Christmas Delivery guaranteed 🚚

Today Only: Free Tote Bag when you buy 3+ books!🛍️

Islands of Mercy

From the bestselling author of The Gustav Sonata
By Rose Tremain
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.7 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 3,383 ratings, 450 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Islands of Mercy by Rose Tremain, the narrative unfolds in 1865 Bath and follows the story of a young woman caught between a conventional life and the allure of adventure. Set against exotic locations in both Britain and Borneo, the novel explores themes of love, power, and the pursuit of personal freedom in the confines of societal expectations. Through multiple perspectives, the plot intricately weaves personal desires with the broader canvas of the human experience during the era.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Islands of Mercy. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate richly woven historical fiction that explores the complexities of love, ambition, and freedom. Set in 19th-century Bath and colonial Borneo, it offers a tapestry of vivid characters and intertwining destinies where personal desires and societal demands collide. Its evocative prose and immersive storytelling appeal to those who revel in deeply atmospheric narratives.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Islands of Mercy

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

An audacious novel about destiny and desire from the incomparable Rose Tremain.

'A hell of a read' - Sunday Times

'Triumphant, and beautifully told...one of the best novelists writing today' - Sara Collins, Guardian

All must gamble with their fate. But not all can win...

In the city of Bath, in the year 1865, Jane Adeane, renowned for her restorative 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...

Discover the ultimate historical read.

'Terrific' - The Times

'One of our most accomplished novelists' - Observer

'One of my favourite writers' - Nina Stibbe

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Islands of Mercy by Rose Tremain is praised for its emotional sophistication and absorbing narrative, standing out among recent fiction. Critics highlight Tremain's skill in weaving light and shade into her storytelling, with a narrative that explores themes of love, life, and sacrifice. The book is regarded as a well-crafted and humane work, confirming Tremain's reputation as one of Britain’s most accomplished novelists.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529112276

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 July 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 325g

Pages: 464

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Rose Tremain

About the Author

Rose Tremain's novels and short stories have been published in thirty countries and have won many awards, including the Orange Prize (The Road Home), the Dylan Thomas Award (The Colonel's Daughter and Other Stories), the Whitbread Novel of the Year (Music & Silence), the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Prix Femina Etranger (Sacred Country) and the South Bank Sky Arts Award (The Gustav Sonata). Rose Tremain was made a CBE in 2007 and a Dame in 2020. She lives in Norfolk and London with the biographer, Richard Holmes. Of Islands of Mercy, Rose Tremain writes- 'This novel explores the primal and timeless human quest to find meaning in a life, an aspiration which engages people in wildly different ways across the globe. I chose two contrasting locations- the genteel city of Bath and the harsh island of Borneo and unfolded in them both stories of sexual entrapment, material striving, loss of love, untimely death and - through them all - the desperate and unending search for places of consolation and solace.' www.rosetremain.co.uk

Also by Rose Tremain

View all

More from Historical Fiction

View all

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.