Cover Image: Islands of Mercy

Islands of Mercy

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Set in the 19th century, this is a novel about adventure, making your own fortune, and, most importantly, unrequited love that has dire consequences. Initially set in Bath, we see the story water off to Ireland and Asia. At the heart of it are two families, that of a doctor's daughter and that of the man who is in love with her, her father's young partner. A family incidents takes the young woman to London, where she explores a world that she has not encountered before, while the distraught young doctor grapples with her absence and the subsequent rejection. While the young woman finds her independence, the young doctor goes in search of his lost brother.

Rose Tremain yet again weaves an intricate tale of tragedy and adventure, one that is entertaining throughout. The depictions of the exotic are so vivid, it's as if you were there.

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There is no doubt that Rose Tremain is a wonderful writer. I have enjoyed and been challenged by her works for well over a decade. And loving bath (where the novel is set), being very interested in history, folklore and ancient beliefs and being Irish, of course, I could not wait to read this. However, having read it, I have been putting off ‘reviewing’ it…

Of course the prose is wonderful, of course the plotting is careful and considered; and yet, the characterisation isn’t quite what I might have expected; the expression and thought processes of the characters are haphazard with decisions made and out of character, nonsensical responses used to progress the story. And the ‘islands’ of the title seem like unrelated short stories, forced to link for the cause of the novel format. The more I went through the book the less I liked the stereotypes presented – men are misogynist and violent, Irish are feckless and stubborn, homosexuals are selfish and cruel, British are superior colonialists, etc. etc.

There has always been a strong sense of the importance of sex in Tremain’s books, so this theme continuing is not a surprise, but somehow in this book, each character seems to be obsessed by this. That is fine if that is what the book is about, but it isn’t really. The sex (although rarely explicit or offensive) becomes a distraction from the story. And bizarrely, virtually every main character is either gay or is obsessed by the homosexual side of their nature, which again is fine in certain novels, but that also is not the crux of the book and yet takes up a great portion of the character writing and paints none of the protagonists in a favourable light (see paragraph above).
Overall, it just feels weird and not what I had expected from this author – Tremain seems to be trying her best to be ‘modern’ in a very traditional and historically grounded story and it just feels ill-conceived and ‘worthy’ – tick these boxes and win a prize for fiction… I wish I didn’t feel like this about this wonderful writer.

In the end, everything is neatly tied up with no real resolution. Throughout "Islands of Mercy", there is the recurrent theme of the futility of effort, with roads to nowhere being referenced and indeed constructed in points throughout the novel. Ultimately, this could also be an allegory for the novel itself.

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A historical drama set in 1860s Bath and the jungle of Borneo and featuring an interesting and complicated cast of characters. Rose Tremain has written an emotional and beautifully descriptive story.

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I found this really hard to follow. The concept is simple enough but the characters are a bit bland and didnt keep my interest. I found myself re-reading bits.

Sorry not for me but thank you for the chance to review.

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“I have felt for years that there was much more to say about the psychic distance between west and east and those who tried to make that journey in the 19th century.” Rose Tremain

Set in late 1800’s Ireland, Bath, London and Borneo, this is the story of a community of people whose lives intersect in the town of Bath, a dual narrative of events concerning those who live there and the efforts of two men in Borneo with ambitions slightly at cross purposes.

As I reread Tremain’s quote above, and wonder about the journey’s taken by some of the characters, I realise the irony too in the different paths of what a journey west to east meant. For an ambitious woman travelled from Ireland to England and a man from England to Southeast Asia’s Malay archipalego.

The novel opens with the ambitious young woman Clorinda, who travels west to east, from Ireland to Bath, and after some months of work realising she is unlikely to raise her status to where she strives, she sells her family inheritance, a necklace of rubies, to purchase rooms she turns into a salon de thé, where society can mix and gather and she can listen and observe.

One afternoon she observes a couple in earnest conversation, until the young woman abruptly gets up to leave, having taken neither her tea or cake.

