I found that i agreed with a lot of the critics, but i liked the film more than most. Reading this book from the perspective of so far away made it even more romantic and touching. The light between oceans is a beautiful narrative that whisks the reader on a journey across time, love and a vast amount of water. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion.
The novel is rich with detailed descriptions of the ocean, the sky, and the wild landscape of. Tom is torn between obeying the law, and keeping his family intact. Stedman the light between oceans reading group guide one book one city resources lit lovers discussion questions. He was sitting in a spartan room, barely cooler than the sultry day outside. The light between oceans isnt based on a true story, but. Thanks to everyone who joined us for this months virtual book club. The light between oceans summary and study guide supersummary. Light between oceans stedman discussion questions litlovers. The light between oceans is a rare melding of lyrical prose and a truly gripping read, the kind that leads one to stay up all night in order to finish the book. Describe his moral struggle, and argue for or against the decisions he made to keep lucy and then to give her up. It tells the story of war heroturnedlighthouse keeper tom, and his young, feisty wife isabel, on the tiny, fictitious island of janus rock. How pure it is, how it saves sailors but never shines on the characters in the book. The light between oceans grpl book club book club kit.
Im really disappointed i was so looking forward to this movie and so i read the book, which killed any enthusiasm i had for it. Stedman, her debut novel, published by random house australia on 20 march 2012. The light between oceans is the first novel by australianborn author, m. Home the light between oceans discussion guide libguides. Stedman, author of the light between oceans interview by tess taylor the opening sequence of your book captures the solitary beauty of living on a lighthouse and looking back to land. This week on rjamesbond, were discussing 2008s quantum of solace. This mesmerizing australian novel has been a bestselling book around the world, and hollywood movie rights were recently snapped up by dreamworks, with david heyman harry potter set to produce. The light between oceans grpl book club a novel book club kit. If you were in tom sherbournes position, would you have let the lightkeepers log book stay silent when the baby was. This reading group guide for the light between oceans includes an introduction, discussion questions and ideas for enhancing your book club. Ill throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can. To view books in process, and to suggest new books, go to books in process. Stedman a boat washes up on the shore of a remote lighthouse keepers island.
For various reasons we were a somewhat depleted group when we met to discuss the book, and there wasnt a man in sight. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion on the light between oceans. 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 terrible consequences of their decision to raise the child as their own. Is there a particular passage or scene that stood out to you. This story is about right and wrong and how sometimes they look the same. Stedmans debut novel the light between oceans is a refreshingly honest and heartwrenching work that is sure to stay with you weeks after finishing it. 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. Today were discussing the light between oceans by m. 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 captivating, beautiful, and stunningly accomplished.
Great supplemental information for school essays and projects. When they left the lighthouse behind, it was almost as if their familys light was extinguished. The light between oceans is a best book club book for discussion about a wwi veteran who returns to australia, becomes a lighthouse keeper, and adopts an abandoned child. Stedman may 7, 20 books books contemporary fiction fiction m. What do you visualize when you hear or read the light between oceans. So i did follow the pattern of reading the book before i watched the movie. 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 do you visualize when you hear or read the light between oceans the novel is rich with detailed descriptions of the ocean, the sky, and the wild landscape of janus rock. The light between oceans won the 2012 goodreads choice award for best historical fiction and also landed on the long list as nominee for the womens prize for fiction this year. The yearslong new york times bestseller and major motion picture from. 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.
The light between oceans is a deep reflection on two mothers love for the same child, although different to each one. Stedman is a beautifully written and emotional story which i enjoyed very much. The light between the oceans is a fantastic novel and it will touch your heart. The light between oceans the sydney morning herald. Cianfrance had his breakthrough with a movie called blue valentine. Stedman goodreads author topics about this book topics that mention this book. Debut novel for this author discussion questions 1. Ive had my eye on this one for a few months now and was thrilled when our local book club chose it for this months discussion. My book club met to discuss the light between oceans just before christmas. Stedman is a heartwrenching story about a relationship between two people and the risks theyre willing to take for each other. I enjoyed the light between oceans so much, i felt i had to buy the guide, which of course took me straight back to the story again without actually reading the whole book. Mels online book club discussion looks at the light between oceans by m. A lighthouse keeper and his wife living off the coast of western australia raise a baby they rescue from a drifting rowing boat. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times.
Oh my goodness, friends i absolutely loved this months book club pick, the light between oceans by m. Janus rock is a lonely speck of land far out to sea. Study questions, project ideas and discussion topics based on important themes running throughout the light between oceans. It is the winner of three prestigious abia awards, including their book of the year, and also won the indie awards book of the year. Dec 31, 2014 my book club met to discuss the light between oceans just before christmas. Thats a small gripe, since it hits the right notes most of. Tom sherbourne is a war hero who is haunted by what he witnessed and what he had to do to survive. Check out the light between oceans at the book depository.
