Isola by Allegra Goodman #bookreview #audiobook #bookclubread

I purchased this book for my own collection. I borrowed the audiobook from the library.

Publisher: The Dial Press

Published: February 4, 2025

 

Summary:

A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this epic saga of love, faith, and defiance from the bestselling author of Sam.

Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. Isolated and afraid, Marguerite befriends her guardian’s servant and the two develop an intense attraction. But when their relationship is discovered, they are brutally punished and abandoned on a small island with no hope for rescue.

Once a child of privilege who dressed in gowns and laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed.

Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola is the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival.

 

My thoughts:

I loved this author’s last book, Sam, and was excited to get my hands on this new one…and was also excited to see that it was a Reese Book Club Pick! This is a historical story inspired by true events and I loved that it was set in the 16th century – I have definitely not read many books set during this time period at all!

I loved how different this book was from what I usually read and yet I could not have enjoyed it more. I found myself completely captivated by this story, by the emotional depth of the character as well as the history that is imparted through the story. And even though Marguerite lived so long ago, her story is ever so timeless, showing us what strength, determination and courage look like when her strength is tested.

This is an emotionally intense, beautifully written story that deeply resonated with me. It’s one that I haven’t stopped thinking about since I finished reading.

 

Audio thoughts:

I alternated between the print and audio with this one and the narrator, Fiona Hardingham, did an amazing job bringing Marguerite’s character to life.

 

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