Isolated at the tip of Australia as a lighthouse keeper, emotionally traumatised World War I veteran Tom fears for his wife's sanity after her third miscarriage. Then a boat turns up carrying a dead man and a newborn baby. They bring the baby girl up as their own. The repercussions of this on the girl's biological family, and eventually Tom's guilt, are movingly portrayed. This covers vast themes, moral dilemmas and heartbreaking decisions. A doom-laden tale which really does make you question the rules as along the way someone has to get very hurt indeed ... but whom, is Tom's dilemma. Powerful stuff and highly recommended.
The Lovereading view...
What a brilliant and memorable debut. Superb characters, heart-rending plot and, set on an island 100 miles from Australia, a uniquely beautiful setting. After the horrors of WW1 Tom finds first solace as a lighthouse keeper and joy as he shares the experience with his young wife. Then one morning a decision they take, seemingly for the best, has devastating consequences. We think this is a perfect book for reading groups.
Listen to an audio extract by clicking on the orange arrow below.
Would you accept a chance for happiness even if it wasn't yours to have?
This is a story about a lighthouse keeper and his wife, who live on a lonely island with just seagulls, stars and buffeting winds for company. It's about a tiny baby and a dead man in a boat that drifts ashore one April morning, and the apparently harmless decision made that day. More than anything, it's a story about right and wrong, and how sometimes they look the same.
M L Stedman was born and raised in Western Australia and now lives in London. The Light Between Oceans is her first novel. An award-winning international bestseller, the book has already sold over two million copies in around 40 languages. It has recently been made into a Dreamworks film starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, produced by Heyday Films.
.jpg)
.jpg)
