A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into crime/thriller books and even psychological thrillers too so I am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I am a fan of Rose Tremain’s writing and wondered why I wasn’t taking to this novel as much as I had expected to. The quality of her writing is undiminished - she is an expert at capturing landscape and cityscape, and characters’ thoughts and feelings, I just didn’t engage with those characters. Of them all, perhaps Clorinda’s journey was the most captivating - she is intuitive, honest with herself and others, driven to better her own and others’ lives. Jane and the Rajah in their own ways hope to do this too, of course, and struggling with personal or social circumstances while keeping one’s own integrity forms a major theme of the novel. I enjoyed all that very much. But I found the Borneo strand far too removed from the British and Irish elements to make a cohesive story and I could have done without it altogether. A little disappointing overall.

As is always the case anything by Rose Tremain is a pleasure to read as she is an author at the top of her game.

This was a beautifully written story that veered from place to place and provided wonderful descriptions of Victorian life in Bath and also Borneo, Dublin and Paris.

The main character, Jane, is beautifully drawn and described and her story and her determination to achieve her ambitions moved me greatly.

Highly recommended.

Clorinda Morrissey comes to Bath from Dublin and uses her only family heirloom to buy a teashop. This becomes a great meeting place for Bath society and a local doctor Valentine loves coming to it. He is an energetic young man who wants to marry his senior partner’s daughter Jane. She is known as the angel of the baths using its curing powers to aid recovery of patients.
From this failed attempt to marry Jane events move on to London, Paris and Borneo. We have beautiful lesbian love affair, a self styled Rajah and his manipulative native boyfriend. There is horrific violence and death alongside love and beauty both in London and Borneo as the story moves on to its conclusion.
This is a superb novel beautifully constructed and well told thought out. It is a wonderful read.

I love Rose Tremain's writing and was delighted to have the opportunity to read Islands of Mercy. Unfortunately, however, I really struggled to get involved with this story.

The book is set in 1865 and follows the story of Jane Adeane, who becomes known as the Angel of the Baths thanks to her extraordinary nursing skills. Jane is sure that she has something important to offer and as the story develops we see conflict develop in her life. She attempts to conform to expected roles, but realises that if she is going to follow a path that brings her true happiness she cannot fit in with society.

Meanwhile, in a parallel story, we are taken to Borneo and follow the eccentricities of Sir Ralph Savage, a self-styled 'rajah' and his lover Leon. Personally I couldn't connect with this part of the story at all and just felt it broke the flow of Jane's story. The two stories are nominally linked as the brother of Dr Valentine Ross, who works with Jane's father, finds himself in Borneo, but I found the link tenuous and, for me, the Borneo story jarred against the rest of the narrative.

This book is about relationships; between family members, husbands and wives, friends and lovers. There are many relationships in the book which would have been extraordinary at the time, either for being same sex or between people across social divides. We meet unloved family members and find deep love between people who are unable to acknowledge it publicly.

For me, Clorinda's character really shone out. Like Jane, she wanted to make her mark in life, so she sold a family heirloom and set up a tea shop, which became a focal point of Bath society. But she never fails to be true to herself and her family back in Ireland. And even when very good fortune beckons for her, she is determined still to run the tea shop which is her 'baby'.

There were times I began to get drawn into the story in Bath, but then sadly we kept getting lost in the jungle of Borneo. I am glad so many people have enjoyed this book, but it was not one for me.

I am very grateful to NetGalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

I have always loved Rose Tremain’s work but I think this one has to be my favourite so far. It is very difficult to say too much about why without spoilers and repeating the plot and my personal ‘hate’ is reviews that are pretty much just high school book reports.
The novel is well researched and historically accurate while also being beautifully cast with characters and driven by a fast paced plot and engaging story. I managed to devour the novel in a day and haven’t stopped thinking about the characters since.
The book manages to have gay main characters without sensationalising it or detracting from what is a truly beautiful and unusual love story. While I’m not sure true happiness lies in wait in Borneo, I think in London that three people will be very happy and in Bath too. Aisling’s introduction to the story was a welcome addition and usually I’d think an author quite mad to add a new strand to the story at the end.
This book will make you think about the nature of love, be that familial or passionate and the sacrifices we are willing to make for those we love and those who love us.

