I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Hazel Gaynor Also by this author: Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War, The Girl from the Savoy
Published by HarperCollins on October 9, 2018
Genres: Fiction, General, Historical
Pages: 416
Format: Paperback
Source: the publisher
Longstone Lighthouse on the Farne Islands in Northumberland, England is the only home Grace Darling has known. Her father, the lighthouse keeper, has instilled in her a passion and love for the lighthouse and the sea it overlooks. Saving the lives of shipwrecked victims is one of the responsibilities of being the lighthouse keeper, so when a ship wrecks in 1838, Grace instantly joins her father in the rescue of the survivors. Following, Grace becomes a hero, an angel that swooped in to rescue the victims from the raging sea. Not a fan of the fame, Grace finds salvation in a rejuvenated friendship with a visiting artist, the brother of one of the victims she's rescued.
One hundred years later Matilda Emmerson, nineteen and pregnant, is sent from her home in Ireland to Newport, Rhode Island to wait out the arrival of her child. She resides with Harriet, an assistant lighthouse keeper who seems less than thrilled to have a guest in her home. In time, however, their connection is revealed, unveiling a bond that goes back centuries.
If this isn’t a page-turner, I don’t know what is! I devoured this in one sitting, instantly captivated by the strong, hard-headed female characters who both seemed to be ahead of their time when it came to the role of women in Society. Grace, forced into fame due to an act that she considered to be natural, and Matilda, a young mother banished from her family due to her pregnancy.
This novel is full of rich detail, from the characters to the setting. It’s not difficult to become invested in the characters and their fate. They each endured a terrible amount of tragedy and loss. The sea, too, is its own character, for it plays a very active role in the fate of those who reside near it.
All in all, I highly highly recommend this read. Be prepared to devote every waking moment!
Pingback: Hazel Gaynor, author of The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter, on tour October 2018 | TLC Book Tours