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Island in the East
From the author of Beneath a Burning Sky
***THE 2017 KINDLE BETSELLER***
'Beautifully described . . . A moving love story' Tracy Rees
'Exotic and mysterious - I was gripped by this complex tale' Dinah Jefferies
Vivid, authentic and utterly beautiful, Island in the East is the perfect read for fans of Victoria Hislop, Kate Furnivall and Rachel Rhys.
******
Two great loves. One shattering betrayal. A war that changes everything.
Singapore, 1897
Twenty-year-old identical twins, Harriet and Mae, born from a scandalous affair, have spent their lives slighted by gossips. They've carried each other through the loneliness, believing that together they can survive anything.
But then their mysterious benefactor sends them to Singapore to live with his relative, the watchful David Keeley, who will choose one of them to marry. In the tension of David's house, a distance opens up between the twins, but it is only when they meet the handsome Alex Blake that their relationship truly fractures, resulting in a life-shattering betrayal with devastating consequences . . .
1941
Ivy, an intelligence officer with the women's naval service, is posted to wartime Singapore. Carrying her own ghosts from Blitz-torn London, she arrives to the looming threat of a Japanese invasion. Nothing can prepare her for what's waiting on the island - not the unexpected love, nor the strangers from her grandmother, Mae's, past, and the shocking secrets that now echo down through the generations.
With a sizzling love affair playing out against sisterly rivalry and epic family drama, Island in the East is evocative, atmospheric and romantic historical fiction at its very best.
Further praise for Jenny Ashcroft:
'A summer must-read' Red
'This story of twists and turns transcends era and genre. Absolutely brilliant' Kerry Fisher
'First-class writing, brilliant characters, fascinating locations and gripping plots' Tracy Buchanan
'Exquisitely written . . . unputdownable and unforgettable' Iona Grey
'Island in the East is that rare thing: a dual narrative novel in which both strands of the story are as engaging and compelling as each other . . . it's impossible to put this book down.' Kate Riordan
' Island in the East is a wonderful novel, full of mystery that kept me gripped until the end . . . Oh, whoever you are and whatever you like reading give this one a go. You won't regret it!'
Rachel Burton
***THE 2017 KINDLE BETSELLER***
'Beautifully described . . . A moving love story' Tracy Rees
'Exotic and mysterious - I was gripped by this complex tale' Dinah Jefferies
Vivid, authentic and utterly beautiful, Island in the East is the perfect read for fans of Victoria Hislop, Kate Furnivall and Rachel Rhys.
******
Two great loves. One shattering betrayal. A war that changes everything.
Singapore, 1897
Twenty-year-old identical twins, Harriet and Mae, born from a scandalous affair, have spent their lives slighted by gossips. They've carried each other through the loneliness, believing that together they can survive anything.
But then their mysterious benefactor sends them to Singapore to live with his relative, the watchful David Keeley, who will choose one of them to marry. In the tension of David's house, a distance opens up between the twins, but it is only when they meet the handsome Alex Blake that their relationship truly fractures, resulting in a life-shattering betrayal with devastating consequences . . .
1941
Ivy, an intelligence officer with the women's naval service, is posted to wartime Singapore. Carrying her own ghosts from Blitz-torn London, she arrives to the looming threat of a Japanese invasion. Nothing can prepare her for what's waiting on the island - not the unexpected love, nor the strangers from her grandmother, Mae's, past, and the shocking secrets that now echo down through the generations.
With a sizzling love affair playing out against sisterly rivalry and epic family drama, Island in the East is evocative, atmospheric and romantic historical fiction at its very best.
Further praise for Jenny Ashcroft:
'A summer must-read' Red
'This story of twists and turns transcends era and genre. Absolutely brilliant' Kerry Fisher
'First-class writing, brilliant characters, fascinating locations and gripping plots' Tracy Buchanan
'Exquisitely written . . . unputdownable and unforgettable' Iona Grey
'Island in the East is that rare thing: a dual narrative novel in which both strands of the story are as engaging and compelling as each other . . . it's impossible to put this book down.' Kate Riordan
' Island in the East is a wonderful novel, full of mystery that kept me gripped until the end . . . Oh, whoever you are and whatever you like reading give this one a go. You won't regret it!'
