The Light Between Oceans

“You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day.”

Part One

The novel opens with Tom Sherbourne, a World War I veteran, taking a job as a lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, a remote island off the coast of Western Australia. Seeking solitude after the horrors of war, he finds peace in the isolation and routine of lighthouse duties.

During a shore leave, Tom meets Isabel Graysmark, a spirited young woman from the nearby coastal town of Partageuse. They fall in love, marry, and Isabel joins him on Janus Rock. Their life together is idyllic until Isabel suffers multiple miscarriages, plunging her into deep grief.

Part Two

One day, a boat washes ashore carrying a dead man and a crying infant. Isabel, desperate for a child, convinces Tom to keep the baby and raise her as their own, burying the man secretly. They name the girl Lucy and pass her off as their biological child.

Years later, during a visit to Partageuse, Tom discovers that the baby’s real mother, Hannah Roennfeldt, is still grieving the loss of her husband and child, presumed lost at sea. Consumed by guilt, Tom anonymously sends Hannah a note hinting that her daughter may be alive.

Part Three

The truth unravels when authorities investigate, leading to Lucy being taken from Tom and Isabel and returned to Hannah. Isabel, heartbroken, initially refuses to accept the situation, while Tom is arrested for his role in the deception.

At the trial, Isabel confesses to her part in the scheme, leading to Tom’s release. The couple separates, with Isabel returning to her family and Tom leaving Partageuse. Years later, an adult Lucy—now called Grace—reconnects with Tom, offering a chance for reconciliation.

Key Ideas

• The moral consequences of decisions made out of love and desperation.
• The isolating and healing power of remote landscapes.
• The enduring pain of grief and loss.
• The conflict between personal happiness and ethical duty.
• The redemptive possibility of forgiveness.

Notable Adaptations