The Light Between Oceans by Stedman

Someone asked what my latest book recommendation was and I told her; it's The Light Between Oceans by Stedman. Then I leant her my copy, which is how I justify buying books these days, I'm going to lend it out, that's why I need a real copy.

So since she has my copy, I can't write the quotes out that were my favorites. And I won't waste your time with plot summary---just look on Amazon.

What I can say is that I liked the book, Stedman did a great job for a first novel, and there are some great passages about love and forgiveness that I've been thought rumbling. And it's made me ponder things like:

1. When we love someone to know well enough what their breaking point is, and we watch as they are pushed past it and then they break and act badly . . . well, we should have seen that coming and we better forgive them already.

2. In a perfect world no one grieves, mourns, gets depressed, or can't see clearly. Too bad we don't live there, we're stuck loving each other despite our imperfections.

3. (And this is what I've really been pondering a lot . . . ) My observation in real life is that people react to difficult experiences in one of two ways:

a) They either close themselves off to other people---no one else has suffering. No one else knows pain. No one else went through what they did, so no one else hurts.

or

 b) They grow in compassion for all people who suffer, even if their pain isn't exactly the same.

I'd say, try the book. Good prose. Good story. A little emotional manipulation and plot twist whiplash, but Stedman's new at this, so we should cut her some slack.

And the overall theme of the book: People hurt. Let's forgive. People make bad choices. Let's forgive. Stick it out, don't bail, and forgive, forgive, forgive.