Rachel Burton
432 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2017
About the author
Jenny Ashcroft
9 books372 followersJenny Ashcroft is a British author of historical fiction. Having spent many years living, working and exploring in Australia and Asia, she is now based in Brighton where she lives with her family by the sea. She has a degree from Oxford University in history, and has always been fascinated by the past—in particular the way that extraordinary events can transform the lives of normal people.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
April 19, 2018
3,5 Stars
Spanning half a century, Island In The East is an intense novel that takes the reader from late 19th Century Singapore to 1941 Blitz-torn London and back again where it all started during the crucial WWII years. With a dual timeline structure, the book tells the story of identical twins sisters Harriet and Mae, arriving in Singapore in that fateful 1897 which will change their lives forever, and the 1940s story of Ivy, Mae’s granddaughter, deployed as an intelligence officer for the women’s naval service on that same tropical island threatened by an impending Japanese invasion. Young Harriet and Mae’s affections, confronted by two very different men, will be tested to the ultimate betrayal, and while the effects of such disloyalty still reverberate in the lives of the wronged ones after decades, among the atrocities of war Ivy will find unexpected love with a charming Australian Army major and answers about her family’s obscure past.
With a smooth prose and a very good understanding of both the time periods, the author paints a vivid picture of the setting and populates the book with well-rounded and touching characters. The historical fiction aspects tend to prevail, but the romances of each generation are engrossing all the same, and the dramatic tones the storyline often takes, especially the one set in the 1890s, are nicely balanced by realistic descriptions and dialogues. The exotic atmosphere of the tropical island, the deep connections bonding the protagonists as much as the breathtaking rendering of the horrible conditions the prisoners of war go through in the Japanese internment camps, not easy pages to read, make for an engaging and remarkable reading.
I had already really liked and appreciated Ms. Ashcroft’s Beneath a Burning Sky before, and Island In The East proved to be another original and outstanding book.
February 19, 2018
The blitz of 1941 war-torn London had left Ivy Harcourt traumatised so when she was told of her posting to Singapore, she was happy to be leaving London. Ivy was an intelligence officer with the Wrens, and one of the few who could speak Japanese - therefore she was needed to interpret and track the Japanese movements. But Ivy's grandmother Mae didn't want her to go - she had a past in Singapore; one she had kept from Ivy. She hoped there was no one left there who remembered...
It was 1897 when twins Harriet and Mae were sent to Singapore to live with a relative of their patron - a man who would choose one of them to marry. Harriet was desperate to get a job and leave the house which had become a prison to both her and Mae. Only twenty years old and naive, their innocence would soon be shattered. As tension blanketed the house, bitterness and jealousy began to push the girls apart - twins who'd always been there for each other were no longer speaking.
As the Japanese invasion loomed, and Mae back in London begged Ivy to come home, Ivy was determined to stay. She had made friends on the island, including people from her grandmother's past. And there was someone special. What would be the outcome as the secrets from a long ago past collided with the brutal attack they'd hoped would never happen?
Island in the East by Aussie author Jenny Ashcroft was exceptional! I thoroughly enjoyed Harriet and Mae's stories set in the 1890s and Ivy's in the 1940s - the emotion, drama, shocking secrets and horrors were so well done. As I turned the last page, I breathed a sigh and said "wonderful!" And so it was! Highly recommended.
With many thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read and review.
It was 1897 when twins Harriet and Mae were sent to Singapore to live with a relative of their patron - a man who would choose one of them to marry. Harriet was desperate to get a job and leave the house which had become a prison to both her and Mae. Only twenty years old and naive, their innocence would soon be shattered. As tension blanketed the house, bitterness and jealousy began to push the girls apart - twins who'd always been there for each other were no longer speaking.
As the Japanese invasion loomed, and Mae back in London begged Ivy to come home, Ivy was determined to stay. She had made friends on the island, including people from her grandmother's past. And there was someone special. What would be the outcome as the secrets from a long ago past collided with the brutal attack they'd hoped would never happen?
Island in the East by Aussie author Jenny Ashcroft was exceptional! I thoroughly enjoyed Harriet and Mae's stories set in the 1890s and Ivy's in the 1940s - the emotion, drama, shocking secrets and horrors were so well done. As I turned the last page, I breathed a sigh and said "wonderful!" And so it was! Highly recommended.
With many thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read and review.
February 16, 2024
Uuu, ce poveste frumoasa!
Autoarea a împletit destinul celor doua generații intr-un mod extraordinar, astfel încât din momentul în care am luat cartea în mana, nu am mai putut sa o las, pana nu am dus-o la final.
