Thank you to The Dial Press for the advanced copy of this novel. Allegra Goodman will be part of our 2025 Summer Author Series to discuss her research process for this novel!
Having recently delved into fifteenth-century literature with Eleanore of Avignon, Isola fit seamlessly into my reading interests this month as I ventured into the sixteenth-century with this Reese Witherspoon selection. This also marks my first return to Allegra Goodman's work since The Cookbook Collector many years ago.
The origins of Isola can be traced back to a moment of serendipity for the author. Goodman first stumbled upon Marguerite's story 22 years ago during a family road trip to Montreal. Hoping to share Canadian history with her young sons, she checked out a stack of children's books and found herself the sole reader while nursing her newborn daughter late at night. Within a book about explorer Jacques Cartier, a brief parenthetical aside mentioned a young noblewoman marooned by her kinsman on an island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. That spark of inspiration eventually led to this story, her highest-rated novel on Goodreads.
Marguerite, an heir to a great fortune, is orphaned at thirteen and placed under the guardianship of her ruthless cousin, Jean-François, who misuses her inheritance for his own gain.
Now penniless, he offers to include Marguerite and her devoted nurse, Damienne, on a naval expedition to New France, which becomes an offer they can't refuse when her property is sold to someone else and she has nowhere else to go.
The voyage is bumpy, and Goodman does a phenomenal job showcasing the terror in these women's hearts as they board a boat for the first time, along with embedding the lore of past voyages that are shared among its passengers and feared they may replicate.
During the journey, Marguerite falls for Jean-François's secretary, Auguste, a forbidden romance that ultimately seals her fate and changes the story's trajectory. Upon discovering their affair, her cousin is driven by fury and abandons Marguerite, Auguste, and Damienne on a remote island, leaving them to battle the elements in an unrelenting struggle for survival.
Once a noblewoman adorned in lace and pearls, she is suddenly at the mercy of nature, her survival dependent on her own ingenuity and inner strength. The story unspools like a riveting Survivor episode as the three try to live off the unforgiving land, from failed gardens to bear battles. As the brutal Canadian winter sets in, Marguerite, mourning many losses, finds an unexpected faith in God that she had never before embraced, discovering comfort in the psalms that her cousin would often have her forcibly recite.
Though the pacing occasionally drags, particularly in the middle sections, Goodman's prose is immersive, and her portrayal of Marguerite's perseverance is deeply compelling. The novel's conclusion is satisfying yet open-ended, leaving room for readers to imagine what awaits Marguerite as her new life unfolds.
I don't often connect with Reese's picks, but this was exactly the escape I needed. For those looking to engage more deeply with Goodman's writing process, she will join our Summer Author Series to discuss her research behind Isola. Be sure to add this novel to your reading stack—it's a powerful and inspiring read that lingers long after the final page.