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Miranda has heard about August Isle, Florida, all her life. It’s where her mother grew up as a girl. It’s the place she’s stared at in postcards that tell of better times and perfect summers. Maybe it’s because of this that Miranda has always ached to go there herself — to have her mom show her around and maybe get the chance to glimpse a different, happier side of her mom for once — but she never expected to visit this summer, and she never expected she would be going alone. But her lawyer dad is busy with a new case, and her photographer mom is taking a new assignment in a far-off place that — like August Isle — seems picture-perfect.
Is Miranda only imagining that her mom seems happier when she’s away on a new job? Is it Miranda’s fault? If she can learn to change — to be more brave and bold — could her mom learn to be happy at home with her?
When Miranda first arrives on the island and is taken in by “Aunt” Clare, her mother’s childhood best friend, she discovered that the town really is perfect. It’s a place Miranda finds she can be happy too. She even finds a friend of her own in Sammy, Aunt Clare’s daughter.
But there is more to August Isle than its bright town and sandy beaches. Noises come from a haunted lighthouse offshore. An unfamiliar name from years ago is written in the sidewalk alongside her mother’s. An abandoned house might not be so abandoned. A strange old seafarer full of stories from around the world refuses to tell his own story. And as Miranda begins to unravel the mystery surrounding the place, she wonders if she’s brave enough to face the truth she’s about to uncover.
How can a story be so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time? I have no idea, but August Isle definitely elicits some of both emotions.
At first, this book reads like a leisurely summer story, but it quickly transforms into a heavy emotional read that’s a little depressing at times with an overall sad tone but a hopeful ending. The writing is beautiful, the characters are realistic and relatable, and some of the topics it deals with are real issues some children and families struggle with today that need to be addressed. Overall, I found it a poignant story with some unforgettable lessons about overcoming fears, uncovering secrets, learning to forgive, discovering the power of family, and understanding the devastation of loss in its many different forms.
Rated: Mild, for a few uses of the name of Deity. There are also some heavy topics addressed for the target audience, including emotional abuse, loss, grief, how grief can affect a family, perspective, and divorce.