Mi-a plăcut tare mult!
Mi-au plăcut personajele, mi-a plăcut dialogul, mi-a plăcut intriga și felul în care lucrurile au fost sucite astfel încât sa creeze acel punct culminant, mai pe scurt: a fost o lectura pe cinste!
M-am așteptat la o poveste despre război, lagăr, dar am primit mai mult de atât. Am primit iubire, prietenie, devotament... ce sa mai, este o poveste minunata!
O recomand celor care au chef de o carte ce se citește ușor, cu esenta și o poveste scrisa impecabil.
Ii dau 5 stele și aterizează în raftul cu favorite din acest an.❤️
Autoarea a împletit destinul celor doua generații intr-un mod extraordinar, astfel încât din momentul în care am luat cartea în mana, nu am mai putut sa o las, pana nu am dus-o la final.
Mi-a plăcut tare mult!
Mi-au plăcut personajele, mi-a plăcut dialogul, mi-a plăcut intriga și felul în care lucrurile au fost sucite astfel încât sa creeze acel punct culminant, mai pe scurt: a fost o lectura pe cinste!
M-am așteptat la o poveste despre război, lagăr, dar am primit mai mult de atât. Am primit iubire, prietenie, devotament... ce sa mai, este o poveste minunata!
O recomand celor care au chef de o carte ce se citește ușor, cu esenta și o poveste scrisa impecabil.
Ii dau 5 stele și aterizează în raftul cu favorite din acest an.❤️
December 6, 2017
I loved Jenny Ashcroft's first book, Beneath a Burning Sky, so I was looking forward to reading her second book, Island in the East. Island in the East is beautifully written, heartbreaking and emotionally charged book that I couldn't put down. This author has the ability to create complex wonderful characters that you can't help but fall in love, and some truly despicable characters that will evoke strong negative feelings in you.
Island in the East is historical fiction at it's best. It has all the ingredients I want to see in this type of book: exquisite writing, complex characters, not one but two beautiful love stories, and a fascinating setting. I've read quite a few books set during WW2 but I haven't read any stories about Japanese invasion of Singapore so this book was an eye opening experience for me.
If like me you love historical fiction with strong romantic elements, Island in the East is the book for you!
*Free e-copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Island in the East is historical fiction at it's best. It has all the ingredients I want to see in this type of book: exquisite writing, complex characters, not one but two beautiful love stories, and a fascinating setting. I've read quite a few books set during WW2 but I haven't read any stories about Japanese invasion of Singapore so this book was an eye opening experience for me.
If like me you love historical fiction with strong romantic elements, Island in the East is the book for you!
*Free e-copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2018
I loved this book and enjoyed both Mae/Harriet and Ivy's stories.
May 8, 2018
The first thing I loved about this novel was the evocation of Singapore, with its merciless damp heat bearing down relentlessly. The island's flora, the colonial architecture and the multicultural atmosphere are described with lots of colour, making it feel like a Dinah Jefferies novel.
I was intrigued by the story of the twins, Harriet and Mae, whose shameful birth has made them second-class citizens and taken away their choices in life. Years later, Mae's granddaughter, Ivy, is a plucky WW2 heroine who has volunteered to work at a listening station in Singapore, trying to overhear the talk amongst the advancing Japanese troops.
There are vivid descriptions of the nightlife, the food, the drunken parties, the ex-pat jealousies, but all the time the noose is tightening in both plots: for Ivy, there is the imminent Japanese invasion; for Harriet and Mae, there is the ominous presence of David, the man one of them is supposed to marry. Meanwhile, a disproportionate amount of history takes place on this little British outpost close to the Equator.
Jenny Ashcroft skilfully edges the stories towards their dramatic finales. The narratives are perfectly balanced, every detail accounted for, making it a rich, incredibly satisfying read.
I was intrigued by the story of the twins, Harriet and Mae, whose shameful birth has made them second-class citizens and taken away their choices in life. Years later, Mae's granddaughter, Ivy, is a plucky WW2 heroine who has volunteered to work at a listening station in Singapore, trying to overhear the talk amongst the advancing Japanese troops.
There are vivid descriptions of the nightlife, the food, the drunken parties, the ex-pat jealousies, but all the time the noose is tightening in both plots: for Ivy, there is the imminent Japanese invasion; for Harriet and Mae, there is the ominous presence of David, the man one of them is supposed to marry. Meanwhile, a disproportionate amount of history takes place on this little British outpost close to the Equator.