The young woman Jane, is known locally as ‘Angel of the Baths’, Jane, the daughter of the esteemed Doctor Adeane, for her therapeutic treatments and hands on healing that relieve the aches of the body, the pains of their souls and her voice of encouragement leading them to bathe in the waters of Bath.

The young man is Valentine Ross, also a Doctor, who works for her father. His brother, inspired by Darwin and passionate about nature, is on an expedition and has just arrived where the second part of the narrative takes place, seeking refuge with an Englishman Sir Ralph Savage, referred to as Rajah Sir on the island of Borneo, where he has gifted a parcel of land in return for favours to the Sultan of Brunei, built himself an impressive mansion and is infatuated by a local man Leon, who harbours ambitions of his own.

After this encounter with Valentine, Jane goes to London to spend time with her childless, unmarried, financially independent Aunt Emmilene, an artist. She is like a mother to Jane and it is during this visit that Jane discovers more of the essence of who she is, an aspect captured by her Aunt in a portrait she sits for. The events that unfold create a significant dilemma for Jane, that she must navigate.

The world, Jane already knew, reeked horribly of old, exhausted things. Day could follow day without a single original or exciting moment stirring her pulse. But now Aunt Emmeline – by far the most exceptional and independent person the Adeane family – was going to reveal something new.

Sir Ralph is intent on improving what the Creator has given him telling his lover that he wished to go down in history as one who had ‘enabled happiness’. Leon advises him to begin by building a road.

The narrative in Borneo centres on the men and the colonial struggle, whether it’s to create manors and roads and capitalist ventures or chasing butterflies and being distracted by ruined goldmines. Regardless of their pursuits, there are warnings embedded in their endeavours and the risk of danger to those who are ignorant of the environment within which they operate.

At a certain point while reading, when I thought of all the female characters, and realised how strongly independent all of them were, and looked at the relationships they had to the men around them, I wondered if this novel was actually satire. For most of the yearning and longing is done by the male characters, the female characters are all strong and given the era and location, none of them sit around in parlours pining for suitors, they’re too busy creating their lives, working and supporting each other.

It highlights some of the issues of that era, but does so with a cast of characters that are not stereotypical, which makes it all the more interesting to read, because it defies expectation and presents an alternate scenario by focusing on those who defy convention, transgressing this straight-laced, Victorian society daring to live in ways outside mainstream society and getting away with it.

One of the more shocking historical revelations was the mention of the Private Member’s Bill entitled the Married Woman’s Property Act, a measure to address and reverse the fact that though an unmarried woman could inherit, by law, as soon as she married any property automatically was transferred to her husband.

At one point there is a conversation between Jane and her friends in London, where they discuss literature, a french author’s novel is set in a morgue and asks a lot of the reader, not least a strong stomach, they note there is nothing like it in England and compare it to Jane Austen's work and readers.

It was an enjoyable read, albeit at times perplexing, because I kept asking myself questions about what the author was doing, when I realised and read more closely the difference in attitudes and dialogue of the male versus female characters. It had this daring and thought provoking intention, that didn’t quite come off in its execution, so there many moments of reader satisfaction. In a brilliant review in the FT, Natalie Whittle describes it exactly:

“In Islands of Mercy, Rose Tremain seizes the traditional image of a cautiously celibate Victorian England and blasts it with a suite of women for whom transgression leads neither to emancipation nor to damnation. Her female characters live spontaneously, sometimes dangerously, but they are not alone in making spirited sexual choices. And, in an act of pleasing literary reversal, it is a “fallen” man who leaves the country in desperate exile. These are the strengths of what is otherwise a problematic narrative, split neatly but strangely into two streams, one in Bath and the other in Borneo.” Natalie Whittle, FT

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Desire, purpose and all kinds of love: Rose Tremain’s sumptuous Bath and Borneo novel

What a wonderful writer Tremain is.

“In that crowded city, she had worked for a haberdasher and presided over the slow death of her mother, after which she discovered in herself an unexpected yearning to leave Ireland and see the world”

So begins this story of a multiplicity of characters whose lives connect, sometimes intensely, sometimes like billiard balls striking each other once and spinning apart. I find, almost always, that the rhythms and choices in Tremain’s writing almost always have me sighing in pleasure, ready to surrender my imagination to her well created world, her fascinating, quirky characters, and her fabulous narratives.

