From Allegra Goodman, an acclaimed writer of historical fiction, comes Isola, a stunning medieval thriller based on a true story of a young 16th century French noblewoman, who survived after being cast off on an uninhabited island off the coast of North America and lived to tell her story.
After the untimely deaths of her parents, the future of Marguerite de la Rocque, a fifteen-year-old heiress to a large fortune, depends on the whims of her uncle, who becomes her legal guardian.
Overnight, Marguerite, who is accustomed to a luxurious and carefree life, is thrust into a bitter existence of isolation, loneliness, harsh cold and hunger, all on the orders of her uncle. On rare visits to the castle her guardian reduces the number of her servants and limits Marguerite’s very movements. He orders Marguerite to move to a remote room in one of the castle’s towers and forbids her to ride her horse or walk in the gardens. The guardian further leases the castle to a rich merchant’s family who is not aware that the true owner of the estate is exiled in a drafty, cold tower nearby.
Initially, Marguerite believes that despite her guardian’s erratic behavior in ruling her life he will protect her interests and eventually arrange for her an acceptable marriage to a member of the French nobility. As time goes by, her expectations gradually grow dim when she learns that the guardian has squandered her estate and forfeited her inheritance to finance his own adventures in the New World.
Several years later, the guardian orders Marguerite to accompany him on a voyage bound for the new French colonies in North America. Her devoted nurse Damienne is the only caring and close person allowed to accompany Marguerite on the ship.
During the long, exhausting sailing, Marguerite befriends Auguste, a young man who serves as her uncle’s secretary. The two young people develop an intense attraction to each other and fall in love. However, when their relationship is discovered, the guardian brutally punishes the couple. Marguerite, Damienne, and Auguste are cast out and abandoned on a small uninhabited island away from the coast with few meager supplies and no hope for escape.
Over the next several months the trio struggles to survive against severe forces of nature. When the brutal winter descends on the tiny island, cold winds and lack of food further exhaust their strengths. Damienne, who cared for Marguerite from birth, succumbs first. Soon after, Auguste dies from hunger and mortal wounds he sustained in a deadly struggle with a polar bear. Left alone Marguerite must learn to hunt, build shelter, and defend herself against animal predators.
Two years later, Marguerite is accidentally discovered by Basque fishermen who bring her back to France. Eventually, Marguerite is granted an audience with Queen Marguerite of Navarre, who helps her reclaim her identity and encourages Marguerite to share her incredible story.
This moving, lyrical and heartbreaking story reads as an emotional page-turner, exploring boundaries of the human will to live, the power of true love, and the limits of human resilience. While the novel examines the powerlessness of 16th century women who were required to depend upon men for their livelihood, it strongly resonates with modern times when many women still must fight for their rights and independence. Isola was picked in 2025 for Reese’s Book Club for its poignant, passionate narrative, derived from a real-life story.
