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Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes
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Easter Island (edition 2003)

by Jennifer Vanderbes

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5092047,611 (3.68)22
Set on the cusp of World War One, and in the 1970s, EASTER ISLAND tells the passionate, heart-breaking and ultimately redemptive story of two remarkable women. Elsa, an Edwardian Englishwoman, is forced by circumstance to leave the man she loves and agree to a marriage of convenience. The marriage enables her to fulfil her great dream: to visit Easter Island and to study its mysterious history. But as Elsa becomes bewitched by the island and engrossed in her work, she fails to notice that her beloved sister Alice is becoming caught up in desires of her own, that will threaten not only their work, but also their lives. Sixty years later, Dr Greer Faraday, recently widowed, makes her own journey to the island. Born into a different time and country, Greer nevertheless shares Else's passion for this strange and haunting place. Troubled by unhappy secrets, Greer takes solace in her work, making an island of herself. But as the two women's stories begin to entwine and passions are played out, both Greer and Else must struggle against what society expects of them, and what fate has planned...… (more)
Member:mldavis2
Title:Easter Island
Authors:Jennifer Vanderbes
Info:The Dial Press (2003), Edition: First Printing, Hardcover, 320 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:****
Tags:Easter Island, fiction, history

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Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes

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English (19)  Finnish (1)  All languages (20)
Showing 1-5 of 19 (next | show all)
Very unusual story, which interweaves three separate narratives, concerning the mysterious isle of Rapa Nui.
In alternating chapters, we first meet a 1912 group,setting off for anthropological research. Professor Edward Beazley is making arrangements for the marathon journey, accompanied by his young wife, Elsa and her mentally challenged sister Alice. For Elsa, this marriage has been a matter of prudence rather than love: the need to find a husband willing to accept the care of a dependent sibling. Elsa has resolutely turned her back on a previous love, to do the responsible thing...

We move on to the 70s/80s and scientist Greer Faraday, newly widowed, seeking forgetfulness in her work, who arrives to study the history of the island from its pollen deposits.

And lastly we read of von Spee, admiral of the German Scharnhorst, who finds himself at the outbreak of WW1 alone in distant waters, the target of enemy navies...

How these three separate narratives come together (I didn't see it coming!) makes for a jolly good read. In the process the reader learns a lot about the history, ecology and life of this distant outpost. ( )
  starbox | Sep 30, 2018 |
Definitely enjoyed Strangers at the Feast more, but this novel, which tells the stories of three groups of people who come upon Easter Island during various time periods, is interesting, but it takes too long to see the connections among the stories. The information is fascinating -- and the book well-researched -- but the stories fell a bit flat for me. ( )
  Randall.Hansen | Jul 29, 2015 |
Separate timelines/lives which relate to actions in the others, well identified so I had no confusion, follow the lives of Elsa, Greer, and Vice Admiral Von Spee each of whom visits Easter Island.
Portrays the native islanders as intelligent and modern (a contrast to Thor Heyerdahl's book, read long ago, of which I don't remember anything about the natives & so assumed they were all extinct).
Vanderbes includes an ending note detailing her sources of information, for those portions which are factual or historical. I see her dedication to her parents & brothers...wonder how much her clear portrayal of a caretaker's attitude toward a different child/sibling was from personal experience/observation. It certainly was helpful in my own self-awareness about how much I want to control what happens to my son & his responses.

I loved this book, identified with the responsibility of caring for a family member with (what seems to be) autism and with the interest in exploring botany/science. And always appreciate having my home state sneak into a novel. You probably have to have an interest in science, or at least anthropology, to fully enjoy it. The botanical jokes Sven made cracked me up. I did note questions I had about how she portrayed some aspects of Greer's university years, but that was based on my own limited experience at a different time than Vanderbes'. ( )
  juniperSun | Jun 29, 2015 |
The first few pages threw up a red flag for me as a soap opera theme began this novel. But it quickly became an interesting novel, based on obvious research, in which several chronological time periods were addressed from one chapter to the next. Vanderbes does a fine job of handling the different eras and weaving them into a story that ends with introspection and unanswered questions. Recommended for anyone interested in the mysteries of Easter Island and the scientific treatment of its secrets. ( )
  mldavis2 | Feb 5, 2015 |
WONDERFUL - intriguing on many levels - full of interesting science, and interesting characters, and clever coincidences. ( )
  anitatally | Jan 26, 2015 |
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Epigraph
One evening, as Hau Maka lay beneath the full moon on the island Marae-toe-hau, he had a dream.
The dream sould of Hau Maka flew toward the rising sun and she passed above seven lands, each of which she inspected. But none of the seven was to her liking. So she continued on her journey, flying farther, over the vast and empty ocean, and for a long time she saw no lands below, only the rolling sea, until finally she reached a sandy shore. Here, the dream soul descended. She stood upon a glistening white beach and saw in the water the fish Mahore. Then the dream soul walked across the land and saw plump fruits of all colors, which she tasted, and were to her pleasure. Each fragrant flower she smelled, plucking a white one to tuck behind her ear. And then the dream soul climbed to the highest point on the land from where she could see the ocean and sky meeting all around her. As she looked at the island, she felt a gentle breeze coming toward her...
Here was where she wanted to live.
When Hau Maka awakened, he found the King Hotu matua and told him what his dream soul had seen. "We shall find that land," said the king.
--The Legend of Hotu Matua, and the discovery of the island Te Pito O Te Henua
Dedication
For my parents and my brother
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The decisive moment for Germany's fleet in the great war, was, indisputably, it's ill-timed arrival at the Falkland islands.
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Set on the cusp of World War One, and in the 1970s, EASTER ISLAND tells the passionate, heart-breaking and ultimately redemptive story of two remarkable women. Elsa, an Edwardian Englishwoman, is forced by circumstance to leave the man she loves and agree to a marriage of convenience. The marriage enables her to fulfil her great dream: to visit Easter Island and to study its mysterious history. But as Elsa becomes bewitched by the island and engrossed in her work, she fails to notice that her beloved sister Alice is becoming caught up in desires of her own, that will threaten not only their work, but also their lives. Sixty years later, Dr Greer Faraday, recently widowed, makes her own journey to the island. Born into a different time and country, Greer nevertheless shares Else's passion for this strange and haunting place. Troubled by unhappy secrets, Greer takes solace in her work, making an island of herself. But as the two women's stories begin to entwine and passions are played out, both Greer and Else must struggle against what society expects of them, and what fate has planned...

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