This month I give you two book reviews. I thoroughly enjoyed both novels, however, it was a tough few weeks to get through as both books covered me with a blanket of sadness. But we need to see sadness in order to appreciate the happiness in our lives, right?
The Light Between Oceans: A Novel
By M.L. Stedman
352 pages, Published July, 2012
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
When faced with a decision that will change lives forever, what would you do?
Tom Sherbourne is in Australia after making it through the horrors of fighting in WWI. He’s given the opportunity to serve as a lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, about a half day’s boat ride from the mainland. He’s a broken man after the war, and a life of routine and solitude on the island is exactly what Tom feels he needs. Then one day on leave he meets Isabel and his life changes. After a quick courtship, the two are married and settle into life together on Janus. They are a happy couple that hopes to grow their family, but face the tragic loss of three pregnancies. One morning shortly after Isabel delivers a stillborn baby, the wreckage of a boat washes ashore. Tom discovers a dead man in the boat, as well as a tiny bundle, in which a baby is crying. When Tom brings the baby into the house, he sees Isabel change from the destroyed woman who’s been through hell into the mother that she longed to be. Tom, always a man to follow the rules, tells Isabel he’s going to send a message to the mainland to report the discovery. Isabel begs him not to. She believes the baby is a gift from God and is meant to be their daughter.
Reluctantly, Tom agrees and they and baby Lucy fall into a happy familial life together. Two years later on leave to the mainland, Tom and Isabel discover that their daughter’s real mother tragically lost her husband and infant at sea. Hannah is a shadow of a woman after the loves of her life were taken from her. The Sherbournes are then faced with the question of what to do: give up the daughter they have loved as their own to her rightful mother, or keep the secret of how their family came to be forever?
While the heart-wrenching plot of this book was definitely a page turner, my favorite aspect of the novel was M.L. Stedman’s style of prose. I was transported to a place so vivid and clear through the writing, particularly in the descriptions of the sea around Janus Rock. For example, when writing of the vastness of the ocean, Stedman says of Tom, “It seemed his lungs could never be large enough to breathe in the much air, his eyes could never see this much space, nor could hear the full extent of the rolling, roaring ocean.” I have never spent much time in the middle of the ocean, but Stedman certainly wrote in a way that I could imagine exactly what it would be like. The descriptions of the settings of both Janus and Partageuse on the mainland made me feel as if I were there in the story. Reading this book felt so vibrant, I could almost hear an epic cinematic score in the background. The beauty of the settings softened the sadness of what was going on in the story. I found myself constantly asking myself, “what would you do?” as the Sherbourne’s secret unfurled. Each of the choices made in the book greatly changed the lives of others, often devastatingly. But if a choice is made with the best intentions, is it wrong? Everyone can relate to this question, which is why the book was so easy to read. It’s been a long time since I’ve cried on the subway reading a book, but this one got me. You should definitely give it a read.
A Prayer For Owen Meany
By John Irving
640 pages, Published March 1989
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…it has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” – C.S. Lewis
Owen Meany and Johnny Wheelwright are best friends. They grow up together in small town New Hampshire where Owen stands out as a small boy with a strange voice, but with the presence of a great leader. Owen knows he is an instrument of God and spends his time figuring out how his direct connection to God will affect the world. Johnny is not much of a believer, but it is through Owen that he sees that God is real. The book is an epic tale of friendship, love, loss, and faith that is at times hilarious, devastating, and uplifting, spanning several decades.
Rather than exhaustingly summarizing the plot of the book, I just want to jump in and tell you that this book is one of the best I’ve read in years and you need to read it. It’s an older book…you’ll typically see me reviewing newer novels on this blog, but when my friend, David, posted on Facebook that the book was his favorite of all time and was available on the Kindle store for $0.99, I figured I’d give it a try. I’m so glad I did. Another reason this book will forever be special to me is because I read it with my mom. Let me tell you a bit about my mom. She’s a devout Catholic, but one of the things I admire most about her is that she is a voracious student of all religions. She’s fascinated by different belief sets and will happily engage with anyone to talk about their religion’s tenets. As soon as I started reading this book, I knew that the issues of faith and religion would be interesting for my mom, so I sent her the audio book. Mom’s in California and I’m in New York, and we discussed the book over the phone several times a week as we were reading/listening and I cherish the experience. When you read this book, you’re going to want to have someone to talk to about it, so I highly encourage reading it with a partner.
The plot is two different narratives, both from Johnny’s point of view. The first is Johnny’s version of events growing up with Owen in the ‘50s and ‘60s and the second is John’s version as an adult in the late ‘80’s, reflecting back on his life. I’ve mentioned this book in my last couple of posts and as you can recall, it’s a long one that took me nearly two months to get through. That being said, I wouldn’t want any fewer words in this book. Owen’s profundity throughout was something I found myself looking forward to every day I opened the book. Whether he was a child or a young man, little Owen, with his unchanging voice always had words that made you contemplate life. His words were often wise beyond his years. For example, as the story was winding down, Owen said, “If you care about something, you have to protect it – if you’re lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.” To Owen, such a statement is ordinary. It’s just how he viewed the world. To the reader, it was one of many glimpses of how extraordinary of a character Owen Meany is and why Johnny idolized him as much as he did. I know I’ve mentioned faith/religion quite a bit in discussing this book. Don’t be intimidated by that if the topic typically isn’t of interest to you. Faith is what makes Owen who he is, and later faith affects Johnny’s life greatly. But at its most basic level, A Prayer For Owen Meany is a wonderful story of two best friends and how much our best friends shape our lives, which is theme that everyone can appreciate. John Irving’s writing made Owen larger than life. He truly let the reader know Owen. Believe me, you want to know Owen Meany. I’ll never forget him.
What I’m Reading Now
The Book Club Selection
The Red Tent: A Novel
By Anita Diamant
The red tent is a place where the four biblical wives of Jacob, Rachel, Leal, Zilpah, and Bilhah gather for their cycles of birthing, menses, and illnesses. The fictional tale based on people from the bible is told through their daughter, Dinah and is a story of sisterhood. I have to admit, I wasn’t too pumped when this book was selected for book club this month. I not to into this whole feminism, woman power thing (which my friend Melissa yelled at me for), but hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised upon reading it. Fingers crossed. I’ll let you know.
