Reviewed by Emma Crowley
A world at war.
One woman will risk everything.
Another will uncover her story.
1940: When the island of Guernsey is invaded by the Nazis, two sisters are determined to rebel in any way they can. But when forced to take in a German soldier, they are shocked to find a familiar face on their doorstep – a childhood friend who has now become their enemy.
2016: Two generations later, Lucy returns to Guernsey after the death of a distant cousin. As she prepares the old family house for sale, Lucy discovers a box of handwritten notes, one word standing out: resistance. Lucy’s search for the author will uncover the story of a forgotten sister who vanished from the island one night, never to be seen again.
Many thanks to Avon Books UK via NetGalley for my copy of The Girl from the Island to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
The Girl from the Island is the third book from the fantastic author that is Lorna Cook. If you haven’t read anything by this talented writer before then you are really missing out. Lorna has a natural gift for storytelling that truly impresses me and I have been a fan of her books ever since her brilliant debut. Once again right from page one you are drawn into this dual timeline storyline set on the island of Guernsey and you become completely invested in the eventual outcome for the main characters. Imagination is blended to perfection with historical fact and I felt I was given a glimpse into another aspect of World War Two that I had not previously known about, that of the German occupation of the Channel Islands. A fascinating time in history is explored and I have read lots and lots of books set during this time and at some stage you begin to think you have read all you can on the subject that the impact these books are meant to have on you begins to fade but then along comes this book which is an inspirational story. One full of bravery, courage, dedication and love in the face of hardship, cruelty, angst and endless rules and regulations imposed by a mad man.
Spring 2016 and it’s been so long since Lucy visited Guernsey even though her sister Clara still lives there. But now the death of a distant relative Dido sees her returning to make funeral arrangements on behalf of her father who is now living abroad. Lucy barely remembers Dido or the house she lives in, Deux Tourelles, but when she reaches the house she finds it void of any personal mementoes or photos her interest is piqued. Dido from what she learns was an active member of the community but why is there nothing of any personal note on display on the house? When Lucy locates a box of old newspaper clippings, notes and photos so sets in motion her quest to learn more about Dido and even more so when there is a photo with names on the back - Dido, Jack, Stefan and Persephone. Who were these people and what happened to them? Lucy knows the island has a deep history since its German occupation during the war and she wonders what part, if any, did Dido and the people named in the photo have to play in it.
I did enjoy reading about Lucy in the present day and how she navigates through her relationship with her sister, which is very fragile, and then how she wants to find the answers to connect the past to the present. Clara views Lucy as being very predictable in that she always chooses the easy way out of things or else she gives up entirely. Lucy wants to prove Clara wrong and decides she will dedicate herself to getting the house ready for sale and showing that she can stick at one thing. That she doesn’t always run away from things. In doing so she uncovers a remarkable story of fortitude, daring and fearlessness in the face of opposition, hatred and destruction.
The plot twists that occurred in the present towards the end of the book were just brilliant, so cleverly woven into the overall plot and they leave you reeling in surprise and gasping in shock. But for me the strongest part of the book were the chapters set back during the war. I couldn’t wait to get back to them after reading about Lucy in the present. It’s not that Lucy’s aspect of the story wasn’t well written, it was . I just became completely fascinated by the story of the two sisters who when confronted with a face from the past who has now become the enemy find their lives changed and being lived on a knife edge of tension. I found Lucy in the modern day served to bridge the gap and connect the dots between the island of the past and the island as it was in the present and it was all brilliantly written but my interest really was piqued reading about how the islanders coped with having their tiny patch of paradise invaded and their lives as they knew it changed forever.
On the day the Germans arrived on the island of Guernsey, Dido and Persephone’s mother passed away. No sooner had this occurred than there was a knock on the door of Deux Turelles and a face from the past was waiting on the doorstep. Stefan, a German, had spent summers on the island previously and struck up a friendship with the two sisters and Jack, the son of their housekeeper who was like a brother to the pair. But Stefan left one summer and never came back and nor did he write. Now he is back on the island in a different capacity and one in which Persey never thought possible. Stefan is billeted at the house which causes endless tension amongst the residents. Persey wrestles with past events and so many emotions come to the surface. Stefan, who was once a friend but now is a foe, surely can not be viewed in the same manner as he once was but yet Persey has these feelings that connect back to an incident on a cliff that last fateful summer.
Throughout the course of the novel we see her wrestle with her conscience as she knows what her heart is trying to say and she just can’t reconcile the fact that Stefan is the one to watch, to be careful around. No misplaced word or drop of information can be uttered especially as Jack who had enlisted finds himself stuck on the island as the work he was carrying out all went wrong. It’s such a complicated situation for everyone to be in and the characters all dance warily around each other in fear of doing the wrong thing that could see disaster befall them all. The development of Persey’s story, and that of her family, was superbly executed with an assured pace, increasing tension and plenty of crafty twists. Lorna Cook is an expert at bringing the past to life and I felt I was right there with Persey as she balances so many balls in the air. If one dropped her whole world and that of the people she so dearly loved would come crashing down.
With the German’s arrival new rules and regulations were imposed and I just couldn’t comprehend how the islanders must have felt. I couldn’t imagine myself facing all these changes not knowing was this to be my life forever. Not to mention the island became so cut off from the outside world, that even to hide a wireless became an offence. They must have felt so abandoned and lived in constant fear of doing the wrong thing. Something which up until the occupation would have been deemed normal but now it could have been a criminal offence and seen you taken away. Persey despite emotionally wrestling with what she was dealing with with regards to Stefan always showed such resilience. She was constantly thinking of the bigger picture and of others less fortunate then herself and her family. The new laws affecting Jews throughout German occupied territories also came into play on the island and I found this strand of the story intriguing and gripping. Loyalties are constantly questioned and Persey and the islanders do remarkable things which form the backbone of the overall plot. I find it incredible to think that the people living on a tiny island where every move was scrutinised by those who had taken power were able to carry out such heroic deeds in the face of so many burdens to be just incredible and their story definitely deserved to be told. Persey’s story was intense, riveting, inspiring and heart wrenching but it only served to highlight the grit and determination she had deep within her.
If you haven’t previously read anything by Lorna Cook make sure you also check out her previous books, The Forgotten Village and The Forbidden Promise. They are just as good as this new book and I envy those who have yet to discover this wonderful author. The only disappointment I now have is the time I will now have to wait until the next book is published and that’s my own fault as I read The Girl from the Island far too fast. I should have taken things more slowly but really it was just too good to put down. A brilliant storyline, a superb sense of place, strong believable characters and those brilliant plot twists that I didn’t see coming all make for an excellent read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommended. Lorna Cook is definitely an author who has secured her place on my go-to authors list.
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