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Isola : a novel / Allegra Goodman.

Goodman, Allegra, (author.).

Summary:
France, 1531. Orphaned by the age of five, Marguerite de la Rocque was heir to a chateau with its own village and lands. But her guardian, Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval, sells Marguerite's property to embark on an expedition to New France, bringing Marguerite and her maidservant with him. Aboard the ship, the women are limited to the company of the captain, the navigator, Roberval, and his secretary-- a man whose musical talent, literary knowledge, and dark eyes intrigue Marguerite. It isn't long before the two of them are meeting secretly to declare their love for one another. When Roberval discovers this transgression, he is furious, seeing their affection as betrayal. As punishment, he maroons them on a small island off the coast, condemning them to certain death. Marguerite, the man she considers to be her husband, and her servant create a home for themselves inside a small cave. When the weather turns and the island is blanketed in ice, survival becomes nearly impossible. Marguerite is soon the only one left alive. She despairs, convinced she's been abandoned by God, and that she, too, will succumb to the brutality of the Island. Only then does she realize a strength her guardian could never have fathomed. She teaches herself to hunt and fish, to preserve food, and to scavenge. Months pass, and eventually Marguerite is discovered by a group of Basque fisherman. She persuades them to return her to France, where she tells her story and finally secures her own future, free from her guardian's control.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9780593730089 (hardcover)
  • ISBN: 0593730089 (hardcover)
  • Physical Description: 346 pages : illustration ; 25 cm
  • Edition: First edition
  • Publisher: New York : The Dial Press, [2025]

Content descriptions

General Note:
"Reese's book club"--Cover.
Subject: Ocean travel > Fiction.
Castaways > Fiction.
Survival > Fiction.
Islands > Fiction.
Orphans > Fiction.
Guardian and ward > Fiction.
Man-woman relationships > Fiction.
Self-actualization (Psychology) in women > Fiction.
Saint Lawrence, Gulf of > Fiction.
New France > Fiction.
Canada > History > To 1763 (New France) > Fiction.
Genre: Historical fiction.

Available copies

  • 0 of 2 copies available at Lehigh Valley Library System.

Holds

  • 6 current holds with 2 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Bethlehem Main Library f (Text) 33062009972846 New Adult Fiction Checked Out 03/07/2025
Easton Main Library ACQ255371A0204 (Text) ACQ255371A0204 New Items on Order On Order -


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