This is a wonderful book and so beautifully written, it grabbed me from the first page and kept me entranced. Spanning Bath, London, Ireland and Borneo, Rose Tremain is at the height of her descriptive powers. This is a book about the power of love, between family members and between lovers; how wonderful and restorative it can be, and how destructive it can be when it is denied. The characters are fascinating and totally original. You feel for them and cheer them on their journey, or watch in horror as their story takes a darker turn. This is a novel I’m sure I will return to again.

Rose Tremain never fails to produce an engaging well-written story and Islands of Mercy is no exception. Set in 1865 Bath it focuses on four main characters and explores their hopes and dreams and their passions and frailties. Their stories are intermingled and as each person seizes their chance and changes their destiny forever you are left pondering their choices and appreciating the story-telling of Rose Tremain.

Rose Tremain is a one of my favourite writers, and I it was a real treat to get an early copy of this novel. Written in a multiple-narrator style and covering many miles - London, Paris, Borneo, there were a couple of characters I could have done without reading quite so forensically, because by far the most interesting and intriguing one was the main protagonist, Jane Adeane. I loved the way Tremain created this character: a woman in the 1800s who is six foot 2 inches tall, a nurse and considered an angel by many and thoroughly depended upon. She is beautifully created and adored by one of her father's colleagues, a doctor who asks her to marry him, which she refuses. This kicks off a number of plot threads, including Jane going to stay with her aunt in London, and the doctor going to Borneo to see his ill brother. In London, Jane meets and falls in love with a woman, Julietta and this kicks off her aunt talking to her about perhaps considering marrying the doctor... I was reminded, a bit, of Sarah Waters' 'Fingersmith' in places.

Tremain is an ambitious and brilliant writer. In this novel, she takes us into the minds of several characters, and into places so beautifully described. Despite sometimes thinking perhaps there were too many characters. I can't recommend this novel highly enough.

My thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers for the review copy.

Rose Tremain's The Road Home is one of my favourite books so I was very interested to read this latest work, 'Islands of Mercy'. The novel, set in 1865, moves between Bath, London, Paris, Dublin, West of Ireland and Borneo, following the intersecting lives of several characters. Chief amongst these is Jane Adearne, a nurse, Sir Ralph Savage, a self-appointed Rajah and Clorinda Morrissey, a businesswoman.

The book is a lovely, flowing read. I was equally interested in all the characters and the female characters in particular were depicted with great nuance. The book is very interested in exploring relationships that were taboo at the time and these feel very realistic and plausible within the context. The various characters all seek safety or happiness in different places or relationships, and these are successful in some cases, and in others, not.

My main criticism would be that the novel feels oddly rootless (like an island?). There are only the loosest of links between the characters, and some float into focus towards the end, and some float out, so you don't really know how or why they make a coherent whole. Nevertheless, a very enjoyable and immersive read.

Rose Tremain writes well. Here she takes us from Ireland to Bath to Borneo to London exploring how lives unfold and the motivations behind the charcaters’ actions. Strong women dominate and two of the central characters are gay, so whilst this is set in the past it has a very 21st century feel.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.

This book is nothing less than a work of art. Through out the novel we follow a multitude of characters from Bath to Dublin to London to Paris to Borneo - their lives all connected yet disjointed somehow.

The strength of this novel is undoubtedly Jane Adeane, who is struggling between her relationship with her female lover and the societal pressure to marry a man (specifically, a Doctor Valentine Ross). At 6"2, she is an extraordinary woman who is famous for her 'healing touch.' I very much enjoyed her chapters and she made for a wonderful protagonist.