Jenny Ashcroft skilfully edges the stories towards their dramatic finales. The narratives are perfectly balanced, every detail accounted for, making it a rich, incredibly satisfying read.
June 4, 2018
I absolutely adored this book! Steeped in detail, the dual timeline story has everything I expect from historical fiction. Two love stories, superb descriptive writing and characters you just fall in love with...or love to hate! It was so beautifully written that I totally lost myself in the characters lives and the setting of wartime Singapore. I can't recommend this book highly enough, more of the same please Jenny!
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2019
Twin sisters living in Singapore in the late 1800's both fall in love with the same man. A young woman is sent to Singapore during WWII to translate the comments of Japanese pilots. Two separate stories which will enthrall you to the end. Jenny Ashcroft is a wonderful story teller - her characters are so loveable (except David!) and she brings the smells and heat of the East to her reader. Totally absorbing.
October 27, 2017
Jenny Ashcroft's UK debut, 'Beneath a Burning Sky', was undoubtedly my favourite read of the year - possibly of the last few years. So I was extremely excited to receive a proof of this, her second novel. Excited and also a bit nervous. What if it didn't measure up? How would I cope?!
But Island in the East didn't let me down - a more ambitious novel than Burning Sky but no less rich in historical detail, sense of place and heart-stopping romance.
Island in the East is a timeslip narrative set in Singapore. It moves between the story of Mae and her twin sister Harriet - sent to the island in the late 1800s; and Mae's granddaughter, Ivy, who arrives in Singapore for war duty in 1941. Ivy has no idea that her grandmother was a twin or that she lived in Singapore until she meets the mysterious Alex Blake - and old acquaintance of her grandmother.
And then there's Kit. Oh Kit! Jenny has a penchant for writing tortured romantic heroes one cannot help but fall in love with. Ivy knows she shouldn't be falling for Kit, she knows they are both trying to escape 'a bad war' and she knows there is worse to come - but neither of them can help themselves.
Island in the East is a wonderful novel, full of mystery that kept me gripped until the end (oh that Epilogue - I can't stop thinking about it) and Jenny's unique narrative voice sweeps the story along so evocatively you feel though you are there on the warm tropical island yourself.
If you love historical fiction with a touch of epic romance, if you loved Beneath a Burning Sky then read Island in the East as soon as you can. Oh, whoever you are and whatever you like reading give this one a go. You won't regret it!
(with thanks to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review)
But Island in the East didn't let me down - a more ambitious novel than Burning Sky but no less rich in historical detail, sense of place and heart-stopping romance.
Island in the East is a timeslip narrative set in Singapore. It moves between the story of Mae and her twin sister Harriet - sent to the island in the late 1800s; and Mae's granddaughter, Ivy, who arrives in Singapore for war duty in 1941. Ivy has no idea that her grandmother was a twin or that she lived in Singapore until she meets the mysterious Alex Blake - and old acquaintance of her grandmother.
And then there's Kit. Oh Kit! Jenny has a penchant for writing tortured romantic heroes one cannot help but fall in love with. Ivy knows she shouldn't be falling for Kit, she knows they are both trying to escape 'a bad war' and she knows there is worse to come - but neither of them can help themselves.
Island in the East is a wonderful novel, full of mystery that kept me gripped until the end (oh that Epilogue - I can't stop thinking about it) and Jenny's unique narrative voice sweeps the story along so evocatively you feel though you are there on the warm tropical island yourself.
If you love historical fiction with a touch of epic romance, if you loved Beneath a Burning Sky then read Island in the East as soon as you can. Oh, whoever you are and whatever you like reading give this one a go. You won't regret it!
(with thanks to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review)
January 23, 2019
An historical novel unfolding in dual time frames, Island in the East is beautifully done! Singapore is the setting for both story lines. The earlier part occurs during the 1890s, and the second during WWII. Both present a haunting picture of life there, with the ever present heat, humidity, and relentless rain. The sudden fierceness of tropical storms, the cacophony of the jungle, the stickiness the insects! How real it all was, from the perspective where air conditioning is now a part of life!
The writing was a pleasure, and I was swept along as fragments of the plot were revealed in alternating chapters. Mounting dread of the Japanese invasion, coupled with a terrifying flight through the jungle provided plenty of suspense. Audio book.
