Reviews

Island Song by Madeleine Bunting

_spacecowboy_'s review against another edition

reflective

4.5

opal360's review

dark informative mysterious slow-paced

2.75

I found this novel slow and plodding, and not as strong as the writer's non-fiction work - for instance, Willing Slaves: How the Overwork Culture Is Ruling Our Lives or The Plot: A Biography Of An English Acre. There were some lovely descriptions of Guernsey and a mystery that intrigued me but it never quite came together. The dialogue wasn't very lifelike and I was disappointed that she left some parts of the WW2 story pretty hazy - you got the basics of who did what to whom but not so much of the how or why. Given that much of the present-day story was about the research process I think she led the reader to expect that there would be more answers forthcoming than there actually were.

tipasanen's review

emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective

3.75

sarahreads12's review

emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

sophie_harman's review

5.0

As soon as Roz is handed a letter from her solicitor following the death of her mother, Helene, presenting the life-changing news that the father she knew and loved was in fact not her biological father at all, we are instantly thrust into a complex and gripping character journey. As a reader you are not only drawn into the complicated familial journey Roz experiences as she seeks to find out the secrets of her past, but also a profound moral quandary, as we slowly learn more about Helene’s past on Nazi occupied Guernsey throughout the Second World War. This is an incredibly moving, thought-provoking, and engrossing novel from start to finish.

booktwitcher23's review

3.0

An easy read for the summer.

fionayule's review

4.0

I am a real sucker for historical dramas. Especially ones set in World War 2 so I was delighted when I was approved for the Island Song.

The Channel Islands were the only UK land occupied by Germany in WW2. Maybe it’s because of this that its not often a wartime drama is set in the Channel Islands. I attended a lecture at University by the son of a Channel Islands woman, about their occupation, and even as recently as the 1990s there was a reluctance to discuss the occupation.

After the death of her mother, Roz discovers that her father was not her real father, as her mother had been married before. She sets out investigating her mother’s life, discovering she was from Guernsey.

What results is a well thought out story set in occupied Guernsey, and Nazi theft of artworks.

The dual timeline works well, and the story evolves in twists and turns that I certainly didn’t anticipate.

I read this in one sitting when I was off sick, and definitely recommend.

emmals1992's review

I have always been fascinated with the World War II occupation of the Channel Islands and this book brought an intriguing personal story to life. It was so poignant and felt so real and I was truly gripped.

coekie12's review

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

abbie_'s review

emotional medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5