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A review by keysersuze
The Island Home by Libby Page
5.0
Lorna and her daughter, Ella, live in London. When we meet them in the first few pages of the book they are making their way to Scotland on the sleeper train from Euston. I needed you want to know more about what they’re doing and why, not just because they went to Leon for dinner, which is what I would do!
On the way up, we find out a little bit more about Lorna and her daughter Ella, and the family she left behind in an island called Kip and the Hebrides. Not too much more, though.
The same time we meet Alice and her daughter Molly, who are getting ready to receive their visitors on the island. As the story ways together and they get closer and geographical terms as well as emotional, we learn that Molly and Ella are cousins who got to know each other over Facebook, but have never met, as their mum and dad don’t get on. Jack is Lorna‘s brother and Molly‘s dad.
A lot of the book is about reconciliation and forgiveness and understanding other peoples point of view, and it was done really well.
Another large part of the book is about finding out what happened. Why did Lorna leave the island when she was 18 years old and why didn’t she come back? I thought for a little part of the book that she had been abused sexually either by her dad or by someone on the island. It’s not that kind of book, and while what actually happened is terrible and sad, it’s not as dark as that.
There is a trend at the moment for author is to set their books in Scotland and I don’t know why that is, especially as most of them seem to not have ever been to Scotland and don’t understand any kind of geography. This was different, I felt like it had been researched thoroughly and that Libby Page understood what it meant to live on an island, to be dependent on the people around you-both independent and free, but reliant on your next door neighbour if anything goes wrong.
This was a joy to read, not because it was surprising or particularly deftly woven together, because I rooted for the characters. I wanted Laura and Jack to mend the relationship. I hoped that Alice and Lorna would be friends.
There are things signposts that happen along the way in the book that are easily recognisable as milestones. New man with the green eyes and the tanned arms, for example. One of the characters feeling a bit tired, nauseated, not very hungry. Even though some of that was predictable, it was comfortable, like a warm bath or a cosy lie down. Well you know what’s going to happen, is enjoyable to see that played out.
I would recommend this book for people looking for an interesting story, the search to find what you’ve had all along. Thank you as always to NetGalley and Hachette for the DRC.
On the way up, we find out a little bit more about Lorna and her daughter Ella, and the family she left behind in an island called Kip and the Hebrides. Not too much more, though.
The same time we meet Alice and her daughter Molly, who are getting ready to receive their visitors on the island. As the story ways together and they get closer and geographical terms as well as emotional, we learn that Molly and Ella are cousins who got to know each other over Facebook, but have never met, as their mum and dad don’t get on. Jack is Lorna‘s brother and Molly‘s dad.
A lot of the book is about reconciliation and forgiveness and understanding other peoples point of view, and it was done really well.
Another large part of the book is about finding out what happened. Why did Lorna leave the island when she was 18 years old and why didn’t she come back? I thought for a little part of the book that she had been abused sexually either by her dad or by someone on the island. It’s not that kind of book, and while what actually happened is terrible and sad, it’s not as dark as that.
There is a trend at the moment for author is to set their books in Scotland and I don’t know why that is, especially as most of them seem to not have ever been to Scotland and don’t understand any kind of geography. This was different, I felt like it had been researched thoroughly and that Libby Page understood what it meant to live on an island, to be dependent on the people around you-both independent and free, but reliant on your next door neighbour if anything goes wrong.
This was a joy to read, not because it was surprising or particularly deftly woven together, because I rooted for the characters. I wanted Laura and Jack to mend the relationship. I hoped that Alice and Lorna would be friends.
There are things signposts that happen along the way in the book that are easily recognisable as milestones. New man with the green eyes and the tanned arms, for example. One of the characters feeling a bit tired, nauseated, not very hungry. Even though some of that was predictable, it was comfortable, like a warm bath or a cosy lie down. Well you know what’s going to happen, is enjoyable to see that played out.
I would recommend this book for people looking for an interesting story, the search to find what you’ve had all along. Thank you as always to NetGalley and Hachette for the DRC.