The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

The oceans never stop… the wind never finishes. Sometimes it disappears, but only to gather momentum from somewhere else, returning to fling itself at the island… - M.L. Stedman, The Light Between Oceans

Lately, I’ve been really drawn to books with aquatic themes/settings (probably because it’s sweltering right now and I’m yearning for a beach trip). Anyway, this book is actually a reread. I first read it back in my junior year of high school. Although I did quite enjoy it, I didn’t think it was the right book for me at that time. Long story short, I came across this book while cleaning out my old bookshelf and decided to give it another try.

In short, I’d say that this book is basically about good people making bad decisions. The story mainly follows the two protagonists - Tom and Isabel. After the horrors of WWI, Tom Sherbourne returns home to take a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock - a far-flung and isolated island. While on the mainland, he meets Isabel - a young, warm, and loving girl. They subsequently fall in love and get married. Everything seems pretty chill until a boat washes up onshore with a dead man and a living baby.

The main reason why I didn’t really enjoy this book in the first place was that I just couldn’t understand Isabel’s ardent desire for procreation. Now that I’m older (and hopefully a tad bit wiser) I’d say that I kinda get her motivations and where she’s coming from, but it still goes beyond me why she’s willing to do… that (If you’ve read the book, you know what I mean) just to have a baby. Overall, I think that this book has so much wasted potential. It could have been an interesting discussion regarding motherhood, filiality, and morality, but for most of the book, I’m stuck with this lukewarm plot about a couple trying to steal a baby. With that being said, I don’t necessarily hate this novel. In fact, I love the author’s writing style. It is very calm, soothing and evocative, which fits perfectly with the solitude of Janus Rock. I’d go as far as saying that the writing is one thing that propels the whole story for me. I just simply adore it. If nothing else, read this book solely for the writing.

In a nutshell, although I didn’t like the plot, I’m so happy that I gave this book another chance. The reading experience also evokes some fond memories of my high school years since this book was gifted to me by a very special friend. Plus, it has, to some extent, quenched my ache for a beach vacation. So I guess it's a win for me :)