The writing was a pleasure, and I was swept along as fragments of the plot were revealed in alternating chapters. Mounting dread of the Japanese invasion, coupled with a terrifying flight through the jungle provided plenty of suspense. Audio book.
September 1, 2018
My Thoughts
https://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogsp...
Jenny Ashcroft’s debut novel, ‘Beneath a Burning Sky’, I gushed about - it was brilliant! It was historical fiction at its best and so much more. So when Jenny’s second book comes along, of course I am all over it - but how could it possibly be as good? Well I am here to tell you that it is - and perhaps it’s even better! Jenny has gone to the next level (if that was at all possible) and taken on an ambitious dual timeline narrative that delivers in every aspect - rich in detail, setting and drama.
‘Island in the East’ is sensational reading - such a beautifully written heartbreaking tale full of drama and emotion that I found it hard to put down. This book surely cements Jenny Aschcroft as a superior author with a talent to create riveting drama with complex characters in luscious settings. A timeslip narrative set in Singapore that moves between the story of Mae and her twin sister Harriet in the late 1800s; and Mae's granddaughter, Ivy, who is posted to Singapore during the war in 1941. One of the things that sets this dual timeline apart from others, is the strong familial connections as Mae and Ivy are living together initially in London at the beginning of the novel. When Ivy arrives in Singapore, she has no idea that her grandmother had ever lived there. The mystery and tales of both, life at the turn of the century and then during the war in Singapore, are rich and enticing. I had never really read much about the Japanese invasion of Singapore and it was rich in detail that was a real eye opener.
This book ticks all the boxes for me: exquisite writing, complex characters, two beautiful love stories for both the twins and Ivy (Alex and Kit will make your heart beat faster) and an exotic, tropical setting. Filled to the brim with everything from the brutality of war, to passionate soul connections, to heartbreak and betrayal, to tragedy and hope - this is such a compelling read that it will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
‘Don’t waste time,’ Alex said, voice kind, but with that sadness in it. ‘You never know how much you have.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release
https://greatreadsandtealeaves.blogsp...
Jenny Ashcroft’s debut novel, ‘Beneath a Burning Sky’, I gushed about - it was brilliant! It was historical fiction at its best and so much more. So when Jenny’s second book comes along, of course I am all over it - but how could it possibly be as good? Well I am here to tell you that it is - and perhaps it’s even better! Jenny has gone to the next level (if that was at all possible) and taken on an ambitious dual timeline narrative that delivers in every aspect - rich in detail, setting and drama.
‘Island in the East’ is sensational reading - such a beautifully written heartbreaking tale full of drama and emotion that I found it hard to put down. This book surely cements Jenny Aschcroft as a superior author with a talent to create riveting drama with complex characters in luscious settings. A timeslip narrative set in Singapore that moves between the story of Mae and her twin sister Harriet in the late 1800s; and Mae's granddaughter, Ivy, who is posted to Singapore during the war in 1941. One of the things that sets this dual timeline apart from others, is the strong familial connections as Mae and Ivy are living together initially in London at the beginning of the novel. When Ivy arrives in Singapore, she has no idea that her grandmother had ever lived there. The mystery and tales of both, life at the turn of the century and then during the war in Singapore, are rich and enticing. I had never really read much about the Japanese invasion of Singapore and it was rich in detail that was a real eye opener.
This book ticks all the boxes for me: exquisite writing, complex characters, two beautiful love stories for both the twins and Ivy (Alex and Kit will make your heart beat faster) and an exotic, tropical setting. Filled to the brim with everything from the brutality of war, to passionate soul connections, to heartbreak and betrayal, to tragedy and hope - this is such a compelling read that it will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
‘Don’t waste time,’ Alex said, voice kind, but with that sadness in it. ‘You never know how much you have.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release
November 27, 2017
If you're a fan of historical fiction filled with dark secrets, romance, betrayal and intrigue, you'll find much to admire and enjoy about Island In The East. This is a compelling, well-written and heartbreaking story that I've found it hard to stop thinking about it since I turned the last page. The book reviewer's cliche "I couldn't put it down" certainly applies here!
The story takes place over two time periods - one in the early 1940s where Ivy, after a traumatic experience working in wartime London, is reassigned to duties in Singapore. However, she has no idea that her grandmother Mae once lived in Singapore, until she encounters some figures from Mae's past, and so another story unravels in parallel with Ivy's, that of Mae and her twin sister Harriet, in the late 1890s.
