Isola by Allegra Goodman

 

Summary (from the publisher): A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this epic saga of love, faith, and defiance from the bestselling author of Sam.

Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. Isolated and afraid, Marguerite befriends her guardian’s servant and the two develop an intense attraction. But when their relationship is discovered, they are brutally punished and abandoned on a small island with no hope for rescue.

Once a child of privilege who dressed in gowns and laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed.

Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola is the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival.

Review: I received an advance uncorrected proof copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Orphaned as a young child, Marguerite is raised as an heir to a fortune and destined to a life of gentility. To her great misfortune, a volatile man is appointed her guardian. He spends and sells off her inheritance and eventually insists that she accompany him on an expedition to New France. Isolated and afraid on board the ship with no companion other than her childhood nurse Damienne, Marguerite befriends her guardian's secretary and eventually the two fall in love. When her guardian discovers their relationship, he is furious with jealousy and what he sees as betrayal. He abandons Marguerite, her lover Auguste, and her nursemaid Damienne on a barren island. Raised to privilege with no practical skills, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of the elements as the trio struggle to survive the harsh elements. 

This was a beautiful and haunting novel. I was struck by how little freewill Marguerite has. Her life is constrained entirely by those around her, and she is not even permitted to question or learn more about decisions made concerning her. Her childhood is characterized by no freewill while living in privilege. And her first real act of defiance and acting of her own accord, in loving Auguste, results in her life as she knows it being ripped away. Her life is turned on its head: on the island, she has full freewill, but absolutely no privilege, material possessions, or luxuries. 

This pattern of contrasts, of two things being true, is repeated throughout the text. Her life seems a study in contrasts, and her guardian also mirrors this dichotomy: "My guardian served as my protector, but I had no one to protect me from him." Likewise, his punishment is also their reward: "Roberval had punished us with what we wanted most. We longed for time; he gave us eternity." Later, when she finally leaves the island, she feels both joy and sorrow: "I wept for joy because I could escape, and for sorrow I must leave alone."

I loved the character of Damienne who is faithful until the end. Damienne had served Marguerite's mother and swore to protect Marguerite when her mother died giving birth to her. Unfailingly loyal to the end, Damienne follows Marguerite where she goes, despite the risks to herself. She is a true mother to Marguerite and also provides sound advice as she preaches loyalty, faithfulness, and piety no matter what. 

Marguerite's story was a harrowing one. Most works of historical fiction involving noblewomen involve lots of drawing rooms and well-tended gardens. Not so for this story. Marguerite sleeps on the ground between granite boulders. She fights off and later butchers a bear. She survives a harrowing trip on the ocean in an open vessel. Her story is both harrowing and heartbreaking in the losses she endures. The injustice carried out against her by her guardian is infuriating. As a young, unmarried, and orphaned woman, she has no power of her own and no influence that could have influenced or changed her fate. 

It was striking to learn that this novel was based on true events. The real-life Marguerite de la Rocque survived over two years on the island. Goodman did an excellent job of blending the two contemporary accounts of her ordeal, which differed greatly. I was so delighted that I was able to read an advance copy of this novel and truly enjoyed it. 

Stars: 4.5