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Sorry for the posting delay. I've been out of the country and completely ignoring anything that doesn't involve sun and sand.

The group read for April 2023 is The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman. As this is the only discussion thread that will be opened, please make sure you are marking all spoilers.

Australia, 1926. After four harrowing years fighting on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns home to take a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day's journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby's cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom's judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

M. L. Stedman's mesmerizing, beautifully written debut novel seduces us into accommodating Isabel's decision to keep this "gift from God." And we are swept into a story about extraordinarily compelling characters seeking to find their North Star in a world where there is no right answer, where justice for one person is another's tragic loss.

Sounds like a heavenly getaway, Gretchen! I think it has rained where I live every day for two months—when it wasn’t snowing. I’m hoping to get to this one and have a copy but my April is very busy so not sure when.

I gave this book 3 stars for the following reasons:

This is a very difficult book for me to review. First off I know many others just raved about this book and loved it and gave it 5 stars. It isn't my usual reading subject matter so perhaps that has colored my review. I haven't seen the movie based on the book that many people also raved about and felt was "as good as" the book. All of that said...

This is a real tearjerker and the characters' emotions are on the surface from beginning to end of the story. It grabs your heart and won't let go. For that part I give it 5 stars.

About the only lesson to be learned from the book is that no matter how good your intentions are lies and deception cannot be sustained and cause irreparable harm over the long haul. The story held no surprises for me -- it unfolded exactly as I knew it would. For that part I gave it 1 star...no surprises and no twists that I didn't see coming. The outcome was inevitable.

So for me it all balances out to 3 stars.

I gave this book 4 stars. I enjoyed the pace and felt I really got to know each character. I usually prefer to have a character to "pull for" in a novel. However, even though I could not choose one in this book, I still enjoyed the story. I could understand the reasoning behind all the characters' choices (right and wrong).

I loved this book, it was a 5 star read for me back in 2014. I hope those who are reading this for the first time are pulled into the story and characters as much as I was. Happy reading!

I also read this book and enjoyed it. I learned alot about Australia and life as a lighthouse keeper. I also like Isobel and my heart went out to her when she lost her children so I understood why she did what she did. I got to see life through Isobel's eyes.

Just finished this one and loved it. It was such a heartfelt story, I loved the characters and I had such high hopes for all involved to do the right thing.
5 stars from me!

I am about two-thirds of the way through and am beginning to think I must be what is called a resistant reader for this story. Are we supposed to sympathize with Isobel's decision making? Although I recognize she has been wrenchingly emotional throughout about her miscarriages, I have yet to be anything but appalled by the actions both she and Tom took. As anticipated readers, do you think we are expected to be more relativistic in our sympathies?

I did, I sympathized with all of the characters!! I felt bad for both sides, I do not condone what Tom and Isa did but I can feel their pain. I initially disliked Hannah but she came around, I can only imagine how hard her situation was 🙁

Cinda, I must say that I agree with you. Although I read the book quite a few years ago, I remain appalled at their actions as well.

Cinda, I’m about halfway through and I too find their decision appalling. The book is well written, but very disturbing. What the villagers did to Frank makes me ill.

I read this book in 2018 and gave it 5 stars. The story is not easily forgotten.

I also have read this book and agree it is a five star read. A thought provoking read that cannot easily be put down.

I’m new to the group and am not sure if my earlier post was in fact posted so a very short review on this occasion. I read this book difficult to read. I thought the quality of the writing was good but found the plot line unattractive. I give it three stars.

I read this in 2016.

In looking back, I gave it a high rating, 5��'s, but I don't remember much about the story other than it tugged at heart-strings.

I have finished the novel now and remain appalled. Why didn't it tug at my heartstrings? I felt sorry for Isobel until I realized what she was doing, and then horror kicked in. All I was thinking was "No, Isobel, don't do it!" As a character, she was I WANT A BABY AND I DON'T CARE HOW. Tom was just weak and prepared to do wrong by everyone. The most interesting thing about the book philosophically was watching a relativist world view justify evil day by day.

Cinda wrote: "I have finished the novel now and remain appalled. Why didn't it tug at my heartstrings? I felt sorry for Isobel until I realized what she was doing, and then horror kicked in. All I was thinking w..."

I agree and I believe it didn't tug at your heartstrings (or mine) because the plot was too convoluted. Creating two polar opposites just like the two faced god Janus and the lighthouse stuck in the middle of two far off opposite geographic locations. the characters each played out their predictable roles with no real surprises that I could see. too much contrived emotional baggage to suit me.

I didn't like either. I read it a few years ago. Atmospherically it was very good and that's my memory of it. I wasn't invested in the characters.

This book was just really sad and depressing. Most of the story was a 2-2.5star rating, at least for me. However, I liked the very end; it was nice. For me, a good ending can be the difference from a 2star rating and a 3star rating.
My review: /review/show...

Cinda wrote: "I am about two-thirds of the way through and am beginning to think I must be what is called a resistant reader for this story. Are we supposed to sympathize with Isobel's decision making? Although ..."

I must be a resistent reader too!

Just finish this month’s book. I really enjoyed the setting of the story. I think the author did a great job putting me on Janus and in the lighthouse. Tom’s actions really surprised me, but the love for a parter and isolation, can sadly influence a person’s choices. The ending surprised me as I thought it was going another direction. It was 4 stars for me.

I have to agree with Joan, Cinda, Donne, and others who found that The Light Between Oceans sank below 5 stars. It started well, but just as I started to enjoy it, the characters began making irrational decisions that I found frustrating and disappointing. The author spent too much space describing (and rationalizing) the thoughts behind these confounding actions, to the point that boredom surfaced as I waited for the conflicts to resolve. I found the ending anti-climactic and unsatisfying. It didn't "pull my heartstrings," but it did provide some beautiful landscapes and interesting information about lighthouses! 3 stars

What you said, Angela. :-)
There were some arresting metaphors, and the landscape was often described with beautifully lyrical language, but I spent much of my reading time arguing back against all the rationalization for wrong-headed thinking. All dressed up with nowhere to go, I'm afraid.

Hi everyone
I’m new to the group and was pleased to see this. This one has been on my TBR list forever and now I’ll be moving it up after reading the comments to see if it strikes a chord with me. Thanks everyone