A sense of doom, which is ironically very compelling (!), hangs over both stories - you know something terrible is going to go down, and it's a testament to Jenny Ashcroft's storytelling skills that you're left guessing the final twist until the very end. If you're familiar with WW2 history, there's that added sense of tension when you are aware Singapore is mere months, weeks and then days away from invasion by the Japanese.
Ashcroft knows how to write characters that you fall in love with, and also ones that make your skin crawl. She also skillfully captures family loyalty, sibling rivalry, 'frenemies' and the bitterness that clouds people's judgment when they can't get what they want. The horrors of war are not shied away from, and the chapters that go into detail about the deprivation in the prison camps were not easy to read.
The romances in the storylines are genuinely wonderful, and Alex and Kit are both heroes that make one swoon! But it never descends into sentimentality - the characters and their passion for each other feel very real, and it's quite heartbreaking when things don't go as planned (to put it mildly! No spoilers!).
This is a novel that has a bit of everything - love, war, betrayal, heartbreak, tragedy, redemption and hope - resulting in a sumptuous, evocative read with characters that will linger in your mind long after you've finished reading. Beautifully written and highly recommended.
The story takes place over two time periods - one in the early 1940s where Ivy, after a traumatic experience working in wartime London, is reassigned to duties in Singapore. However, she has no idea that her grandmother Mae once lived in Singapore, until she encounters some figures from Mae's past, and so another story unravels in parallel with Ivy's, that of Mae and her twin sister Harriet, in the late 1890s.
A sense of doom, which is ironically very compelling (!), hangs over both stories - you know something terrible is going to go down, and it's a testament to Jenny Ashcroft's storytelling skills that you're left guessing the final twist until the very end. If you're familiar with WW2 history, there's that added sense of tension when you are aware Singapore is mere months, weeks and then days away from invasion by the Japanese.
Ashcroft knows how to write characters that you fall in love with, and also ones that make your skin crawl. She also skillfully captures family loyalty, sibling rivalry, 'frenemies' and the bitterness that clouds people's judgment when they can't get what they want. The horrors of war are not shied away from, and the chapters that go into detail about the deprivation in the prison camps were not easy to read.
The romances in the storylines are genuinely wonderful, and Alex and Kit are both heroes that make one swoon! But it never descends into sentimentality - the characters and their passion for each other feel very real, and it's quite heartbreaking when things don't go as planned (to put it mildly! No spoilers!).
This is a novel that has a bit of everything - love, war, betrayal, heartbreak, tragedy, redemption and hope - resulting in a sumptuous, evocative read with characters that will linger in your mind long after you've finished reading. Beautifully written and highly recommended.
April 22, 2018
On the whole a good read but some things didn't quite gel. Why was a pregnant woman basically shunned and left to die? Servants were cheap in Singapore back then and surely someone would have been keeping a better eye on her.
Liked going back in time to Singapore, both in the 1890's and later in 1941.
3.5 stars
Liked going back in time to Singapore, both in the 1890's and later in 1941.
3.5 stars
May 20, 2020
This is the third Jenny Ashcroft book that I’ve read and, in my opinion, the best. It’s a dual-timeline story set in Singapore and follows the experiences of Mae and her twin sister Harriet and also Ivy, Mae’s grandaughter. It’s a harrowing story at times but I felt it was totally believable and very well written.
May 9, 2018
What a beautiful and fluid book, I was captivated by the setting and enjoyed reading the book in one weekend to keep the 'flow'. Jenny Ashcroft is a very accomplished writer this is the second book of hers I have read and thoroughly enjoyed.
January 7, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. i have long been partial to books set in WWII Asia and this didn't dissappoint
August 25, 2018
Wonderful. Perfect mix of historical fiction, romance and adventure. Absolutely loved it.
January 26, 2020
Such a wonderful book, I do love a dual timeline and I equally enjoyed both timeframes from this story. My heart ached for Mae & Harriet but Ivy also had an incredible resilience, it's amazing what people can ensure for love. I'll absolutely be looking up more from Jenny Ashcroft.
October 29, 2022
Am citit multe cărți ficțiune de război în ultima vreme, dar majoritatea își desfășurau acțiunea în Europa. Această carte are un mare plus de la mine pentru că n-am mai citit despre invazia japonezilor in Singapore.
Bineînțeles că avem povesti de iubire, dar avem și personaje absolut detestabile, care au făcut povestea să pară puțin trasă de păr pe alocuri..
