Farewell to the Island [Hardcover]

Gloria Whelan (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

The war of 1812 is over, and 16-year-old Mary O'Shea is leaving her home on the remote island of Mackinac to visit her married sister, Angelique, in England. When she arrives, the spunky American girl horrifies her sister's stuffy British in-laws with her independent ways--especially when she meets Lord James Lindsay. James shows Mary his world--and soon he invites her to share it with him. And now Mary finds herself facing the most difficult decision of her life....

With masterful storytelling, accurate historical detail, and an ever-appealing protagonist, critically acclaimed author Gloria Whelan has written a satisfying sequel to her 1996 Great Lakes Book Award winner Once on This Island.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-Mary O'Shea, first introduced in Once on This Island (HarperCollins, 1995), leaves Michilmackinac in 1816 to visit her sister and brother-in-law in London. En route, she meets the dashing and handsome James Lindsay, a midshipman and painter on the ship who is really a duke. They fall in love, and Mary is torn between marrying him and beginning a new life in England, or returning to America to her father and the island farm she has loved all her life. Strong feelings for one's family heritage are clearly evoked through the heroine's first-person narrative. Mary is an independent and courageous character, especially on her voyage to England, where she proves herself to be an excellent sailor. Vivid descriptions of Michilmackinac and its simple beauty juxtaposed with crowded, cosmopolitan England create a strong sense of both locales. Mary's hard-working existence on her farm is also juxtaposed with the rigors of tradition and proper behavior in English society. Adventure, romance, and history blend nicely to create a well-rounded story that cries for yet another sequel.
Janet Gillen, Great Neck Public Library, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Gloria Whelan makes history vibrant in this novel which begins on Mackinac Island in 1816. The main character, Mary, travels across the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean to visit her sister who is married to an Englishman. To say that Mary has spunk is an understatement. She practically runs the ship on the voyage to England. In the end, Mary must choose between two countries. In this sequel to Once on This Island, Whelan reveals her characteristic appreciation for history, the environment, and diverse cultures. -- From Parents' Choice®

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers; 1st edition (October 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060277513
• ISBN-13: 978-0060277512
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,496,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, July 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Farewell to the Island (Hardcover)

FAREWELL TO THE ISLAND is a wonderful sequal to ONCE ON THIS ISLAND which was set on a Great Lakes island in Michagin during the War of 1812. It's 1816, and the war is over. 16 year old Mary O'Shea is sailing to England, to visit her older sister, Angelique, who married a British soldier who had been stationed on the island during the war. As Mary grows closer to the people she meets there, she must decide on which island her heart belongs - The island of Great Britain, where a young Lord has proposed marriage to her, or on the island of Michalmackinac, the island she was born on, ths island she calls home?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book for even older readers, March 14, 2004

By 

MLZ2883 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Farewell to the Island (Hardcover)

"Farewell to the Island" is a charming book. I found it enjoyable and was not able to put it down once I started reading it. Even though I have not read "Once on this Island" I was easily able to follow the storyline. I can only hope to get my hands on the sequel to this book so I can learn what happens to Mary O'Shea and what her decisions for the future shall be.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful second book, June 24, 2002

By 

hiphopgirl_1000 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Farewell to the Island (Paperback)

The year is 1816 and the war between England and the United States is finally over. Mary is now a vibrant young woman at sixteen, not the young girl we first met in ONCE ON THE ISLAND. For the first time in her life Mary is leaving her beloved island of Mackinac and traveling to London to visit her sister Angelique.
While on the steemer, Comfort, Mary meets a young man named James Lindsey who captures her interest. On her arrival in London, Mary finds herself in a society that she has never known. Many surprises are in store for Mary in London, but the biggest of all is the fact that James Lindsey is no other than Lord Lindsey, son of the Duke of Oakbridge. As the two of them grow closer in their fondness for eachother Mary finds she must make a hard decision. Can she give up her hard life on her beloved island for the life of London society with James? Can she give up all the people she loves, including White Hawk, who Mary still has feelings for? A second wonderful novel by Gloria Whelan. I enjoyed this even more than the first one!