My main issue is that the film is a little one sided. Aug 31, 2016 the light between oceans is the endofsummer romance you need in your life. Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers. And the movies luxuriant landscapes and keyedup performers lull you into early acceptance, before the film reveals its fundamental hollowness. Discuss the novels title, the light between oceans. This 36page guide for the light between oceans by ml stedman includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 37 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Light between oceans book club notes penguin books australia. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Did anyone catch the symbolism in the light from the lighthouse. Jun 3, 2016 the light between oceans reading guide book club discussion questions litlovers. A novel at our thursday, february, 2014 meeting at the leawood pioneer library 7 pm. Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. The books setting the lighthouse seems to serve as something of a metaphor in the booka symbol of hope and safety for isabel and tom. The film stars real life couple michael fassbender and alicia vikander as tom sherbourne and isabel graysmark, a young.
The light between oceans is a 2012 australian historical fiction novel by m. Stedman the yearslong new york times bestseller and goodreads best historical novel that is. Would you stand by your spouse no matter what they. The light between oceans reading group guide one book one city resources lit lovers discussion questions reflection on a light between oceans book discussion. Her prayers are answered when an infant washes up on shore in a rowboat. A guide for book clubs, enhanced the experience of a wonderful story.
The story takes place in the town of point partageuse, australia during the 1920s. Stedman was born and raised in western australia and now lives in london. He is a quiet man who lost his mother as a young boy and became estranged from his brother. That said, if someone had told me it was a sad book, i wouldnt have read it at all. The light between oceans film and book discussion with. A resource for book clubs and reading group guide for the light between oceans by m. Do you like the variety or is the book better when focused on tom and isabel. A baby in a boat changes everything in the light between oceans in derek cianfrances film, alicia vikander and michael fassbender play a couple living on a remote australian. While some parts of the book seemed to drag, overall this story kept my interest and had me in tears by the end. 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.
The novel is rich with detailed descriptions of the ocean, the sky, and the wild landscape of janus rock. Im going to say that for me, the story was heartwrenching. My book club ladies decided to read the light between oceans by m. Its a moving, slowburn romantic melodrama that looks fantastic. I wish i had known that when i began but more of that later. Plot summary tom sherbourne michael fassbender, a war veteran, is hired as a lighthouse keeper.
If you liked the light between oceans you may also like other books in our romance category. Childless lighthouse keeper, wife make lifechanging choice in light between oceans. Elegantly renderedheartwrenchingbeautifully drawn usa today, the light between oceans is a gorgeous debut novel, not soon to be forgotten. The february book selection for the sml book discussion is the light between oceans by m.
The story itself is both heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful, with a pitchperfect conclusion. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. If you enjoy literary fiction with large ramifications, try these books to read if you like the light between oceans. A novel set on a remote australian island, where a childless couple live quietly running a lighthouse, until a boat carrying a baby washes ashore provided by publisher. The light between oceans plot summary english movie news. Books to read if you like the light between oceans. Im not a huge cianfrance fan, but i liked the light between ocean.
I love how novels can reveal big life questions and how people can have completely opposite opinions about moral choices. Stedman this month and paired it with an outing to go watch the film, which also just came out. The light between oceans is an incredibly moving novel about what happens when good people make bad decisions. The light between oceans is thematically rich, a clear morality tale about guilt, desire, and redemption that sustains an undertone of sadness. I find some of the more controversial books make the best book club books because theres so much more discussion to be had. You can feel the love that tom and isabel have for each other. Our reading guide for the light between oceans by m. The light between oceans discussion questions all good. What does it mean to be an outsider and how does that affect ones perception. The author herself is a very interesting character. A film adaptation of the same name starring alicia vikander and michael fassbender was released on 2 september 2016. The light between oceans is, i discovered when id finished reading it for book club, a debut novel. The orchardist by amanda coplin the lightkeepers wife by karen viggers latitudes of melt by joan clark. The light between oceans is set in the southern hemisphere, off the coast of southwest australia.
But isabel insists the baby is a gift from god, and against toms judgment, they claim her as their own and name her lucy. Reading guide for the light between oceans by margot l. Nov 22, 2016 their choice is one with reverberations they could have never guessed. Tom is a world war i veteran who maintains a lighthouse off the shore of australia with his wife isabel, a woman desperate to have a baby. Notes from the author to the bookclub a conversation with m. How has grief affected their understanding of right and wrong. The light between oceans essay topics supersummary. 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. Perthraised, londonbased author margot stedmans first novel is a work of such quality, insight and intrigue, it prompted an international. Sep 01, 2016 the title the light between oceans derives from janus rocks location, where the indian ocean meets the great southern ocean. Book club questions for the light between oceans by m. Stedman the yearslong new york times bestseller and goodreads best historical novel that is irresistibleseductivewith a. Stedman the plot of this book is based on a moral dilemma.
470 981 1161 1493 800 1190 1378 423 882 409 1554 737 1467 1374 436 1054 454 1145 688 336 1395 1304 222 1303 566 381 506 1227 1158