Rose Tremain

From the Bestselling Author of the Gustav Sonata

Islands of Mercy

"In the city of Bath, in the year 1865, an extraordinary young woman renowned for her nursing skills is convinced that some other destiny will one day show itself to her. But when she finds herself torn between a dangerous affair with a female lover and the promise of a conventional marriage to an apparently respectable doctor, her desires begin to lead her towards a future she had never imagined. Meanwhile, on the wild island of Borneo, an eccentric British 'rajah', Sir Ralph Savage, overflowing with philanthropy but compromised by his passions, sees his schemes relentlessly undermined by his own fragility, by man's innate greed and by the invasive power of the forest itself. Jane's quest for an altered life and Sir Ralph's endeavours become locked together as the story journeys across the globe - from the confines of an English tearoom to the rainforests of a tropical island via the slums of Dublin and the transgressive fancy-dress boutiques of Paris."--Publisher.

Chenay Kamara

Tell me if I am behaving like a selfish witch, or only as we women must behave to stay afloat and not sink into invisibility and wretchedness in a world where men wish to make all the rules.

she sometimes imagined that the people around her were all struggling not to drown in the surging sea that is human life, but that she was quite safe from the dark deep. She was her own lifeboat, or her own small island. Her head and and shoulders would always ride above the waves.

She was ‘The Angel of the Baths’, the one woman whose touch everybody yearned for. Yet she would do more. She was certain of that. In the city of Bath, in the year 1865, an extraordinary young woman renowned for her nursing skills is convinced that some other destiny will one day show itself to her. But when she finds herself torn between a dangerous affair with a female lover and the promise of a conventional marriage to an apparently respectable doctor, her desires begin to lead her towards a future she had never imagined. Meanwhile, on the wild island of Borneo, an eccentric British ‘rajah’, Sir Ralph Savage, overflowing with philanthropy but compromised by his passions, sees his schemes relentlessly undermined by his own fragility, by man’s innate greed and by the invasive power of the forest itself. Jane’s quest for an altered life and Sir Ralph’s endeavours become locked together as the story journeys across the globe – from the confines of an English tearoom to the rainforests of a tropical island via the slums of Dublin and the transgressive fancy-dress boutiques of Paris. Islands of Mercy is a novel that ignites the senses, and is a bold exploration of the human urge to seek places of sanctuary in a pitiless world.

Amelia Irené

ximena leon

Finally had the opportunity to read this book and what an experience reading it and listening the audiobook with Katie McGrath voice... everything I needed so beautiful.

Julie Viravaux

So first of all, I listened to it on Audible, cause hearing Katie McGrath amazing voice acting out the dialogues and everything made my whole month (I might be in love honestly).
Now the development of Jane is just *chef's kiss* and the story telling is just amazing. Every characters are intertwined and each chapters brings out a whole other side of their respective stories. 
I found that they were nearly all relatively good characters on the moral front (jury's still out on Leon) EXCEPT Dr. Valentine Ross that I hate with all of my heart. (Be careful if you get triggered easily by abuse/violence against women as I do, it's not a central part of the story but it's there).

Would have liked for valentine to know what he did to Jane, feel as though he didn't deserve to kill himself and not know that he killed his own child. Genuinely thought that Julietta and Jane would not end up together but surprised they did and that Ashton was so happy for them/non-chalant

Overall, it was good but would have liked Leon's story to be more developed. 

Islands of Mercy From the Bestselling Author of the Gustav Sonata

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