Isola: Reese’s Book Club: A Novel
REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “A shocking story, made all the more stunning by the fact that it has its roots in true history.”—Jodi Picoult, author of By Any Other Name
“A new generation of survival story . . . an extraordinary book that reads like a thriller, written with the care of the most delicate psychological and historical fiction.”—Vogue (Best of 2025 Preview)
A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this “lushly painted” (People) historical epic of love, faith, and defiance from the bestselling author of Sam.
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: TIME, The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, NPR, Slate, The Globe and Mail, Kirkus Reviews, Town & Country, Lit Hub, Christian Science Monitor • FINALIST FOR THE KIRKUS PRIZE • LONGLISTED FOR THE AMERICAN LIBRARY IN PARIS BOOK AWARD
Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. That journey takes a unexpected turn when Marguerite, accused of betrayal, is brutally punished and abandoned on a small island.
Once a child of privilege who dressed in gowns and laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed.
Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola is the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival.
From the Publisher
ASIN : B0D3C1P3FS
Publisher : The Dial Press
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : February 4, 2025
Language : English
File size : 7.2 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 356 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-0593730096
Page Flip : Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: #999 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store) #13 in Historical Literary Fiction #23 in Women’s Literary Fiction #29 in Women’s Historical Fiction
Customer Reviews: 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (17,495) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
$13.99
REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “A shocking story, made all the more stunning by the fact that it has its roots in true history.”—Jodi Picoult, author of By Any Other Name
“A new generation of survival story . . . an extraordinary book that reads like a thriller, written with the care of the most delicate psychological and historical fiction.”—Vogue (Best of 2025 Preview)
A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this “lushly painted” (People) historical epic of love, faith, and defiance from the bestselling author of Sam.
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: TIME, The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, NPR, Slate, The Globe and Mail, Kirkus Reviews, Town & Country, Lit Hub, Christian Science Monitor • FINALIST FOR THE KIRKUS PRIZE • LONGLISTED FOR THE AMERICAN LIBRARY IN PARIS BOOK AWARD
Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. That journey takes a unexpected turn when Marguerite, accused of betrayal, is brutally punished and abandoned on a small island.
Once a child of privilege who dressed in gowns and laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed.
Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola is the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival.
From the Publisher
ASIN : B0D3C1P3FS
Publisher : The Dial Press
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : February 4, 2025
Language : English
File size : 7.2 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 356 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-0593730096
Page Flip : Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: #999 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store) #13 in Historical Literary Fiction #23 in Women’s Literary Fiction #29 in Women’s Historical Fiction
Customer Reviews: 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (17,495) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Lloyd Lofthouse –
Powerful, dramatic story of abuse, survival and strength.
Powerful and based on real people who lived real lives.Dramatic, shocking historical proof that ruthless misogynists have ruled most of the world for centuries if not thousands of years.
Sister Mary –
Well written and engaging
I genuinely loved this book. So much of what passes for fiction of any genre these days is unimaginative and boring. This kept my interest, a great escape. But the ending left a lot to be desired. How in the world did the author let that man get away with what he did? The ending could’ve been a lot more satisfying.
S. Geary –
Exciting
Terrific book! Exciting, great characters, good story. Highly recommend.
Fharen –
Not for Me
For December, my book club chose Isola since it was one of Reese’s Book Club picks and centered on a woman’s survival story in 16th century New France. I was pressed for time so I opted to listen to the audiobook, which was narrated by a single female voice who did a great job as a solo narrator. Historical fiction is not a genre I read often, so I went into Isola knowing I might not love it.Isola follows Marguerite de la Rocque de Roberval, an orphaned young woman living under the control of her abusive cousin and guardian, Roberval. When she disobeys him, Roberval punishes her in the most extreme way possible, and the story shifts from her controlled life in France to a brutal fight for survival in the harsh wilderness of New France. Allegra Goodman is skilled at immersing you in Marguerite’s physical and emotional reality, and the slow unraveling of her old life into pure survival is haunting.Marguerite’s lack of agency frustrated me throughout most of the story, which is why I typically shy away from this genre. Roberval controls her money, her movement, and her body, and watching him misuse her inheritance while she is forced to ask him for scraps of what is already hers was irritating for me. The relationship with Auguste offers a brief glimpse of love and choice, but it exists mostly to set up her punishment rather than to give her any real power over her own life. Even the island, which becomes a place where she learns to survive, never quite feels like true freedom because it is rooted in loss and suffering. Damienne, her nurse, is a constant presence for Marguerite throughout the book.Because Isola is based on a true story with so many historically documented gaps, there was a lot of room for Goodman to imagine a richer emotional and psychological arc for Marguerite, and I kept wishing the book would push further into that space. Instead, the story leans heavily into endurance, faith, and quiet suffering. While that approach feels true to the time period, it also means there is little to no satisfying resolution. Roberval faces no meaningful consequences for his actions throughout the story, and even at the end, there is no real reckoning or acknowledgment of the injustice Marguerite endured. I wanted more anger, more confrontation, and a resolution that felt proportional to everything she survived.I can see why Isola resonates for readers who appreciate literary historical fiction and survival stories, and I respect what Goodman was trying to do with faith, memory, and storytelling. It just was not a satisfying read for me, especially coming from genres where women get to reclaim power and rewrite their fate in bigger ways. If you are sensitive to themes of abuse, child loss, and religious trauma, I would definitely recommend checking content warnings before picking this one up.
Kristen A. –
pretty good
It was a good story but the ending left a bit to be desired. Given the character development, the ending seemed rushed
Jason –
Exceptional
This is a gripping and immersive tale of the strength of a woman and her companions. The character growth of the female protagonist is exceptional. She develops and grit and strength that you don’t expect upon first being introduced to her. The mood of this tome is depressing because so many bad things happen but you grow to love the main character and do root for her.
Mary Lins –
Couldn’t Put it Down!
“Isola” by Allegra Goodman, is based on a true story, which makes it even more compelling! I couldn’t put it down!Marguerite was a sixteenth century French noble woman whose parents died when she was a child leaving her to the mercy of a guardian. Women at this time had no rights and so Marguerite was basically “owned” by her guardian.When she dares to defy him, he casts her away on an island near New France (today Canada).Beautifully written and researched, Goodman captured my heart with this thrilling and fascinating tale of survival.(Let’s don’t forget that in parts of the world even today women have no rights and are “owned” by the men in their life.)
Martin S Wykes Jr –
Would recommend
Good read
Horst Witte –
Eigentlich unbeschreiblich. Muss man gelesen haben!!
Gr Batten –
A very interesting book , of never giving in and surviving , whatever life throws at you , I really enjoyed reading this book
Amazon Customer –
This is a beautiful read based on historical events. This is an engaging and well-crafted novel written in first person. It is based on the history of Marguerite de la Rocque.
Stephanie B. D. –
Allegra Goodman is an outstanding novelist but with ISOLA she gives us a most exceptional treat. My heart sank when I came to the end of it (reading on a Kindle). I was enchanted throughout. The story is richly imagined yet credible. “Survival” asks much of us. We are with these femaile characters (and an exceptional man) all the way.
Sunbow –
still reading book, she is an excellent writer. Reese usually picks the winners for me.