The Island

The Island by Elin Hilderbrand - To be Discussed on Wed Feb 2, 2016, at Geneseo Library

Birdie Cousins has thrown herself into the details of her daughter Chess's lavish wedding, from the floating dance floor in her Connecticut back yard to the color of the cocktail napkins. Like any mother of a bride-to-be, she is weathering the storms of excitement and chaos, tears and joy. But Birdie, a woman who prides herself on preparing for every possibility, could never have predicted the late-night phone call from Chess, abruptly announcing that she's cancelled her engagement.

It's only the first hint of what will be a summer of upheavals and revelations. Before the dust has even begun to settle, far worse news arrives, sending Chess into a tailspin of despair. Reluctantly taking a break from the first new romance she's embarked on since the recent end of her 30-year marriage, Birdie circles the wagons and enlists the help of her younger daughter Tate and her own sister India. Soon all four are headed for beautiful, rustic Tuckernuck Island, off the coast of Nantucket, where their family has summered for generations. No phones, no television, no grocery store - a place without distractions where they can escape their troubles.

But throw sisters, daughters, ex-lovers, and long-kept secrets onto a remote island, and what might sound like a peaceful getaway becomes much more. Before summer has ended, dramatic truths are uncovered, old loves are rekindled, and new loves make themselves known. It's a summertime story only Elin Hilderbrand can tell, filled with the heartache, laughter, and surprises that have made her page-turning, bestselling novels as much a part of summer as a long afternoon on a sunny beach.

Discussion Questions:

1  THE ISLAND opens with a section about the Tate House. What role does the house play in the story? And what about the island of Tuckernuck? Why is Tuckernuck an important setting for the novel?

2  Though the four main characters go through many emotional changes throughout the book, the story also places value on the comforts of things staying the same — history even repeats itself in some ways. What remains unchanged in the book, and why is this important?

3  THE ISLAND focuses a lot on family, particularly the relationships between mothers, daughters, and sisters. How is Birdie and India’s relationship reflected in that of Chess and Tate? How are the relationships between the sisters different? How does Birdie’s relationship with each of her daughters differ?

4  Do you think Chess is right to feel guilty about Michael’s death or responsible for what happened to him? Do you think Nick feels similarly — and if not, do you think he should?

5  What role does jealously play in the various relationships throughout the novel? Who is jealous of whom, and for what reasons?

6  Forgiveness is a crucial part of THE ISLAND. Some characters need to forgive themselves in order to move on; some must offer their forgiveness to others. Discuss the role forgiveness plays in the lives of the four main characters.

7   What finally allows Chess to break out of her depression and begin her recovery process? Why?

What makes India decide that she’s ready to let go of Bill’s death completely? Do you think Chess’s assessment of India is true, that India is “her own happy ending”?