Book Review: A Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman

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I really should do more book reviews considering the amount I typically read.  Doesn't everyone pick books based on reviews by others?  I typically read based on recommendation by family/friends, Amazon reviews and, recently Goodreads.  You can be my Goodreads buddy here.  Goodreads allows you to rate books you've read, offer reviews and also see what others are reading, what the most popular books are and it will offer you suggestions based on your ratings (kind of like Netflix).  It also notifies you when new books by an author you've read and liked are about to hit the bookshelves (e-shelves).

But enough about Goodreads - you are here for the book review right?

My mom recommended this book to me.  To give you a brief synopsis(and nothing you wouldn't read on the back of the book already): Tom is a lighthouse keeper on an isolated Australian island.  Tom meets and marries Isabel but she suffers many miscarriages in their attempts to have children.  Then one day the stormy ocean drops a broken rowboat, dead man and crying baby on their doorstep.  Tom is a man of principles and believes in doing the right thing, but can't deny Isabel the one thing she's always wanted - a child.  They decide to keep and care for the baby as their own and as time passes revelations are made about the baby, Tom and Isabel and the families involved.

This is a relationship / character novel in my opinion.  It's also a debut novel from this author.  Considering this, the book was, mostly, enjoyable.  The author beautifully describes the Australian landscape and the lighthouse.  What she doesn't do for me is really give me reason to connect very strongly with any of the characters.  That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the book because I did.  I just wasn't always dying to pick it up and read.  While beautiful, her writing is sometimes a bit lengthy and superfluous to the story.

I read a review by someone else before reading the novel and now that I've completed the book, it rings even more true to me.  I think I am just not the target "person" for this book.  I don't have children, I haven't suffered the loss of a child, and I've never experienced the feeling of wanting a child so desperately.  I can understand those emotions, but I just don't identify with them. Or maybe it's the author's job to make me identify with them and I just didn't.

I didn't feel Isabel's desperation.  And while the author does make an attempt to speak of Tom's past in the war as to why he is a man with principles, it was a little loose-ended for me.  The book absolutely had a beginning, a middle and an end.  The "ties that bind" as it were, were a little weak for me.

That being said, it did not get dumped in the "DNF" (did not finish pile).  Each time I picked up the book, I wanted to know what would happen next.  It was easy to read and maintained a quick pace.  The book did not drag - in fact, a little more character development could have helped a bit.

I give this book 3/5 stars.  It wasn't terrible and it wasn't my favorite book.  It was easy to read and really beautifully descriptive.  The author's writing style was enjoyable enough that I would give the next novel a try as well.  I did not always connect with the characters, but the plight wasn't totally lost on me.

If you enjoy character driven novel, this one may leave you a little wanting.  Otherwise, it's worth a read.

Next up?  I"m leaning towards Looking for Alaska by John Green.  He has a major cult following and I'm not sure I belong in it, but we shall soon find out....