The Light Between Oceans

A Novel

By: M. L. Stedman

Narrated by: Noah Taylor

Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

A captivating, beautiful, and stunningly accomplished debut novel - the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who make one devastating choice that forever changes two worlds.

In 1918, after four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia to take a job as the lighthouse keeper on remote Janus Rock. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes only four times a year and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Three years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel is tending the grave of her newly lost infant when she hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up on shore carrying a dead man and a living baby. Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the dead man and the infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim the child as their own and name her Lucy, but a rift begins to grow between them. When Lucy is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world…and one of them is desperate to find her lost baby.

M.L. Stedman’s extraordinarily compelling characters, still trying to make sense of life in the wake of so much death in the war, are imperfect people seeking to find their north star in a world of incomprehensible complexity.

©2012 Grasshill Communications. (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“M.L. Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans is a beautiful novel about isolation and courage in the face of enormous loss. It gets into your heart stealthily, until you stop hoping the characters will make different choices and find you can only watch, transfixed, as every conceivable choice becomes an impossible one. I couldn’t look away from the page and then I couldn’t see it, through tears. It’s a stunning debut.” (Maile Meloy, author of Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It)

Leaves a Lasting Effect

I come late to the party, listening to this book for the first time in 2023. I had never seen the movie (and still haven't at the time of writing). I do like fictional history, and even though romantic dramas never seem to scream for me to come, I seem to enjoy them when forced or relented to listen / watch one. This one is no different.

I appreciate many things about this book, some of which will likely rub others the wrong way. I appreciate the old period setting, and I feel there is an “old period telling” to the story, that doesn't demand cultural virtue signals, except for perhaps what might be native to the writer (and reader – I know nothing about the author). I guess I could state a personal bias that seems present in the book, is an unapologetic consideration of God, religion, and Christianity. Mind you, it's not front, or center, and could barely even pass as a sub-setting, nevertheless present. I appreciated that it wasn't shamed or apologized for, but as it was in the 1920s and 30s of Australia, an assumed part of life. (Full disclosure: being a Christian myself, it probably contributes to my warm reception of it).

The author's command of sea-faring, and light/dark imagery throughout the book, even showing up when unexpected but making sense for its illustrative purposes was pleasantly enjoyable. She no doubt has a gift for story-telling.

Both characters and their psyches felt so real and true-to-life. Nothing, not even the smallest storied-detail seems wasted (unlike other books where you know certain scenes or instances can likely be erased). Thus, “listen / read” closely.

No doubt the book raises questions about right and wrong. And unlike a few stories here and there which ends an on ambiguous obvious moral failing that is morbidly praised, I am grateful how this book turned out. Where wrongs were brought to their consequences – even though like I'm sure most people... wished the story could end fairytale like, its ending felt most realistic and suitable, and made up I suppose for the suspend-belief set-up (though stranger things have probably happened at sea).

My one criticism as far as the audio edition goes, is, has been stated, the narration. Noah Taylor I'm sure is a brilliant actor (as his iMDB shows). However, I had to play only with ear-buds, usually with a volume that upset my iPhone (constantly sending me warnings about high audio levels) and 1.3x the speed seemed the most efficient. His drifting, trailing off thoughtfully while reading – maybe to him, felt like fit the mood – but became old real fast. Thankfully his voices for characters didn't match the narrator's thoughtful dramatic observatory tones. His “pause for effect,” was definitely overused (hence the 1.3x speed). I am usually one to desire a natural speed at all times, anxious to miss nothing, however at 1.3x for this book was good enough for me, only a few times did I have to rewind, and eventually go to natural speed to catch something usually muffled by Aussie accent (on my American ears). I would likely even give the book another listen should another narrator give it a go.

Nevertheless though, I might even give Noah Taylor another chance should I find myself wanting to listen to the book again. Give it a shot if you're interested.

One of the best I've read in a while.

I've just finished this excellent book this morning, and I'm still a bit lost in its spell. What a story! I cried more than once (and for more than one reason), laughed several times, actually felt sick a few times, and on more than one occasion felt myself completely taken up in it, which is the highest praise I can give a book.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, compelling, and deeply moving story.