La mine personal lectura a mers mai greu, dar în mod normal e una dintre acele cărți pe care le citești în maxim 2 zile.
Bineînțeles că avem povesti de iubire, dar avem și personaje absolut detestabile, care au făcut povestea să pară puțin trasă de păr pe alocuri..
La mine personal lectura a mers mai greu, dar în mod normal e una dintre acele cărți pe care le citești în maxim 2 zile.
December 28, 2023
Coup de cœur ♥️ assuré!! J’ai adoré cette belle histoire d’amour. L’écriture de l’autrice est sublime.
February 25, 2019
Heart wrenching but not overdone - a lovely surprise as I picked this up as a light read. Covers two generations, and was extremely difficult to put down. It was a little unsatisfying that there wasn't a bit more to the story before the epilogue but glad it ended on a happy note!
January 12, 2018
This book has left me speechless I don’t know where to start, I can say that it is a fabulous story set across fifty years in Singapore, The island in the east, and England and countries in Asia, the characters from both eras are related and connected in many ways, but there were secrets, falsehoods, lies and misunderstandings that separated identical twenty year old twin sisters, who arrived in Singapore under a cloud back in 1897 and this is where the story starts for Harriet and Mae and what becomes of their lives, it is a captivating and gripping story that you will not want to put down.
Harriet and Mae are inseparable they have been sent to Singapore from their country of India to hopefully marry and put behind them their illegitimacy they are sent to live with David Keeley who works for the minister he is related to the girl’s father, with hopes that he will marry one, it doesn’t take long before another man is on the scene businessman Alex Blake and trouble brews between the girls, tears them apart heartbreaking stuff, but there a is a love that grows so strong that fifty years later is still there.
It is now 1940’s England and young Ivy Harcourt who has been bought up by her grandmother Mae, is working in the intelligence department translating, she is caught up in the bombing in London and scarred by it all when she is sent to Singapore to translate Japanese, this brings her back to where her grandmother had lived but Ivy never knew that and it is not long before Ivy meets Alex Blake and is uncovering things that perhaps she should have known. Ivy makes friends and comes alive especially when she meets Australian Kit Langton, but when the Japanese arrive and take over Ivy finds herself in Changi Prison as does Kit and all of their friends. Ivy will do anything to keep herself alive to be back with Kit as he does to meet Ivy again such true love.
This is a powerful story of tough times and happenings that had me crying, it is moving and emotional and shows the strength and bravery of these characters, it shows that love can be so strong, strong enough to keep people alive through wars and hurt. And there is more than one sensual love story that lasts through time, danger and lies that in the end will bring joy over whelming joy. This is the first book of MS Ashcroft’s that I have read but I will be looking for more, I do highly recommend this one, WOW what a book thank you for an awesome story.
Harriet and Mae are inseparable they have been sent to Singapore from their country of India to hopefully marry and put behind them their illegitimacy they are sent to live with David Keeley who works for the minister he is related to the girl’s father, with hopes that he will marry one, it doesn’t take long before another man is on the scene businessman Alex Blake and trouble brews between the girls, tears them apart heartbreaking stuff, but there a is a love that grows so strong that fifty years later is still there.
It is now 1940’s England and young Ivy Harcourt who has been bought up by her grandmother Mae, is working in the intelligence department translating, she is caught up in the bombing in London and scarred by it all when she is sent to Singapore to translate Japanese, this brings her back to where her grandmother had lived but Ivy never knew that and it is not long before Ivy meets Alex Blake and is uncovering things that perhaps she should have known. Ivy makes friends and comes alive especially when she meets Australian Kit Langton, but when the Japanese arrive and take over Ivy finds herself in Changi Prison as does Kit and all of their friends. Ivy will do anything to keep herself alive to be back with Kit as he does to meet Ivy again such true love.
This is a powerful story of tough times and happenings that had me crying, it is moving and emotional and shows the strength and bravery of these characters, it shows that love can be so strong, strong enough to keep people alive through wars and hurt. And there is more than one sensual love story that lasts through time, danger and lies that in the end will bring joy over whelming joy. This is the first book of MS Ashcroft’s that I have read but I will be looking for more, I do highly recommend this one, WOW what a book thank you for an awesome story.
January 14, 2018
Set mainly on the atmospheric island of Singapore in the 1890’s and 1940’s this wonderful story explores identical twin sister rivalry, love and betrayal. Chapters bounce between the two different centuries in Singapore with the addition of chapters set in London.
