Island Girl
Release date: 2010 / 435 pages
Synopsis (from the back cover): Ruby Donaldson knows she’s in trouble. She’s been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, and she’ll be damned if she won’t straighten out her troubled family before she no longer knows how…
First Sentence: If I were a teenager, this would be a coming-of-age story.
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! From the title, I expected a tropical tale about a young girl; but the actual story, about a chilly Canadian island and a family of complicated women, was much more satisfying!
Ruby is a fiercely independent and controlling mother of two adult daughters — one who she controls with an iron fist and the other who refuses to have anything to do with her, even after learning her mother has early onset Alzheimer’s disease. The narrative follows the journey of all three women — with alternating chapters devoted to the perspective of each — and each is as sympathetic and fascinating as the other two. Even the cantankerous mother is easy to love and, thankfully, others are able to see past her prickly exterior as well.
Simmons’ prose is effortless and this novel made short work of two days — conjuring an exquisite setting that was a joy to visit. Although early onset Alzheimer’s is a tragic and devastating disease, Simmons treats it with the dignity and respect the sufferers deserve.
I strongly recommend to this novel to book clubs — so much to discuss! — and solo readers as well. Women readers will be more likely to enjoy it, but of all ages.
Interested in winning a free copy? Drop me a comment below and I will choose a lucky winner by the weekend!
I love your reviews…and of course a chance to win this book!
LOVED Still Alice. A topic of great interest. Would love to win a copy.
Even without dementia…a chance to help your family sounds wonderful
I really enjoy books about family dynamics. The writing style of alternating chapters from the various characters’ perspectives is the trademark of Jodi Picoult, one of my favorite authors.
Love your reviews.
Love to win a book too.
Thanks for the interesting review…and the opportunity to win this book!
Hi Loved your review! This sounds like a great book; I can’t wait to read it, and winning one would be fantastic too.
Loved Still Alice. Sounds like a great summer read at the beach!
No need to enter me, but this sounds great. Thanks for the review.
I’m looking forward to reading this novel even though it will be a little tough. My mother has begun showing the first signs of Alzheimer’s at the age of 73. Great review!
Sounds like this one hits lots of buttons for me – Canadian setting, family of women, Alzheimers. Thanks for sharing with us.
This book I want to read very much. I have worked with Alzhemimer people and have seen the many stages of it.
Should be a interesting read.
Loved the review.
I’d love to read this!
mj.coward[at]gmail.com
As we age and our parents do, Alzheimers is a real worry. Reading about it helps us understand it from the victim’s point-of-view. Count me in on this one.
Thank you.
This sounds like a great book for our retired ladies book club to read! Several of our group have had parents with Alzhemimers and some of us may face it in the future.
It does sound like a great book club read! Thanks for the great review.
Thank you for the wonderful review. You have never led me astray with your reviews. I would love to win this book.
One of our book club’s most interesting conversations took place last year when we read “Still Alice”. Since that time, I have become a caregiver for a couple with dementia and am very interested in learning as much as I can about this devastating disease. Would love to have an opportunity to read this book!
I love your reviews. Gives me a chance to find them at our library, too. Thanks.
I WOULD LOVE TO READ THIS TO SEE IF THE BOOK CLUB I’M IN WOULD WANT TO READ THIS.
Thank you so much for the amazing review! I lived on a Caribbean island for a brief period of time, and was drawn into this book thinking it might be set on some tropical island as well, but reading the synopsis and reviews, I’ve realized it is about so much more than that. I’d love for a chance to win this book, since I believe it will make for some EXCELLENT reading! Thank you for hosting yet another amazing giveaway!
~Hira~
Email: Enamoredsoul(at)gmail(dot)com
Now this would make a great discussion for our book club! Thanks for the chance!
ruthiekb72ATyahooDOTcom
Sounds good – please include me. Thanks!
Sounds like a great read and sounds very interesting. In need of a book for my book club for July and checked my library, they don’t have this. Would still love to read it anyway.
I would love to win a copy of this book
hawkes(at)citlink.net
Island Girl sounds like a definite book group choice; the varying points of view will make for a lively discussion! Thanks again for another insightful review and for the chance to win a copy.
Sounds great! Please include me.
This books sounds like a great choice for my book club. Please enter me in the Giveaway. Thanks!
Wendy
This sounds like a captivating story about the relationship between a mom and her daughters and one I’d like to read. Please enter me in your giveaway!
Thank you!
Aimala127(at)gmail(dot)com
I am interested in reading this story to find out how this family deals with such a devestating disease. -Thanks.
Thanks for the great review and for being on the tour!