The Lightkeeper's Wife: A Novel
by Sarah Anne Johnson
Paperback- $9.62

"The Lightkeeper's Wife is a beautiful, stirring novel full of captivating mystery and clear-eyed emotion. The luminous characters are ...

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  "The LightKeeper's Wife" by Silversolara (see profile) 10/08/14


A seaman's life for me.

Hannah was worthy to be a seaman, and Annie/Blue turned into a seaman as well as a pirate?.

Hannah and Annie knew nothing about each other, but they had things in common: both? were headstrong for women of the 1800’s and they both loved the sea.

THE LIGHTKEEPER'S WIFE goes back and forth between Hannah's life and Annie/Blue's connecting both characters’ lives without their knowing.

THE LIGHTKEEPER'S WIFE is about enduring life and living a passion. You will feel Hannah's frustration as she tries to keep up the lighthouse after her husband has gone missing and only has Billy to help her.

The descriptions Ms. Johnson has of boat rescues and being at sea are amazing. Great detail in the telling of the story and the book's events keeps you reading.

I enjoyed THE LIGHTKEEPER'S WIFE. If you enjoy the 1800's and seafaring content, you will enjoy THE LIGHTKEEPER'S WIFE.

Gorgeous cover, fantastic writing, and great research, but my rating is going to be a 3/5 because of the disconnection with some parts of the book and for the length of time it took me to figure out what was going on and the length of time it took me to figure out who the characters were.

I received this book free of charge and without compensation from the publisher in return for an honest review.?

 
  "Held Little Light for Me" by nbaker (see profile) 01/11/16

My first instinct was to give this book only one star, but in all honesty, I did enjoy the images projected of life as a lighthouse keeper and even that of life on the high seas. Obviously, my opinion differs greatly from others who have read this book.

Hannah was a strong woman who felt that being a woman should not bring limitations to what she was capable of achieving or doing. A father who raised her to feel at home in the water and to take pride in honest hard work, Hannah's mother felt she would be better served working in their on-land store and learning the ropes of being a lady rather than learning the ropes on a sailing ship. What a treasure was in store for her when she marries the lighthouse keeper and she is able to feel a part of the sea again.

Annie was in a marriage not of her liking. Her husband is a ship's captain and life aboard a ship with her as the only female is lonely. Pregnant and afraid of having to give birth on board her husband's whaling vessel, he sets her ashore with a promise to return for her after she has given birth and ready to sail again. Heartbroken and feeling abandoned, she finds comfort in the females to whom her husband has entrusted her care to. The birth of her daughter brings limited joy as the baby soon succumbs to ailments stemming from premature birth. Annie is determined to change outcome of her life, no matter the cost.

So for this reader, at least the beginning of the story presented two strong women who were not afraid to face adversity, trials and tribulations and saw no boundaries for their accomplishments. In researching the original of names, I found that Hannah means "grace, or in God's favor". Ironically, Annie is actually another version or form of Hannah. So I immediately begin to see a connection between their characters. And that is about where my interest and favor with the book ended.

I like to think that I read books that give me pause to think. I think value is found in literary works when a reader is moved, emotionally uplifted or gains insight from a story or theme from a book. I felt the story had validity and strength on its own accord without having to bring in sexuality issues better left for other works. Unfortunately, I finished this book disappointed by the outcome and directions taken. Oh well - as a reader, you win some and you lose some.

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