This is a beautiful, heart-wrenching story that I would highly recommend for all comers. Tom, the attendant for a lighthouse on a tiny, deserted island off the coast of Australia, and Isabel, his wife, discover a boat with a dead man and a tiny, crying baby washed up on the island’s shore. Isabel, who has suffered recent miscarriages, desperately wants to hold onto this baby, to whom she bonds instantaneously. Tom, a decorated war veteran and one who lives by the structure of rules, feels he must report the arrival of these two strangers. Their decision at this pivotal moment defines the trajectory of the rest of their lives.
The writing in this book is stunning. Each character is drawn so tenderly that you can’t help but feel empathetic toward each one. And because each one is so dear, you feel absolutely torn by the ethical dilemma presented by the situation. As time goes on, life gets more and more complicated and the story builds to an emotional, twisted crescendo and I for one could not put the book down.
Loved this story, loved the writing — definitely another must-read!
kindread spirits 