The only complaint I have is that the narrator would often sort of trail off at the end of a sentence. In every other respect, he was a fine narrator. As I understand it, he's an Australian himself, so that helps lend the story some authenticity.

A lot of reviewers here have really been hard on the narrator, some going so far as to say he ruined the book for them. I did not feel it was quite that bad. I simply turned the volume up a bit higher than normal, so that when he trailed off, he was still easily audible. It did make him a bit loud at times, but I was ok with that.

The book and story are so utterly compelling, it's worth putting up with the narrator's imperfections.

Poor narration.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The narration left much to be desired. He dropped his voice at the end of each sentence and it came out garbled. I missed a lot of the story.

Any additional comments?

Better read than listened to.

I loved the narrator!

This was one of the first Audible books I ever listened to, and after listening to dozens more,it remains one of my favorites. In anticipation of the film, I clicked on to the reviews to see if everyone loved it as much as I did. I was shocked to find so many negative comments about the narration! I normally prefer to have ANYTHING read to me by Juliet Stevenson, but in THIS case, I thought that having an Australian male voice made more sense. I though Noah Taylor did an excellent job of portraying the different characters. Don't miss this amazing story because of the iffy reviews. To each her own, but I thought the narration was spot on!

Amazing!

This book was terrific. A great story, beautifully written, and the narration.. oh the narration. Hearing a book based in Australia narrated by an Australian REALLY brought the book alive. Thanks to Mr. Taylor, I could sense the townspeople whispering, I could feel the waves crashing, and I could see a little girl standing before me.

This is a book about choices, doing the right thing, loss, regret, and above all else, love. There are no villains... just imperfect people dealing with imperfect situations. Mr. Stedman writes in a way that constantly has you questioning, guessing, second guessing, and, at times, on the edge of your seat. I smiled, cried, ached, laughed, and at the end of the story was left feeling (to my surprise!) supremely satisfied.

Intriguing moral dilemnas; moving narration.

I was captivated by the constant questioning of moral choices. The story and the narration made me envision the events as they inexorably played out.

Bittersweet story that will capture your heart

If you could sum up The Light Between Oceans in three words, what would they be?

Descriptive, heartbreaking, captivating

What did you like best about this story?

It felt very real. Although fiction, I felt as if the story really happened. I could identify with the main characters and understand their feelings and reasons for doing what they did.

What does Noah Taylor bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A sense of remorse and longing.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, but the ending was sad.

Choices--forgive or be resentful!!

Life as a light keeper's family is the center of this story. Keeping meticulous records and reporting everything is a requirement for families that spend 3 years alone living and working to keep the oceans safe. For the family in this story, this life is beautiful and enjoyable until they find themselves loosing their first three children to miscarriage and stillbirth.

One day a boat comes ashore with a dead man and a tiny baby. Isabelle decides that God has sent her the baby she has been longing for all along. Tom knows he should report these people to the authorities, but Isabelle's need for this child stops him momentarily. So what happens two years later when they return to the mainland and the baby's real mother is roaming around in the loss of her family?

This is a beautiful story exemplifying the idea that there are consequences for every choice we make. Bad choices continue to multiply and affect so many people. But in the long run we always have a choice to forgive or to be resentful and hate. Those choices are played out in this sad but meaningful story. Personally, I believe this was a sad but terrific play on those choices!!(less)

The performance was not up to Audible standards. Every sentence lost volume at the end. Sometimes sounded like a whisper secret rather than a story. This was not helped by the normally enjoyable Australian accent.

Beautifully haunting tragedy and triumph

Would you consider the audio edition of The Light Between Oceans to be better than the print version?

Yes

What does Noah Taylor bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Outstanding performance! I would never know the true dialect without listening to his reading.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Family tragedies intersect with pain,aguish and death and end with hope, triumph and life!

Beautiful and Haunting

Gut wrenching story of love, loss, and the lives we lead in between. Terrific writing by Stedman, fantastic novel, but you'll likely need to chase this book with some much lighter fare as the dilemma posed in the story will be especially haunting to parents. World class performance by Noah Taylor.