The central character in this one, is not the one who opens this book – and also closes it, sweetly, bringing conviviality, joy and comfort to those of less sunny mien. Clorinda Morrissey’s destiny lies in a tea shop, where along with her famed Victoria sponges and Assam tea, she brings happiness to those around her

Primarily this is the story of Jane Adeane, nurse daughter of an eminent Victorian surgeon In 1860’s Bath. Sir William Adeane Jane is revered as “The Angel of The Baths” A tall. striking woman, she has the ability to soothe pain, and comfort the ill and the dying – and those who flock to Bath for their health, to take the waters. Jane feels she somehow has another destiny or purpose, but does not quite know what that is.

Dr Valentine Ross, fellow physician in the Adeane practice, is the lesser favoured son of his family. Nonetheless, he adores his brother Edmund, a man of sunny disposition, fascinated by the natural world, who dreams of doing something wonderful and scientifically revolutionary, like his hero, Alfred Russel Wallace. To that end, Edmund has crossed the world to study the flora and fauna of the Malay Peninsula. He has not been heard of for some time.

Emmeline Adeane, Jane’s beloved Aunt, who lives in London, is another with a mission, an artist and sculptor, absolutely outside conventional society

And then there is the literary publisher Ashton Sims, and his stunningly beautiful and free spirited wife Juliette.

So many people, so many with visions and dreams of greater destinies, of various kinds

This is a veritable feast as light and also as sustaining as Clorinda’s cakes and savoury pies.

Highly, highly recommended.

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I was a bit late getting to the party on this one, but I hope I am forgiven for the very late review.

Thoroughly enjoyed the book, lots of protagonists which kept the book busy and thoroughly enjoyable. This is the first Rose Tremain book I have read and it won’t be the last. Great storyline, great plots and a real page turner.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book

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disappointing - I love Rose Tremain and think she’s supremely talented, but I found this unbelievable and the didn’t care about that fates of any of the characters

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In Bath, England in 1865, such are Jane Adeane’s nursing skills that she is known as the Angel of the Baths. ‘Islands of Mercy’ by Rose Tremain is about Jane’s destiny to make something of herself, a journey which involves choosing between a tempestuous love affair with another woman and marriage to a respectable doctor. Being the Angel of the Baths is not enough for her and this impacts on the lives of everyone around her.
‘Islands of Mercy’ is in fact three stories in one, lightly linked together by the merest connection and fleeting physical meeting. The story starts with Clorinda Morrissey who arrives in Bath from Ireland. ‘She was not beautiful, but she had a smile of great sweetness and a soft voice that could soothe and calm the soul’. By selling a ruby necklace, a family heirloom, Clorinda sets up what becomes a highly popular tea room. It is in this tea room that she first sees Jane Adeane who is taking tea with a man. Jane leaves abruptly and Clorinda is curious why. The man concerned is Doctor Valentine Ross, medical partner of Jane’s father Sir William Adeane and brother of naturalist Edmund Ross, currently pursing butterflies in the Malay Archipelago. In this scene, all three storylines are kickstarted.
The narrative moves back and forth from Bath to London, Dublin and Ireland’s west coast to Borneo. Each place is drawn vividly, Tremain is excellent at settings. In her descriptions of heterosexual and homosexual relationships, she explores the social limitations of the time on the free expression of love for men and women. While Jane can explore her own feelings for another woman only in extreme secrecy and risk of rejection by society, in Borneo a rich ‘rajah’ and his dependent servant live openly. Can Jane make her own way in the world or must she be conventional and marry a man. And can Clorinda’s independence at the tea shop continue or will she come to regret her sale of the ruby necklace. Is money necessary for happiness.
This is an unpredictable read. As Jane’s father Sir William comments, ‘We are overtaken by flashes of lightning and brilliant storms, and we can only submit.’ All the characters act on impulse and not all their decisions make sense, in particular Valentine’s behaviour changes so rapidly he seems a different man.
I was left with mixed feelings. As a Tremain fan dating back to ‘The Colour’, I wanted to enjoy this book more than I did. The writing, as always, is of the highest quality but it feels like three novels squeezed into one. I wanted to read more about Clorinda’s story, or concentrate on Jane, rather than go to Borneo which felt like an interruption to the main narrative.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

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Really enjoyable historical fiction from Rose Tremain.

