The light between oceans discussion questions all good. The light between oceans is a 2012 australian historical fiction novel by m. The light between oceans is set in the southern hemisphere, off the coast of southwest australia. Our reading guide for the light between oceans by m. We didnt go to just any lighthouse, but particularly one on an island. Our book pick was the light between oceans about a young couple who lives in a lighthouse on an islandread more. Janus rock is a lonely speck of land far out to sea. While some parts of the book seemed to drag, overall this story kept my interest and had me in tears by the end. If youre looking for a feelgood nicholas spark book, this wont be it. The light between oceans is a deep reflection on two mothers love for the same child, although different to each one. Stedman the yearslong new york times bestseller and goodreads best historical novel that is.
Each name was given with a great deal of thought, and i felt a personal involvement with every descriptive phrase. This is a book club for people who love british mysteries both modern and classic. Sep 01, 2016 the light between oceans richly illuminates a couples moral dilemma strippeddown storytelling, stunning cinematography and finely calibrated performances make this tale of a withdrawn. Emotions amid artful grandeur a couple on a remote island discover a baby and decide to raise it as their own. It gets into your heart stealthily, until you stop hoping the characters will make different choices and find you can only watch, transfixed, as every conceivable choice becomes an impossible one. The story takes place in the town of point partageuse, australia during the 1920s. Please post in the comments section what you plan to bring once you know so others can round out the food selection. Lets get together for a potluck dinner and watch the movie based on the book. Jul 25, 2019 ive been wanting to visit a lighthouse with the book club for a while now, so in april we finally did it.
What do you visualize when you hear or read the light between oceans. M l stedman has created an extraordinarily intense world of foaming, crashing sea and diamondbright light, be it from the eponymous lighthouse that glows and pulses where two great oceans meet, or the subtropical skies above them. The light between oceans is a beautiful narrative that whisks the reader on a journey across time, love and a vast amount of water. Childless lighthouse keeper, wife make lifechanging choice in light between oceans. Discuss the novels title, the light between oceans. This month we are discussing the light between oceans, by m. The author herself is a very interesting character. Stedmans breathtaking debut novel is an inspired book club selection. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. I find some of the more controversial books make the best book club books because theres so much more discussion to be had. Before heading out to his post its customary to join the harbormaster and family for a dinner.
Is there a particular passage or scene that stood out to you. Stedman is an extraordinary, heartrending tale of love, loss and a couple who must live with the consequences of rescuing a baby who was not theirs to take. Stedmans the light between oceans is a beautiful novel about isolation and courage in the face of enormous loss. Do you like the variety or is the book better when focused on tom and isabel. Intermingled with a passionate story about love, intrigue and deception is this experience of living the life of isolation in the light between oceans. Into the spaces between words, stedman breathes an anxiety and pulsating intensity that roils with the ocean and the lighthouse beacon, sydney morning herald book of. Reading this book from the perspective of so far away made it even more romantic and touching. But isabel insists the baby is a gift from god, and against toms judgment, they claim her as their own and name her lucy. Stedman was born and raised in western australia, and now lives in london. A novel at our thursday, february, 2014 meeting at the leawood pioneer library 7 pm. Aug 25, 2016 light between oceans book club notes share this whether you share this mesmerising australian novel with your reading group before you catch the screen adaptation, or followup the film with the book, the light between oceans is sure to spark a memorable discussion. Today were discussing the light between oceans by m. The light between oceans tells the tragic story of lighthouse keeper tom sherbourne and his wife isabel who, after discovering a baby in a shipwrecked boat, must face the. Whether you share this mesmerising australian novel with your reading group before you catch the screen adaptation, or followup the film with the book, the light between oceans is sure to spark a memorable discussion.
Stedmans seductive debut, is just that sort of book. The light between oceans richly illuminates a couples moral dilemma strippeddown storytelling, stunning cinematography and finely calibrated performances make this tale of a withdrawn. Light between oceans book club notes penguin books australia. Jul 31, 2012 tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. A resource for book clubs and reading group guide for the light between oceans by m. I truly appreciate a good book written by a woman without. Stedman this month and paired it with an outing to go watch the film, which also just came out.
Ive been wanting to visit a lighthouse with the book club for a while now, so in april we finally did it. Tom sherbourne is the lighthouse keeper on janus rock, a remote island off the western coast of australia. The light between oceans cooking with the book club. Having survived wwi tom sherbourne takes a job as a lighthouse keeper on a remote island off western australia. My book club ladies decided to read the light between oceans by m.
