This book is the story of the Peacock family who travel from place to place until they finally settle on Monday Island in 1878 - an uninhabited place which Mr Peacock feels he can make his own land. Life on the island is incredibly hard and perilous at first, but becomes easier until we reach the present day and some Pacific islanders join the family to help develop the land. Then we find out that everything is not as it appears as the family realise that with all the excitement of the new arrivals their eldest son, Albert, has disappeared.
The story is told in three parts which are interwoven through the book. One part is in the first person of Kalala, one of the islanders who comes to work. The tale told in Kalala's voice was very poetic and allowed us to see the island as it really was. Kalala's heartfelt narrative pushed the story along until we realise the truth of what actually happened to Albert.
The rest of the book is told in the third person, one part "before", the other focussing on the present day. Within these sections we mainly follow Lizzie Peacock, one of the daughters, and her thoughts and feelings. Lizzie is a feisty, spirited character - her father's favourite - who he says "should have been a boy". This chauvinism seems at odds with the idea of a family who are the only people on an island, surely they could have created their own rules? But it appears that Mr Peacock's rules are the only ones they abide by - it becomes clear that his wife and children as well as the island are his "possessions".
I really enjoyed this book, I loved the "before" sections as it described the hand to mouth existence the Peacock's lived and how the children grew up to be resilient and managed against all odds to survive. The island itself was almost the main character, the author's descriptions of it were highly evocative and detailed.
Yes, I guessed what had happened to Albert within reading about a quarter of the book but I still wanted to keep reading, which is the mark of a good writer for me. Highly recommend anyone to read this book.
The story is told in three parts which are interwoven through the book. One part is in the first person of Kalala, one of the islanders who comes to work. The tale told in Kalala's voice was very poetic and allowed us to see the island as it really was. Kalala's heartfelt narrative pushed the story along until we realise the truth of what actually happened to Albert.
The rest of the book is told in the third person, one part "before", the other focussing on the present day. Within these sections we mainly follow Lizzie Peacock, one of the daughters, and her thoughts and feelings. Lizzie is a feisty, spirited character - her father's favourite - who he says "should have been a boy". This chauvinism seems at odds with the idea of a family who are the only people on an island, surely they could have created their own rules? But it appears that Mr Peacock's rules are the only ones they abide by - it becomes clear that his wife and children as well as the island are his "possessions".
I really enjoyed this book, I loved the "before" sections as it described the hand to mouth existence the Peacock's lived and how the children grew up to be resilient and managed against all odds to survive. The island itself was almost the main character, the author's descriptions of it were highly evocative and detailed.
Yes, I guessed what had happened to Albert within reading about a quarter of the book but I still wanted to keep reading, which is the mark of a good writer for me. Highly recommend anyone to read this book.