The Light Between Oceans -- M L
Stedman 27/11/14
This book was a real gem; the majority of the group enjoyed it. It
was recommended by Oonagh and Val and we were grateful to them.
Comments from the group varied from especially moving, good book,
well constructed, all characters came to life, perfect title, but one
said some of it didn't ring true and there were inconsistencies in
the story line. One
of the quotes on the book cover said “An extraordinary and heart
rending book about good people, tragic decisions and the beauty found
in each of them”. (Markus Zusak - The Book Thief). Another was ''
This is a story about right and wrong, and how sometimes they look
the same". These we will agree with.
It
started with a story of a light house keeper Tom Sherbourne and his
wife Isabel, you got caught up in their lives and the people
surrounding them, it was a multi layered book. The story was set on
Janus, a rocky island off the Western Coast of Australia between the
Indian and the Great Southern Ocean's. The 1st World War lived inside
Tom. He isolated this part of himself which made him withdrawn, he
won the Military Cross and Bar for bravery, and throughout this book
you realised that the war affected many others too.
The
pair set up home on the island and in spite of their isolation they
were very happy together, Isabel desperately wanted a baby but she
was unable to carry a child full term. The last time she was pregnant
she lost the baby at 7 months and this was the catalyst to the
events in the book. They had buried their baby three weeks earlier
when a boat was washed up on their beach, inside was a dead man and a
baby girl, a few weeks old wrapped in a ladies cardigan. The baby was
distraught and Izzy took care of her, she loved her from the moment
she saw her and saved her life, because Izzy had milk from the baby
she had just lost, so she breastfed the baby girl. The main story
followed that Izzy persuaded Tom to let her keep the baby as their
own and the great lie began, she convinced herself that the baby's
mother had died, therefore the baby was orphaned. She was a gift
from God.
The
rest of the story revolved around Tom who had previously lived his
life by the rules and his wife Izzy's, their life with baby Lucy on
the island, then the discovery of who the baby really belonged to.
The real mother Hannah, had difficulty in connecting with her child
Grace, (this was the name she was baptised with) and she in turn
fought against being separated from the people she believed were her
real parents, it was heartache for all concerned. It was a
compelling story.
No-one
in the town was blamed for the riot against Frank the baby's father,
an Austrian, on Anzac Day which was the cause of the story, no-one
ever spoke of this event again.
The
other comments were how interesting the technical working of a
lighthouse was and how the stars paid an enormous part in
navigation. It was thought it was surprising that Tom was left on his
own, it was thought that there would be two people on duty as backup
for each other.
Two
way radio's about at that time? This would have spoilt the story
though.
Marks 9/8/7/8/8/9/10/7/9 = 8 DRW
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The
Lowland -- Jhumpa Lahiri
The
group found this book compulsive reading, but most said that they
would not buy or re-read it. The chapters were written by different
people with no indication of who was writing until you fathomed it
out. It was not written in chronological order, and the characters
gave their version and feelings of what happened about the events
that took place, this could be the end of the book relating to
something at the beginning. On the whole the story lines were good,
even though it was written in very short sentences, most needed to
finish the book to find out how it ended, it was not an enjoyable
read. We were not sympathetic to any of the characters only Subhash
who was a good man.
There
was the ongoing element within the book of the contrast between
Indian tradition's and the American way of life, yet another version
of the immigrant's dilemma which culture should you pass on to your
children.
The
book revolved around two brothers who in childhood were inseparable,
Subhash the elder and Udayan the younger. Subhash was studious and
Udayan was daring and
adventurous,
this was the basis of their relationship.
Subhash
finished his studies and went to a university in American to study
Oceanography; he led a quite studious life keeping to himself, he had
a short affair which gave him the idea of what life would be like if
he found a partner. He expected his parents to arrange a bride for
him in India, and would return to marry as he was a dutiful son.
Udayan
on the other hand stopped his studies and joined a political movement
called
Naxalite
which supported the poor, very much in the context of communism. He
rejected the life his parents set out for him, became an activist and
undertook dangerous missions. He meets Gauri another student, they
marry without either of their family's consent which leaves them
dependant on Udayan parents, as was the custom. The couple move in
with them and Udayan who is still regarded as the golden child, but
his wife isn't so welcome. Although married, Udayan still belonged to
the Naxalite movement and involved the unsuspecting Gauri in some of
his missions. He was finally arrested and shot in front of the
family, Gauri now a widow and pregnant, is left with her in-laws.
Subhash
returned to India for Udayan's funeral and sees Gauri's plight and
decides to marry her and take her to America with him. He felt in
time they might be a family.
He
does this for his brother as he can see how badly his parents treat
her and her own
family
have disowned her, there is no love between them. He plans to give
her the
freedom
she would never have had in India and hopes she would continue her
studies in America.
Gauri
is not a pleasant person, she is selfish and took advantage of him,
initially she
stayed
at home but gradually she became more adventurous and explored the
campus and discovered the library where she spent most of her time.
She had a baby girl Bela but didn't bond with the child whom she
didn't really want, it was left to Subhash to tend and love the child
whom he does with all his heart and soul. Gradually Gauri became more
and more distant thinking only of herself and her studies, she didn't
neglect the child but was disinterested in all aspects of Bela's
life.
Subhash
and Bela visit India because of his mother's ill heath when they
returned Gauri had left them. The impact on this action affected Bela
for the rest of her life and Subhash was left to cope.
Their
life continued, but Gauri's actions left a deep scar on their lives
and the closeness they had before vanished. Bela grew up to become a
wanderlust, she returned home occasionally unannounced, spent a few
weeks with Subhash then moved on again. Then Bela became pregnant.
She decided to return home to Subhash, he was delighted but thought
it was the time to tell her that he was not her real father, but her
Uncle, this was something he and Gauri had put off telling her. She
reacted by disappearing again, but on reflection she saw that Subhash
was the one that really loved her.
Bela
who had no partner, lived with Subhash and her daughter Meghna, in
Subhash's
Rhode
Island home and they care for Meghna together.
After
at least 20 years Gauri gets the urge to contact Bela and discovered
that she is in
Rhode
Island, Gauri visits, but Bela is cold and distant towards her as you
would expect. The book ends with the feeling that there is a ray of
hope that Gauri and Meghna may become Grandmother and Granddaughter,
but the feeling was that she didn't deserve it.
Marks
7 DRW
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