Enjoyable cast of characters, good plot devices that tie up neatly and nicely.

Not her best work but an enjoyable read.

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Islands of Mercy begins in 1865 in Bath, ‘a place where very many rich people assembled, to take the waters, or simply to take their leisure’. Jane Adeane is the twenty-four-year-old daughter of a renowned Bath surgeon and works with him as a nurse, gaining a reputation for herself as The Angel of the Baths. She has caught the eye of her father’s fellow doctor and business partner, Dr Valentine Ross, but his attentions are unwelcome to her and she decides to go to London for a while to stay with her Aunt Emmeline, an artist. Here she meets one of Emmeline’s friends, the beautiful Julietta Sims, and feels an instant attraction to her. Soon, Jane finds that she is falling in love with Julietta, and when she returns to Bath she must decide whether she wants the security that marriage to Dr Ross could give her or whether she would prefer to be free to pursue her relationship with Julietta.

Jane’s story alternates with that of Sir Ralph Savage, an eccentric Englishman who lives on the island of Borneo with his servant and lover, Leon, and calls himself ‘the Rajah of the South Sadong Territories’. Leon is an ambitious and resourceful young man who is always coming up with new money-making schemes, but he is also a jealous man and is not at all happy when Edmund Ross, a naturalist who has come to Borneo in search of new species, arrives on Sir Ralph’s estate.

Edmund is the younger brother of Valentine Ross and this provides a link between the two storylines – however, it is a very weak link and for most of the novel they seem like two completely different, unconnected stories. Borneo is certainly a fascinating and unusual setting, but I didn’t have any interest in Sir Ralph and Leon and felt that their chapters could probably have been left out entirely as they added very little to the overall plot of the novel. This made the whole experience of reading this book feel disjointed and every time the narrative switched to Borneo I couldn’t wait for it to return to Bath again.

Although I found Jane’s chapters much more compelling, I was disappointed by the character arc Valentine Ross goes through; I did have some sympathy for him at first after Jane’s initial rejection of him, but he quickly becomes so unpleasant and controlling that he feels like a stereotypical villain rather than a believably flawed character. I didn’t doubt Jane’s love for Julietta, so I don’t really think it was necessary to make Valentine so needlessly cruel and selfish – in fact, I think it would have been more interesting if Jane had faced a choice between the woman she loved and a man whom she at least liked.

There is a third thread to the novel that I haven’t mentioned yet and this follows the story of Clorinda Morrissey, a woman from Dublin who opens a tea shop in Bath, where she gets to know Jane and her father. Clorinda was the one character in the book I really liked and would have been happy to visit for a cup of tea and a cake! I wished we had spent more time with her rather than some of the other less engaging characters.

I will continue to read Rose Tremain’s books as it’s only this one so far that I haven’t enjoyed. Luckily there are plenty of her earlier novels left for me to explore.

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Set in Bath starting in 1865, this book is an absolute tour de force. Following The Angel of Bath, a nurse who seems to possess almost mystical healing abilities, the book is by turns comic, surreal and extremely moving. The characters leap off the page, and the setting and period detail feels palpable. I absolutely loved this book and cannot recommend it highly enough.

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A multilayered story that was enthralling and beautifully crafted, even as it sometimes left me wondering how the different strands of the story fit together. Features a host of intriguing characters with great development.

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Islands of Mercy is an intriguing story centred around Jane Adeane, "Angel of the Baths" as she sets out to discover her true purpose after an un expected and unwanted marriage proposal. Jane's story is interwoven with others who either feature in her life or in the lives of those close to her. The book moves between Bath, London, Dublin, Borneo and other cities. At times it is hard to piece all the different parts of the story together but as you read on they become clearer and keep you interested until the last few chapters which while closing the story are a bit rambling and disappointing.

