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Description edit
A captivating, beautiful, and stunningly accomplished debut novel—the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who make one devastating choice that forever changes two worlds.
In 1918, after four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia to take a job as...
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Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Mrs. Captain Hasluck: Add a description of this character.
- Hannah Roennfeldt: A greiving mother who lost both her husband and infant daughter in a horrible incident.
- Arabella: Pet Horse
- Maisie McPhee: Owner of the local bookshop, Maisie gets chewed out by a local for ordering books in German for Frank.
- Doc Griffiths
- Fanny Darnley
- Walt
- Grandma
- Neville Whittnish: Retired lighthouse keeper who fills in when needed.
- Mrs. Inkpen
- Trimble Docherty: Previous lighthouse keeper who lost his mind after the death of his wife.
- Sarah Flindell
- Grace Ellen Roennfeldt: Missing infant daughter of Frank & Hannah Roennfeldt.
- Isabel Sherbourne: Tom Sherbourne's Wife.
- Cecil: Tom's older brother and heir to their father's fortune.
- Kitty Kelly: Girlfriend of Bluey
- Gerald Fitzgerald
- Vernon Knuckey: Sheriff
- Bob Lynch
- Kenneth Spragg: Police officer from Albany determined to make this case his ticket to the big time.
- Bill Graysmark: Father of Isabel
- Tabatha Tabby: Lucy's favorite cat.
- Harry Garstone: Constable
- Franz Johannes Roennfeldt (Frank): Austrian baker who came to Australia to escape the turmoil in Europe.
- Gwen Potts: Sister of Hannah
- Ralph Addicott: Captain of ship that travels to lighthouse for deliveries. Friend of Tom's.
- Hilda Addicott: Ralph Addicott's wife.
- Bluey Smart: Launch pilot.
- Alf
- Joe Rafferty
- Billy Wishart
- Mrs. Mewett: Owner/operator of the local boarding house
- Mr. Thomas Sherbourne: The lighthouse keeper on Janus Island. He is torn between what is right and what his wife wants.
- Sarah Porter
- Mr. Septimus Potts: Father of Hannah and Gwen. He was sent away as a small child and made a life for himself. Incredibly wealthy.
- Cyril Chipper
- Lucy Violet: Name given to the infant found and cared for by the Sherbournes at the lighthouse.
- Dr. Sumpton: Local Dr. who gives advice on how to care for Lucy-Grace
- Edward Sherbourne: Tom's Father
- Strugnell
- Reverend Norkells: The benign prelate who baptizes Lucy (twice).
- Violet Graysmark: Mother of Isabel
- Hugh Albert
- Percy Hasluck
- Freda
- Frank Roennfeldt: Deceased husband of Hannah, formerly of Austria.
- Grace Ellen Roennfeldt: Daughter of Hannah & Frank Roennfeldt
- Bernie Gutcher
- Samuel B. Griffiths
- M. L. Stedman: Author
- Alfie
- Lucy Violet
Quotes edit
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“"Sometimes life turns out hard, Isabel. Sometimes it just bites right through you. And sometimes, just when you think it's done its worst, it comes back and takes another chunk."”
Ralph -
“There are still more days to travel in this life. And he knows that the man who makes the journey has been shaped by every day and every person along the way. Scars are just another kind of memory....soon enough the days will close over their lives, the grass will grow over their graves, until their story is just an unvisited headstone.”
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“"Like the wheat fields where more grain is sown than can ripen, God seemed to sprinkle extra children about, and harvest them according to some indecipherable, divine calendar."”
authors voice -
“"Doorways. Always looking both ways, torn between two ways of seeing things. January looks forward to the new year and back to the old year. He sees past and future. And the island looks in two different oceans,down to the South Pole and up to the Equator".”
Tom Sherbourne -
“"I'm not going to say goodbye, in case God hears and thinks I'm ready to go."”
Setting & Locations edit
Show all 11 settingsFirst Sentence edit
On the day of the miracle, Isabel was kneeling at the cliff's edge, tending the small, newly made driftwood cross.
Series & Lists edit
This book is in 2012 Published Books. (community list)
Authors & Contributors edit
- M. L. Stedman (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: Add the language.
Publisher: Add the publisher.
Country: Add the country of publication.
Publication Date: July 31, 2012
ISBN: 9781451681734
Page Count: 343
Publisher: Add the publisher.
Country: Add the country of publication.
Publication Date: July 31, 2012
ISBN: 9781451681734
Page Count: 343
Awards edit
- Women's Prize for Fiction (Finalist, 2013, Longlist)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 813
Subjects edit
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