.

Lighthouse, island and characters become alive with detailed descriptions given us by the author, M.L. Stedman. Duty and love meet moral challenges with the clash of cymbals. This is a love story gone awry because of love itself.
I could not put the book down, not because like within a mystery one searches for the solution, but because there is no solution to this moral drama..but you are compelled to watch it -like a car wreck.

It is always a pleasure to read not only a good story, but one that is so well written. The author has a gift with words and I was sad to see the novel come to an end. The book was filled with wonderful descriptive writing, symbolism, and an element of not ever quite knowing what would turn up next. Put all that together, and you have a great read. The book has many topics that would make a great discussion for a book club. Great first novel!

This is a very haunting and well written book. The author does a wonderful job of describing the locations and the characters, both of which are essential to the story. The story is about how one bad choice made by good people can change many lives. I will remember the characters and the moral dilemmas they faced for a long time.
After finishing the book I wanted to share it with a friend. It is the kind of book you want to discuss with others, making it a good choice for Book Clubs.