OVERVIEW
What a story and what a book! This historical novel is based on the life of Marguerite de La Rocque de Roberval, a French noblewoman.
This novel kept showing up on reading lists and I dismissed it as another popular, fluffy book. I. WAS. SO. WRONG!
Alegra has written six previous novels and I look forward to reading them and anything else she chooses to write!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
Allegra made this unbelievable story come to life. The descriptions were beautifully detailed from the gory parts to the mundane tasks necessary to fully tell the story. The descriptions of the time on the uninhabited island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence during all seasons were sheer poetry and so gorgeous.
This is a dense and intense read, but it is so well-researched and fascinating!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main character is Marguerite, an orphaned woman of noble blood who was marooned as an adult on an inhospitable and uninhabited island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
The secondary characters are Roberval (Marguerite's guardian), Auguste (Roberval's secretary and Marguerite's friend), and Damienne (Marguerite's servant).
The tertiary characters are Claire (Marguerite's friend) and Madame D'Artois (Claire's mother and Marguerite's friend). The island that Marguerite was abandoned on is also a character unto itself.
Many characters, including ones in France, New France (Canada), and the shipboard journeys on the Atlantic Ocean, add depth to the story.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
Six sections in this book make up the novel: Périgord, La Rochelle, At Sea, The Isle, The Isle, and At Sea, La Rochelle, Périgord. This historical fiction novel covers 1531-1544 in France, New France, and at sea on the Atlantic Ocean. That may be a short period of only thirteen years, but so much happens to the characters.
The story is of Marguerite who is orphaned and whose wealth and control are given to her social-climbing cousin Roberval. He uses her estate for his enrichment and power. Eventually, Roberval takes Marguerite on an ocean voyage to New France. She is left on an island until her rescue and return to France.
The locations were Périgord and La Rochelle, France; time at sea; and an island in New France.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
I never knew how early France sent explorers like Cartier and Roberval to find the non-existent northwest passage. Also, I was unaware of the difficulty and violence between the French settlers and the Native peoples in Quebec. Ultimately, the French founded Quebec about the same time the English founded Jamestown with similar difficulties for both settlements.
Also, in 16th century France, a French woman's rights and estate were lost when her parents or husband died then either her husband, close male relative, or son inherited instead of the woman. The subjugation of women was terrifying, horrifying, and demeaning. Sadly, some of this still persists today.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Beautiful!
Book title: 5.0 stars
On point!
HIGHLY recommend
Los Angeles County Library (LAC) borrow: eBOOK
Isola by Allegra Goodman
368 pages
The Dial Press
Release date: 2/5/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
TRIGGER WARNING: Violence, torture, death of a parent, death of a child, sexual situations, gore, abandonment, execution
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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