I found myself less interested in Valentine's adventures in Borneo with his brother Edmund and found the structure of the novel a little confusing at times. Nevertheless, this is definitely still worth a read whether you love historical fiction or not. You can tell that Tremain has taken great care to weave the elements of the story together and for that, the novel deserves all the praise that it receives.

This ambitious novel takes us from Dublin to Bath with Clorinda Morrissey, from Bath to London and Paris with ‘the Angel of Bath’ Jane Adearne and to Borneo with Sir Ralph Savage and Edmund Ross, brother of Valentine Ross, the would be husband of Jane. The year is 1865.

First of all, this is extremely well written as you would expect from a writer of the calibration of Rose Tremain. It beautifully and almost forensically reflects the times - it’s social mores, beliefs, attitudes, the scientific understanding and medical beliefs in particular, as this is intrinsic to the storytelling. The female characters are admirable- I love Clorinda’s work ethic and desire to overcome the poverty and famine of her native Ireland, I love Jane’s independence and unconventionality which is at total odds with the times, something she perhaps inherits from her artist Aunt Emmeline. The Male characters are less likeable with perhaps the exception of Jane’s father Sir William Adearne an eminent Bath surgeon. Valentine Ross gets less and less likeable as the book progresses as he perceives he will not be able to control Jane. I’m not sure what to make of The Rajah Sir Ralph Savage who is so rich he spends his money on pointless things just because he can - maybe that’s the point! All the characters are searching for something that’s possibly elusive and unattainable - be it love (whether of the kind at odds with society at the time), friendship, freedom, some are ambitious and ruthless in seeking their desires but all are trying to survive the constraints of the times and circumstances. There are some lovely descriptions of places especially Bath, London and the Paris of Haussmann but I found it harder to engage with Borneo. This is also true of the storytelling set in Borneo which I find less interesting and overlong.

Overall, it’s Jane's story I love the most. I like everything about her from her 6’ 2” stature, her independence and unconventional attitude to life which is a pretty tricky thing in the reign of Victoria!

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House, UK, Vintage (Chatto and Windus) for the ARC.

Strongly written story of forbidden relationships told with Rose Tremain's usual narrative skill. Moving to and fro between Victorian Bath, the steamy heat of the Borneo rainforest, poverty stricken Dublin and sumptuous Parisian life, all peopled with strong, not always empathetic, characters. Bohemian Aunt Emmeline is sympathetically drawn and would fit easily into the life of the later Bloomsbury Group. This is a novel that truly earns the label 'literary fiction'.

Islands of Mercy

by

Rose Tremain


Rose Tremain writes intricate and wide ranging literary novels. This story is peopled by an interesting group of characters, few of whom do not find their lives altered by the end of the book. The locations range from the backstreets of Dublin to London and Borneo with Bath at the heart of the book.
Set in the 1800s the story focuses on much that was shocking, illegal and kept behind closed doors. Forbidden fruits indeed! The many relationships ebb and flow rarely bringing the individuals joy. Considering the period in which the book is set much of the action is shocking and would have destroyed the reputations of prominent people of Bath were it to be publicised.
Jane is a striking woman standing tall at over 6 feet tall. A highly respected nurse at her doctor father’s practice, her therapy conducted at the baths as given her the title, Angel of the Baths. Her father’s assistant is the rather stuffy Dr. Valentine Ross whose confidence and vanity receives a knock back when Jane rejects his advances. His brother, Edmund is a botanist researching in Borneo and living in a distinctly odd set up. The lack of correspondence from him worries Valentine. Is his brother even alive?
An encounter with a beautiful young woman reveals Jane’s sexuality and creates a dichotomy. Should she give in to her desires or marry the rather dull Valentine and encompass respectability.
Interesting characters leading complicated and unhappy lives make this a most interesting book and although rather dark the entertaining flashes of humour lighten the mood. A cleverly constructed twisting plot ends with a most satisfactory finale, for one couple at least. All human emotion is within these pages, love, desire, jealousy, ambition, greed and desire.
A challenging read written in wonderful prose and a thought provoking read.