While much of the book is clumsy, contrived, and silly, it is while reading passages of the diary that one may actually find oneself laughing out loud. A veteran of the first world war, 27yearold tom sherbourne takes a position with the commonwealth lighthouse service and finds himself on a remote island off the west australian coast, at the meeting point of the indian and southern oceans. Sep 01, 2016 take a field trip to a nearby light house. This is my real world book clubs april book, and i have no doubt that there will be some interesting discussion. Oh my goodness, friends i absolutely loved this months book club pick, the light between oceans by m. While much of the book is clumsy, contrived, and silly, it is while reading passages of the diary that one may actually find oneself.
This study guide consists of approximately 51 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the light between oceans. The novel is rich with detailed descriptions of the ocean, the sky, and the wild landscape of janus rock. I just felt so horrible for her that the actions of the other characters infuriated me. He and his young wife isabel live in contented isolation, but they are. The light between the oceans is a fantastic novel and it will touch your heart. I love how novels can reveal big life questions and how people can have completely opposite opinions about moral choices. Overall, our group agreed this was one of those books that just begged to be discussed. There is a bit where the hero remembers being on burial detail in the.
I was totally fascinated by the weaving of a love story with brilliant historical detail about life in the world and rural australia in particular, leading up to and following ww1. Dec 31, 2014 my book club met to discuss the light between oceans just before christmas. I should say it got a slightly mixed reception at book club. This would make a great book club book as theres a ton of discussion points. The light between oceans, her first novel, is an international bestseller, having spent well over a year on the new york times bestsellers list as well as being translated into almost forty languages, the book was nominated for the miles franklin award, the womens prize for literature the. Because its a novel that is built on a single plot idea with no supporting cast of ideas. I enjoyed the book, its a good light read and is a perfect accompaniment on holidays, particularly near the beach. Make a beach day or a stargazing adventure out of it.
The light between oceans is the first novel by australianborn author, m. The light between oceans the books the book club abc tv. The themes of this irresistible tale are as fundamental as the elements themselves. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion on the light between oceans. Let me know what you thought of the book and any other creative ways to up your book club game for this novel. Having survived wwi tom sherbourne takes a job as a lighthouse keeper on a remote island off western. The story begins when a light house keeper and his wife find a life boat containing a live baby and dead man on the shore of their isolated island. This reading group guide for the light between oceans includes an introduction, discussion questions and ideas for enhancing your book club. The light between oceans is an incredibly moving novel about what happens when good people make bad decisions. The light between oceans is exquisite and unforgettable, a deeply moving novel. Tom, as keeper of the books on the lighthouse, needs to record this event and. Into the spaces between words, stedman breathes an anxiety and pulsating intensity that roils with the ocean and the lighthouse beacon, sydney morning herald book of the week.
And my book club is mainly about food and what is going on in the neighborhoodwe read the book but talk about it for about 15 minutes. If you were in tom sherbournes position, would you have let the lightkeepers log book stay silent when the baby was. The light between oceans is a perfect book club read. So i did follow the pattern of reading the book before i watched the movie. Markus zusaf, author of the book thief, sees it as being about good people, tragic decisions and the beauty found in each of them. To ask other readers questions about the light between oceans, please sign up. My book club met to discuss the light between oceans just before christmas.
Stedman the light between oceans reading group guide one book one city resources lit lovers discussion questions. Thanks to everyone who joined us for this months virtual book club. Ill throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics or others youd like to discuss in the comment section. What does it mean to be an outsider and how does that affect ones perception. I read about it on here when you wrote about his other book about running. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the light between oceans. Stedman, her debut novel, published by random house australia on 20 march 2012.
No book group should be without this companion guide to m. The light between oceans unfurls in small acts, at first feeling slight to touch, then building in emotional substance. A film adaptation of the same name starring alicia vikander and michael fassbender was released on 2 september 2016. Stedman constructed a situation in which right and wrong dissolve quickly. The light between oceans, her first novel, is an international bestseller, having spent well over a year on the new york times bestsellers list. Book club dinnermenu for our discussion of the light between ocean was inspired by the ocean and australian setting, isabels garden, and baby lucy deep blue sea martini baby tarts miniphyllo shells with goat cheese cheese tray with garden vegetables. Book club food the light between oceans raspberry preserves organic green tea crumpets fresh vegetables blue cheese cream cheese frosting toffee what others are saying book club the light between oceans.
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