Islands of Shadow, Islands of Light [Paperback]

Yaron Glazer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 27, 2009

Jessica Talbot, former Peace Corps volunteer, is back in Panama after seven years to investigate the brutal quelling of a riot in La Joya prison. Her investigation will lead her across the country to Isla Coiba, a refuse heap for violent criminals, and into the past - to the Panama of Omar Torrijos and Manuel Noriega, and to the disappearance of a boy during the American invasion. Islands of Shadow, Islands of Light tells the story of a country struggling with the promise of boom and the legacy of military rule through the eyes of a woman whose life is twined in the rush.

Product Details

• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (July 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439249431
• ISBN-13: 978-1439249437
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,188,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Literary Intrigue in the Tropics, November 10, 2009

By 

Marco Polo (SoCal) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Islands of Shadow, Islands of Light (Paperback)

I visited Panama several years ago, and found this historical fiction to be a riveting and realistic portrayal of political intrigue in this tropical country so far, yet so near to America, physically and historically. The novel was a very fast read -- every chapter ends in a near cliff-hanger like a Dan Brown novel (except it has a much more literary style) so you want to read more! It moves through different locales from section to section, following several characters with lives intertwined in different time periods in Panama's painful political history. In some ways it reminded me of the 2006 film "Babel" by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarittu, where the lives of seemingly random people are interconnected. Gritty and colorful, the novel beautifully explores the grey area between reality and hope that often engulfs societies in political transition. A great literary read set in the exotic tropics.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Words of shadow, Words of light, September 21, 2009

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Captain Amiel Renov - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Islands of Shadow, Islands of Light (Paperback)

I read the novel more or less in one breath. It is a fascinating book, well written as far as I am concerned. I like the author's descriptive powers as well as the way he connects background occurrences to the characters' thoughts and feelings. There is a true feel to it all, and I was tremendously moved by it. Not ordinary at all, the story and writing. I liked very much the storyline as well as the pace and the portrayal of characters. The realism is such that the reader is convinced that all descriptions of places, as well as conveyance of emotions, are first hand (and first rate). Also, remind me never to travel to Panama, ever.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Shadow Than Light . . ., December 27, 2009

By 

J. Alec Hutson "Alec Hutson" (Newbury, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Islands of Shadow, Islands of Light (Kindle Edition)

Glazer spins a tight story spanning several decades of Panama's turbulent history, centered upon the Eden-esque island of Coiba and the trials of idealistic young American expats living in Panama. I found the book fascinating from a purely historical standpoint - Panama seems to have a rich, unique history worth exploring, one I as an American was surprised to discover. The Americans in the book also seems largely ignorant of Panama's history and culture and the casual brutality that is possible - everyone from peasant farmers to the government's leaders seems capable of almost anything - and it comes as a shock to both the book's characters and the reader. The central mystery is well-developed, and it kept me turning the pages until the very end. Glazer's prose is in places jewel-perfect, and deserves a five-star rating for that alone.