Bailey's/Orange Women's Fiction Group discussion

This won the current year vote for the november read - I inadvertently put it on both lists - still it was a popular choice.

Here we are with the november read of this years list.

Let's see what we make of this one!

I'm enjoying it so far.

I really enjoyed this book when I read this last year. There are so many moral issues to discuss, who was right and who was wrong and what you would have done in the same situation. Good pick

This book is unusual in that there are not any really bad people, instead there are good people doing things that hurt others. The choices they make at each time are understandable and usually with good intentions or to help someone. It makes the moral issues much less clear cut than they might be.

This has been on my to read list for awhile. I just got my copy from the library this weekend. I am looking forward to reading it!

I listened to it on audio and have finished but will wait for a few more to finish before saying anything!! (except that I loved it!!!)

I may be late to the party, but I will start reading this book today. :)

hope you like it as much as me Jessica !

I agree so much with your comment Val - that here is an unusual book where you feel for so many of the characters - nearly every person is so clear and instantly imagined and your sympathies engage with everyone - very clever to achieve such a thing.
I loved the descriptions of the island and the lighthouse, the light the waves, the repetition of their lives and the isolation. Without that isolation they could never have done what they did.

I keep dithering between four and five stars on this book. It is not 'amazing', in my opinion, but it is very well done and I can't think of any reasons why I should knock any stars off. It is one I will continue to think about for some time and so I have decided for now to give it all five.

I agree with you that the isolation is a significant factor in their actions, it makes those actions feel much more right at the time. I think the position of the light as being at the point where two oceans meet is also a symbol for the book, Tom in particular is caught between two powerful forces.

yes Tom is using the lighthouse to heal after the war - yet for others it starts off as a healing place and becomes a place of secrecy.
The attitude and behaviour of the town people to the german as well was interesting - you can imagine how that would easily have occurred and within such a short time of the carnage of WWI. The grief of so many would have been so raw that I can understand their actions and dont know if I would have been big enough to ever marry a German at that time in history. I cant remember how he ends up there.
I also felt so keenly for both sets of grandparents - thats what is so astute in Stedman's writing - she let us into each of the character's lives and showed us what the little girl meant to them all.

I think the important thing about Franz / Frank is that he was not 'the enemy', he and his family had been living in Australia since before the war and he merely shared their German language and accent. The author does give the family history, although I would have to check the details. The town's people's behaviour is prejudiced because of the war, which makes it understandable without making it right. They don't see the man, they hear the accent.

Penny wrote: "The grief of so many would have been so raw that I can understand their actions and dont know if I would have been big enough to ever marry a German at that time in history. I cant remember how he ends up there. "

I am about a little over half way at this point so I just read the part about Frank's past. His family left Vienna when Frank was a boy in order to escape his father's gambling debts. They moved to Kalgoorlie, Australia.

I loved how this novel mixed history, with human interest, family issues and love.

I just finished reading the book. I welled up a little bit at the end..maybe it was in part due to the pregnancy hormones...I might just be a little extra sensitive about the parent-child bond these days. :)

Overall, I enjoyed the book even though it was about the tragedy of most of the main characters' lives.

Jessica wrote: "I just finished reading the book. I welled up a little bit at the end..maybe it was in part due to the pregnancy hormones...I might just be a little extra sensitive about the parent-child bond th..."

well Jessica - I must have oodles of hormones then as I was very teary-eyed by the end!!! at least you have an excuse!!

I felt so bad for the real mother when all the time the reader knew where the child was but she didnt.