Isola by Allegra Goodman

Isola is a novel based on a real woman, Marguerite de la Rocque, who was marooned on an island as punishment for falling in love with a man her guardian didn't approve of. This book wasn’t what I expected—its heavy emphasis on religion shapes nearly every part of the story. Characters are urged to submit to God and fear retribution for defiance. This reinforces the societal norms of the 1500s, where a woman’s place was strictly controlled: she was not to acknowledge her own wants, express her thoughts, or act upon them without fear of punishment.

Marguerite de la Rocque an orphaned privileged young woman, discovers that her guardian, Roberval, has squandered her inheritance. Though her lineage should give her some measure of power and security, the loss of her financial standing forces her into silence, obedience and uncertainty about her future. Roberval controls her by weaponizing religion. When the King of France authorizes his voyage to New France (Canada), he forces her to accompany him on this expedition. During the trip, Margaurite finally reaches for what she wants - the love of Roberval’s secretary, Auguste. Roberval is aware of the attraction and forbids Auguste from reciprocating. The consequences for their affection for one another are horrific.

Abandoned on an island with her lover and her loyal nurse, Daminnen, Marguerite endures a painful and frightening two-year metamorphosis. The societal structure she once knew has no place there; to survive, she must dig deep and embrace unfamiliar parts of herself, and ultimately take control of her life for the first time.

When I finished Isola, I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about the storyline or the author’s purpose. As I reflected, I grew to appreciate the depth of its central question: What does it mean to love and commit—to God, to another person, and to yourself? Marguerite struggles hard with committing herself to God’s will and to herself. For much of her time on the island she does not believe she is worthy of God’s attention nor finding value within her. Its easier for her to extend herself for Damnieen and Auguste because she recognizes the love they have for her.

Freedom is a concept that is explored in Isola. When Marguerite realizes she is responsible for herself, she learns what freedom is. There is no nurse, no lover, no guardian to remind her what her place is and therefore what she can and cannot do. At times she wrestles with wanting to live. To live, she must do tasks that are repetitive, hard and terrifying in order to survive. She must find and maintain internal motivation to do this as there is no-one telling her what or how to do these things.

The ending of Isola is pivotal. After returning to France, she meets Roberval again. This time, Marguerite refuses to let him shape her story. She risks angering the queen—who has accepted Roberval’s version of events—in order to speak her truth. In taking the reins of her own story, Marguerite continues her journey toward full ownership of her life and sets a new direction for herself.

Music: "Running with the Wolves" by AURORA

Fact: Allegra Goodman chose the Italian word isola (“island”) because on the map she used in her research all the islands were labelled “isola,” Also, she liked how it read as “I-Sola” (I alone) which relates to the main character’s isolation.