Review: The Lost Pearl

Title:  The Lost Pearl

Author: Emily Madden

Publisher: 27th August 2018 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 480 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

A sweeping family saga of long lost love, for readers of Fiona McIntosh and Mary-Anne O'Connor.

From Pearl Harbor to the shores of Sydney, a family secret that spans generations could unite a family – or destroy it.

Honolulu, Hawaii 1941

On the evening of her sixteenth birthday party, Catherine McGarrie wants nothing more than for the night to be over, even though the opulence of the ballroom befits the daughter of a US Navy Rear Admiral. Then she meets Charlie, a navy officer from the other side of the tracks, a man her parents would never approve of. As rumours of war threaten their tropical paradise, Catherine and Charlie fall in love. But the bombing of Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941 changes their lives forever.

Seventy–five years later, addled by age and painkillers, Catherine tells her granddaughter Kit her story and reveals the tale of a long–lost treasure. Can Kit uncover the secret and reunite her family? Or will the truth tear them apart?

My Thoughts

‘Read this book’, the reviewers stated. ‘I’m not sure’, I replied. ‘Read it!’. ‘Okay’. Wow! To think I was so close to missing out on such an incredible tale! This is one of ‘those’ books - it will leave you both breathless and speechless. The Lost Pearl by Aussie author Emily Madden can only be described as epic in every sense of the word - a family drama which spans decades.

This heartbreaking tale contains so much trauma, that inevitably, leads to such sadness. Yet right along side it is hope and love and you will be drawn in, clinging to that final thread of things will be okay. A dual time narrative that witnesses a granddaughter slowly uncovering the secrets from her grandmother’s dying words. This is a book with a lot of pages, but at no stage does it drag. In fact the opposite will occur, long into the night, when sleep should have claimed you, will you tell yourself, ‘just one more chapter’.

Here are just some of the aspects that make this book truly great. The research: this is a story infused with rich historical detail that will be confronting in some ways. Everything from the laughter and joy of prewar Hawaii, to the devastation and trauma of the bombing of Pearl Harbour, to the horrible treatment of unmarried pregnant women at the Crown Womens Hospital in Sydney. Then there are the themes: weaving through this tale you will be confronted with class and race issues in pre WWII America and of course sexism in the treatment of women. To do this requires some fabulous writing and Emily delivers on this aspect! There are a variety of plot lines, an array of characters that in the hands of a lesser author would become a messy storyboard. Not so here. It just all works so well. Finally, there are the characters themselves and delightfully we are given a variety of first person voices which allows the reader a greater understanding and connection. The engagement you will feel to both Charlie and Kitty in the past - even learning the reasoning behind William’s thoughts - will be so real and heart wrenching.

As you know I am an avid fan of historical fiction but the woven web of secrets and loss throughout this particular tale, will leave you feeling as if you were in places such as Hawaii on the eve of the bombing or waiting for a baby to be delivered in that terrible institution. This holds such poignancy about family and love, yet at the same time, slowly placing all the puzzle pieces on the board for you to move around and finally place together for an amazing journey.

‘It wasn’t the ending she had envisioned, but wasn’t that always the case? Life rarely let you live it out according to plan.’

I could not put this book down and for a long time found it difficult to leave Charlie, Catherine, Kit and Adam - even Kit’s family (especially her brothers) were delightful. There is just so much to love here that I cannot recommend it highly enough to people who love a story rich in drama, history and romance.

‘No, not goodbye.’ He dipped his head, planting a kiss on her forehead. ‘Until we meet again.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release