I was given a copy of Islands of Mercy by NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

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A thought provoking read by Rose Tremain, though occasionally I felt like banging the characters heads together! Set in 1865 and similar to the classic novels of the Brontes and Jane Austen, with strong female characters which I love but emboldened to men due to the era. Jane, the main protagonist, “ the Angel of the Baths” devotes her life to her patients and her father in the roman city, yet feels incomplete, lacking enthusiasm until she meets the beautiful Julietta. Her father’s in his twilight years and very reliant on his daughter until life takes an unexpected turn and love blossoms. Valentine Ross and his brother Edmund are an aside to the story and could’ve been a separate novel in themselves but provide a view of Colonial and Victorian Britain which we might not otherwise see. All in all a good read.

Thanks to Netgalley the author and publishers Chatto Windus for an ARC in return for an honest review.

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Islands of Mercy by Rose Tremain
This novel is set in the 1860’s and is set in Bath, Paris, London, Dublin, Ireland and Borneo. It is about a series of people whose lives are intertwined and we follow them as they attempt to discover their true selves.
It is an extremely well written novel as expected by a writer of Rose Tremain’s ability. It beautifully portrays the Victorian period; its social behaviours, beliefs, attitudes. It deals in detail with their scientific understanding and the medical beliefs of the period. The female characters are very interesting. Clorinda is a fascinating character with a terrific drive to overcome the poverty and famine of her native Ireland.
Jane, is an independent, unconventional woman who battles against the times in which she is born. She is a statuesque woman standing at 6 foot 2 inches!
I found myself less involved with the male characters in the book. Valentine Ross seems to become less likeable as the book progresses and he realises that his ability to control Jane has diminished.
I found myself less engaged with the section of the novel which is set in Borneo but found the descriptions of Bath and Paris delightful. As with any Rose Tremain book the language was a pleasure in which to immerse yourself.
Many thanks to the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

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A multi-stranded book, rich with historical details and wonderful and complex characters, Islands of Mercy was right up my street. There is an elegance to the writing of Rose Tremain which made this novel immersive and spellbinding in places. Vivid, detailed and compelling, this was a wonderful read.

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another really enjoyable and enjoyable read from rose Tremain. Rose is a great strong character, and she definitely is a force to be reckoned with. A poignant story with a great sene of time and place. I would happily read it again.

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I fully expected to absolutely love this novel, and instead I was really disappointed. It sounded like it would be just the sort of thing I love to read, and instead it turned into a right slog to get through. I almost wish that Sarah Waters had written it instead! My main problem with the novel is the amount of characters/strands - I think the book would have been much, much better if it had focused more on Jane (or even Clorinda, who I found to be much more interesting than any of the other characters. The almost throwaway chapter about her and her niece, Aisling, was my favourite in the book). I think the whole Borneo sections could have been edited out - I didn't really feel like they added anything, and all the characters from those parts seemed to be cliched, cardboard cut outs.

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The slightly odd title tells you a lot about what Tremain is doing in this 14th novel. Often at the mercy of forces internal and external, her outcast characters look for places where they can find rest and refuge after a time of suffering. Will they, in turn, extend mercy? The split perspective and the focus on people who have to hide their sexuality are most similar to her Sacred Country. The Victorian tip of the hat is mostly directed, I think, to George Eliot; of recent work, I was reminded of The Doll Factory and The Essex Serpent. I especially liked Jane’s painter aunt, Emmeline, and Clorinda, the Irish woman whose opening of a tearoom sets the plot going. The settings are surprising and vivid, and if Tremain doesn’t quite bring them and their story lines together seamlessly, she is still to be applauded for her ambition. This is probably my joint favorite of her novels that I’ve read so far, with The Road Home.

Favorite lines:

“We must be unconventional in our joys and find them wherever we can.”

“life, so often so cruel in the way it thrust the human soul into prisons from which there seemed to be no escape, could sometimes place it athwart an open door.”

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