The perfect summer read is different for everyone, but for me it has to have three basic elements: exciting adventure, far-flung travel, and interesting characters. Enchanted Island, the new novel from Alison Amend, author of Nearly Perfect Copy , contains all of these things and more, making it the book to give you a burning desire to travel this summer.
The Enchanted Islands (Nan A. Talese, May 24) Inspired by the memoirs of Frances Conway, the almost completely unheard Secretary of Naval Intelligence who fought in World War II He became a spy a few years ago. "Frankowsky was a poor Polish Jewish girl from Minnesota who was determined to escape her sad, static life. Fanny was one of seven children of poor immigrant parents when she was 14 She was shocked when told that it was time to drop out of school, get a job, and contribute to the family. Fanny almost accepted her life, living in a crowded apartment with three other sisters and three other brothers. , works as a secretary in a boring Minnesota town until Fanny's fiercest friend and closest confidant, Rosalie, is the kind of girl who has everything Fanny could want - money, beauty. And the opportunity to receive an education - Rosalie also hid a dark secret of her own. After years of dreaming of escaping, the two girls finally jumped on the train at the age of 15 and headed to Chicago hand in hand to start a new life.
"'Oh, Fanny,' she sighed. 'What have we done?' "
"'We saved ourselves,' I said."
And this is just the beginning.
In Chicago, Fanny and Rosalie find new adventures, liberating independence, a supportive community, and first love, but an eventual betrayal between the two girls changes their friendship forever. When the two women meet again decades later, their lives have taken them in two completely different directions. Rosalie was married with children, while Fanny was a 50-year-old Secretary of the Navy about to embark on her biggest adventure yet: marrying young naval officer Ainsley Conway and sailing in the Galapagos Islands as a US spy.
In the Galapagos, as Fanny not only tries to understand her first marriage, but also becomes an undercover agent, she discovers excitement and adventure beyond her wildest dreams. From bizarre wildlife to beautiful but deadly flora and fauna to dangerous neighbors, the Galapagos Islands are unlike anywhere she's ever been, and her wonder shines through her descriptions of this enchanting place.
"I craned my neck to make out the faintest hint of land, and then - was it a cloud? No, it was a domed mountain, joined a few minutes later by its cousins. And then there it was "As we got closer, I saw for the first time our island, covered with birds and their souvenirs, with bits of greenery trying to grow here and there. Above the brush tangled with neighbors. "
Like Fanny herself, the islands are more complex than they appear and are constantly changing. The mysterious world of the Galapagos serves as a mirror to Fanny's own evolving life, and has a certain magic to it.
"The land was so dry it was almost a desert, and the bushes were little more than twigs. Then someone seemed to draw a line; it started to grow more lush, until about another half hour later we were walking in the tropics . was spongy, tangled with brambles, bushes, leaves and bushes, all competing for light under the canopy, growing on their fallen companions... I was amazed at how quickly the landscape changed, and later I I just learned that this is a typical change in the Galapagos Islands: If you don’t like the scenery, just walk three miles.”
But Fanny's time in the Galapagos wasn't all sun and beach adventures. Trying to survive in a foreign environment and spy on the Germans living there is a difficult and dangerous job, and as she tries to build a life for herself and Ainsley, the secrets and lies between them threaten them. But in all this there is Rosalie, who has been the object of Fanny's jealousy, and who in turn has become the object of Fanny's jealousy. Despite their childhood crimes, and despite their years of separation, these two fiercely loyal women maintain a deeper bond than they have ever had with anyone else, not even their husbands.
"The Enchanted Island" is a fascinating historical novel that is more than just a spy story. This is a story about relationships, the power of friendship, and the sacrifices people are willing to make for the ones they love. This is a story about women seeking independence, poor immigrants determined to make a life for themselves, and a world full of people ready to say "no" to them. In the end, this is a story about travel and excitement, new cities and exotic islands, beautiful landscapes and breathtaking landscapes. This is a book that will make you want to renew your passport. Are you ready for the adventure?
Image: Sadie Trombetta
