The Women of Pearl Island

Title: The Women of Pearl Island

Author: Polly Crosby

Publisher: 29th September 2021 by HQ - Harlequin Australia

Pages: 324 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, mystery

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

Set on a secluded island off the British coast, The Women of Pearl Island is a moving and evocative story of family secrets, natural wonders and a mystery spanning decades.

When Tartelin answers an ad for a personal assistant, she doesn't know what to expect from her new employer, Marianne, an eccentric elderly woman. Marianne lives on a remote island that her family has owned for generations, and for decades her only companions have been butterflies and tightly held memories of her family.

But there are some memories Marianne would rather forget, such as when the island was commandeered by the British government during WWII. Now, if Marianne can trust Tartelin with her family's story, she might finally be able to face the long-buried secrets of her past that have kept her isolated for far too long.

My Thoughts

The Women of Pearl Island is a dual time narrative offering a well written mystery. What is on offer here is some special writing - Polly Crosby’s prose is atmospheric as she makes the island and its inhabitants come to life. 

Looking at it on a map on my phone, it had looked so small that I imagined you 

could walk its circumference in only a few hours. I had tried to picture what kind of an island it would be: a cold, hard rock grizzled with the droppings of thousands of seabirds, or a flat stretch of white sand, waiting for my footprints? Whatever it turned out to be, the isolation of it appealed to me.

I have not read any of Polly’s writing before and was impressed by a style that draws in her readers. Her writing is such that the island itself becomes a character through vivid descriptions that allow the reader to feel present on its shores. The characters whilst engaging are, at times however, difficult to relate and fully empathise with. This may be attributed to Polly’s unique style that tends to be more sensory. As stated, the main attraction for me is the island - its setting and secrets.

Metamorphosis. I think about how the tides move in cycles, washing the sand clean, removing any trace that anything was ever there. But sometimes - after a storm, or a spring tide, or a blast - the sea can deliver unexpected surprises, reveal things that everyone believed to be gone forever. "

The plot is not this tale's strong point as this is more a setting and character driven tale. At times, the progress is slow. As a reader you must allow yourself to be immersed in the writing and visualisation. You must allow yourself to be swept away through words to the island amongst the flora and fauna, or, caught up in the mystery of the island and its inhabitants. 

I am wilting, everything I have seen today running and re-running across my eyes, and I wonder, just before sleep finds me, how long I will last on this strange and complicated isle.

This is an emotional tale - things said and the things that remain silent and unspoken. It’s unique, it’s different and it's a definite experience. The Women of Pearl Island is about life and death, secrets and the sea. Closure may not be complete with Polly alluding to intrigue to the very end. 

Everything is just … metamorphosis,” she says croakily. I try to make sense of what she means. Is she talking about the island, about what has happened here since that fateful day? Or is it bigger than that? I put my hand briefly on hers, and we look out to sea together, marveling at its calm beauty.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.