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sams84's review against another edition
2.0
Wow this book was depressing (and I was really not prepared for it). Not only is there the ever present shadow of the First World War with Tom's personal demons haunting him and the over riding sense of loss and broken-ness but there is also the personal losses of Isabel as she struggles to come to terms with three miscarriages. Then there is this glint of hope but it goes against everything that Tom holds true and shows Isabel's utter desperation to be a mother. Of course everything seems fine at first but then it all slowly unravels as the years pass and the significance of what they decide weighs them down. Don't get me wrong the writing is good and does bring the era and the characters to life and really shows the inner turmoil that Tom and Isabel go through and the complex mix of emotions that wash over them. But the story is filled with sadness, loss and despair, which is both moving and depressing to the core. A good read but I can't really say that I enjoyed it as such (need something incredibly uplifting to balance it out.).
courtney__'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
mermandy's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. As a mother, this book pulled at every heart string possible. It has been a while since I have found a book I could not put down. Though it started a little slowly, it sped up very quickly. I was pleased with the ending - as pleased as could be considering the subject and content. I shed a tear or two. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to another book by ML Stedman.
jitka_c's review against another edition
3.0
I přes poněkud pomalý rozjezd se jedná o velmi příjemné čtení. Silný, emocemi nabitý příběh, maják a předem neodhadnutelné rozuzlení (alespoň pro mě) - zkrátka s touto knihou chybu neuděláte :)
kaflurbaleen's review against another edition
4.0
creepy (in a good way) but also very sad, especially as a new mother.
suannelaqueur's review against another edition
2.0
Eh? This has been on my TBR for over 10 years and it always bugged me that I hadn’t read it. Now I’ve read it.
ariannan's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
cm1470's review against another edition
3.0
Good read
Good read-very captivating. Loved the lighthouse setting and characters. The plot was fascinating and intense at times. The story has very dramatic twists that make you wonder what you would do in the same circumstances.
Good read-very captivating. Loved the lighthouse setting and characters. The plot was fascinating and intense at times. The story has very dramatic twists that make you wonder what you would do in the same circumstances.
winnimartha's review against another edition
3.0
I have to give this novel 3.5 stars. It wasn't as good as my 4-star books, but it's better than my 3-star books.
The Light Between Oceans felt like a novel I would have enjoyed if I were a different kind of reader. The story itself is great - though the moral and ethical themes could have been explored in a more challenging way - but I wasn't drawn to the characters, something I've realized is vital to any book I'm going to love. I also found it slow-moving in the first half. I know Stedman had to establish Tom and Isabel's life on Janus, as well as their deep bonds to each other and to Lucy, but it felt a bit tedious. I didn't feel as if Stedman was giving me profound or groundbreaking insight into her characters. It felt pretty unremarkable - nothing in Stedman's execution was particularly different or interesting to me.
Stedman also switched periodically between present-tense and past-tense narration. While I suppose this was done for a particular purpose or effect, I couldn't see why - except possibly as an attempt to make the characters' emotions more immediate - and it ended up annoying me a bit.
I completely understand why so many people love The Light Between Oceans - it's a conventional narrative, and I think it will appeal to a wide audience. But it didn't have anything in particular to grab my attention and make me really live inside it. Without that kind of submersion, it just felt good - nothing more.
The Light Between Oceans felt like a novel I would have enjoyed if I were a different kind of reader. The story itself is great - though the moral and ethical themes could have been explored in a more challenging way - but I wasn't drawn to the characters, something I've realized is vital to any book I'm going to love. I also found it slow-moving in the first half. I know Stedman had to establish Tom and Isabel's life on Janus, as well as their deep bonds to each other and to Lucy, but it felt a bit tedious. I didn't feel as if Stedman was giving me profound or groundbreaking insight into her characters. It felt pretty unremarkable - nothing in Stedman's execution was particularly different or interesting to me.
Stedman also switched periodically between present-tense and past-tense narration. While I suppose this was done for a particular purpose or effect, I couldn't see why - except possibly as an attempt to make the characters' emotions more immediate - and it ended up annoying me a bit.
I completely understand why so many people love The Light Between Oceans - it's a conventional narrative, and I think it will appeal to a wide audience. But it didn't have anything in particular to grab my attention and make me really live inside it. Without that kind of submersion, it just felt good - nothing more.
summerjanelle's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0