“Jean Pendziwol’s beautifully written novel captured me from the very first page. Its descriptions of the windswept lightkeeper’s station of Elizabeth’s and Emily’s youth are so crisply rendered I felt I was standing on its shores watching the great ships cross the stormy waters of Lake Superior. Even more than its vivid evocation of a unique time and place, The LightKeeper’s Daughters is a … Daughters is a sensitive and moving examination of the nature of identity, the importance of family, and the possibility of second chances.”—Heather Young, author of The Lose Girls
With the haunting atmosphere and emotional power of The Language of Flowers, Orphan Train, and The Light Between Oceans, critically acclaimed children’s author Jean E. Pendziwol’s adult debut is an affecting story of family, identity, and art that involves a decades-old mystery.
Though her mind is still sharp, Elizabeth’s eyes have failed. No longer able to linger over her beloved books or gaze at the paintings that move her spirit, she fills the void with music and memories of her family, especially her beloved twin sister, Emily. When her late father’s journals are discovered after an accident, the past suddenly becomes all too present.
With the help of Morgan, a delinquent teenager performing community service at her senior home, Elizabeth goes through the diaries, a journey through time that brings the two women closer together. Entry by entry, these unlikely friends are drawn deep into a world far removed from their own, to Porphyry Island on Lake Superior, where Elizabeth’s father manned the lighthouse and raised his young family seventy years before.
As the words on these musty pages come alive, Elizabeth and Morgan begin to realize that their fates are connected to the isolated island in ways they never dreamed. While the discovery of Morgan’s connection sheds light onto her own family mysteries, the faded pages of the journals will shake the foundation of everything Elizabeth thinks she knows and bring the secrets of the past into the light.
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one of my new favorite books, love stories about lighthouses and their keepers.
Wonderful book.
Great story telling. I really enjoyed the character building.
This is the first book i have read in a very very long time, that i am recommending to my family and friends! I was totally captivated by the characters, and the setting..i read the book in three days, passing up my tv programs!!! The characters were well developed, the story easy to read, and i was caught up in the time period..and there were a few unexpected twists at the end…I love it when you think you have a storyline kind of figured out, and the reality is so much better! Kudos to the writer! I highly recommend this book!
I loved this book! I admit that I like books about lighthouses, and have read quite a few. Set on Lake Superior the writing is so descriptive, you can almost feel the changing temperament of the Lake from its violent storms to its calm waters. Besides learning some new details about lighthouse keeping, the human story is as dramatic as the Lake with surprises that kept me guessing til the end.
We read this in my book club, as well. Everyone enjoyed it and we had a wonderful discussion.
Gorgeous writing and a page turner! Would love to read this again sometime!
Exceptional narrative
Surprised. So few books offer that! I loved the characters, the setting, and the premise.
She is a fabulous story teller.
I really liked the sisters’ relationship. This is just an all around good read.
A beautiful piece. Loved the characters.
really enjoyed…slow start, great finish
It was actually very predictable in the last third of the book, but it was a good read for a quickie!
It was a wonderful book with plenty of twists and turns. I highly recommend it!
A captivating story about the family of a lightkeeper that lives on an isolated island of Lake Superior. Now-an old lady, a twin sister reminisces about her childhood when her father’s log books surface. A teenager in the foster care system takes an interest in the old lady when she notices a close resemblance to some pieces of art in the old lady’s possession and those of the teen’s grandfather. The narration toggles between the old lady and the teen, who together weave a tale that reveals secrets long hidden. I loved listening to the narration of the old lady. She held my intrigue, and had perfect timing in her delivery of clues. Very well written!
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was atmospheric and absolutely compelling. The characters were vividly drawn. Read this book!
I loved the idea of a chapter for each character. The plot twisted and turned so that although you knew ther was a connection you didn’t know where it wojld turn next. The grammer was good which is a big plus for me. Highly recommend it. Better yet it is Canadian.