Isola by Allegra Goodman is a captivating novel that begins in 1531 with twelve-year-old Marguerite, whose mother died during Marguerite's both, and father at war when she three. Her guardian was her father's cousin, Roberval, and Marguerite lived with her nurse Damienne, and friend Claire, with Claire's mother her teacher.
Roberval was a sea-faring man, who would go on voyages at the king's behest. He began to take Marguerite's family money, first renting out the property where she lived, forcing her to stay in guest bedrooms, When Marguerite was seventeen, he decreed that she and Damienne would join his voyage across the Atlantic to the new world. Roberval considered himself a man of God, and gave Marguerite psalms to study and would test her piety while treating her poorly as a source of amusement.
While on the ship, Marguerite developed a relationship with Roberval's secretary, Auguste, who had been instructed to stay away from her. To punish them, Roberval had the two, along with Damienne, abandoned with meager supplies and weapons on an island off the far north coast of North America.
Left to fend for themselves, the three hunted for birds, scavenged eggs, and fished. By September, the leaves had changed color and it turned cold, so they lived in a cavern for the winter. Auguste died while Marguerite pregnant, and she killed a polar bear that had scavenged his body. The baby was born in the spring, and died of malnourishment. In summer, Marguerite and Damienne saw Roberval's ships and signaled, but the ships continued on, leaving the two banished. Damienne in autumn accidentally cut herself and died of infection. Marguerite later killed a second polar bear, cutting off and keeping its claw.
As her supplies dwindled further, Marguerite saw two open boats anchored, and men that came ashore. She convinced them to let her come onboard for the voyage back to France. The other of the two boats was lost at sea, and Marguerite after her arrival found that Roberval had sold her estate. She reconnected with Claire and Claire's mother, and met the Queen, who gave money for she, Claire, and Claire's mother to start a school for girls. Roberval attempted to get at some of these funds, and was rebuffed by Marguerite. While it would have been nice if the revenge on Roberval were more pronounced, it's a good book, a page turner.