There are so many great characters in this tale but for me, the twins Mae and Harriet, who were born out of wedlock causing much scandal as well as having the burden of carrying this through the decades wherever they go, are the most interesting and charismatic. When they are sent to Singapore by their benefactor to stay with David Keely, to whom one must marry, a strain is put on their previously unblemished sisterly relationship. This is further tested when they meet Alex Blake whom they both fall in love with but only one will win his heart!
Then we have Ivy, Mae’s Granddaughter, who is posted to Singapore in the 1941. As she is severely traumatised by two events which occurred on the same day, she looks at this as an opportunity to move on with her life and taking all of her courage she decides to leave her beloved Grandmother behind. Surprises and mysteries unfold as she is blindly introduced to people from Mae’s past on the Island and secrets are revealed that stuns everyone.
This beautifully descriptive written story has much breath holding moments including the time spent in POW camps which I particularly found harrowing yet it is such an addictive tale that I didn’t want it to end.
I enjoyed Jenny Ashcroft debut novel Beneath A Burning Sky but for me this book surpassed it. A must for historical fiction lovers and I give it a brilliant 5 star rating.
June 4, 2018
Based on what I learned from my grandparents, the historical part of this story was meticulously researched and faithfully recreated in all its horror and courage and occasional beauty.
I gave it three stars because I'm a wuss, and for me the author spent much too much time dwelling on the truly ghastly aspects of the both stories (told in parallel) and not enough on the redemptive, potentially positive aspects of the characters and stories.
I mean, less than 10% of the entire 6-hour reading experience spent on a skim-the-surface, bittersweet happily ever after didn't seem much of a reward after all I went through with those people!!!
Disclaimer: I do read a lot of romances, so I am a bit spoiled in the HEA department.
I gave it three stars because I'm a wuss, and for me the author spent much too much time dwelling on the truly ghastly aspects of the both stories (told in parallel) and not enough on the redemptive, potentially positive aspects of the characters and stories.
I mean, less than 10% of the entire 6-hour reading experience spent on a skim-the-surface, bittersweet happily ever after didn't seem much of a reward after all I went through with those people!!!
Disclaimer: I do read a lot of romances, so I am a bit spoiled in the HEA department.
June 11, 2019
An historical novel unfolding in dual time frames, Island in the East is beautifully done! Singapore is the setting for both story lines. The earlier part occurs during the 1890s, and the second during WWII. Both present a haunting picture of life there, with the ever present heat, humidity, and relentless rain. The sudden fierceness of tropical storms, the cacophony of the jungle, the stickiness the insects! How real it all was, from the perspective where air conditioning is now a part of life!
The writing was a pleasure, and I was swept along as fragments of the plot were revealed in alternating chapters. Mounting dread of the Japanese invasion, coupled with a terrifying flight through the jungle provided plenty of suspense.
The writing was a pleasure, and I was swept along as fragments of the plot were revealed in alternating chapters. Mounting dread of the Japanese invasion, coupled with a terrifying flight through the jungle provided plenty of suspense.
December 6, 2017
I really enjoyed Jenny's first book "Beneath a burning sky" so I was thrilled to receive an ARC from the publishers via Netgalley.
I love historical books and this book certainly didn't disappoint. It is written in two time frames, and in both the characters were very strong and I loved them (although there were some I really hated) Tissues are a must, especially in anticipation of the parts of the story that we already know from history.
I highly recommend this book and will be waiting for Jenny's next book. So once again I want to thank everyone for allowing me to read this book.
I love historical books and this book certainly didn't disappoint. It is written in two time frames, and in both the characters were very strong and I loved them (although there were some I really hated) Tissues are a must, especially in anticipation of the parts of the story that we already know from history.
I highly recommend this book and will be waiting for Jenny's next book. So once again I want to thank everyone for allowing me to read this book.
December 26, 2018
I enjoyed this dual narrative set in Singapore. The first story revolved around the illegitimate twins, Mae and Harriet, in late nineteenth century Singapore. In the other half, Ivy, Mae's granddaughter, was intelligence in WWII Singapore. Family secrets, love, war, betrayal, abound.
December 4, 2017
An epic read about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Beautifully written with characters who will win your heart from the very first page.
March 13, 2018
Fantastic book late nights and a few mornings to. Had to finish it. A good holiday read as you would have more time to just read. Twists and turns all through.
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