Having long been a lover of Rose Tremain’s work, the opportunity to read Islands of Mercy was greatly appreciated, and the writing of this national treasure is as strong, beautiful and engrossing as ever. The characters here are vividly drawn and engender strong likes and dislikes - the main protagonist, Jane, is an unusual woman in Victorian England, being both exceptionally tall and attracted to women. The main villain (the man who wants to marry Jane) is a very nasty piece of work and the story is peopled with other marvellously convincing and varied characters, with their compassion, love, hatred and prejudice, all wrapped up in wonderful story telling. The book is set in London, Bath, Paris, Borneo and Ireland and Tremain’s descriptions of place leap off the page in vivid pictures - the colours, smells, tastes and textures in the writing could not be more real. The several strands of story here are brought together with a skill that leaves the reader both bereft when the book is finished, and in awe of the author’s skill.

I have been a fan of Rose Tremain since her book The Road Home and love her writing style which sweeps you into a story of characters you will not forget.
This book for me was full of a cast of characters I loved and the story moved from Bath to London, Ireland and Borneo. What I like is that through her writing you get a clear feel for the place and time as a History teacher I relish this experience.
My favourite character was Clorinda, an Irish Immigrant escaping the famine who comes to Bath to set up a tea room. For me she was self-determined ambitious woman with such a caring side and her story could easily have been factual, it left me wondering if there really could have been a Clorinda who achieved success. I hope and imagine that was so
Themes of love in this book span same sex relationships and for the end of the 19th century was a taboo subject amongst huge sections of the British public.
I enjoyed this book and for readers who like a cast of characters whose experiences take you to a different time and a multitude of places then this is for you.
As always Rose Tremain sweeps you away.
Many Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

Islands of Mercy is a brilliant book. Covering places from Dublin, Paris, Borneo and Bath with the main 4 characters so well defined and are visible to your minds eye with ease. I could have read this novel in one sitting (if only time would allow me to) it is a rich delight of a story with intriguing characters that keep you guessing. The story is well told with a constant interest. I do not remember ever reading Rose Tremain before and I shall now seek out her books. A great read, loved it.

The story follows the fortunes of several people in Victorian England, moving from Bath to London to Borneo. The central character, Jane Adeane, is the daughter of a renowned doctor, Sir William Adeane, in Bath, who works as his nurse, treating patients in the thermal baths and at her father's surgery, Having turned down a marriage proposal from her father's colleague, she goes to London to stay with her Aunt Emmeline, an artist and fiercely independent woman. There she meets Julietta Sims, with whom she embarks on an affair, falling deeply in love and realising that she could never be happy married to Valentine Ross. A parallel story follows Edmund Ross, Valentine's brother, on his adventures in Borneo and Sarawak, where he encounters the eccentric homosexual Sir Ralph Savage.
A series of dramas and events lead to an ultimately bleak ending for most, but happiness for some...
Enjoyable, but not gripping, with characters who were at times compelling, but at others, not entirely believable

Islands of Mercy is an enjoyable read that spans from Victorian Bath, to Paris - and all the way to the island of Borneo. Following a series of interconnected characters, the book was very much about people seeking to find things - whether contentment in themselves; the ideology of other people; or a different kind of life in a whole new place.

It's a good book - the characters are strong and described in a way that makes them pop in your imagination - I liked this a lot and found that the style kept me engaged throughout. I found that because there are a lot of interlinking tales, some of them weren't as strong for me and I felt didn't necessarily add to the overall plot.

Something I liked a lot was the portrayal of the Victorian era and particularly the consideration for their morbid fascination - the way bodies are described, the portrayal of the Paris Morgue and the references towards surgical procedures felt stylistically really accurate and communicated the melodrama of the time.

An enjoyable read that takes your mind all around the world.