Anne Griffin is a brilliant writer, consistently creating empathetic characters who drive her stories far more than the plots do. Island of Longing is no exception, with bereaved mother Rosie taking centre stage as she returns to the Irish island where she was brought up, to help out her father captain the ferry that takes passengers to and from the mainland.
Rosie loves her boat with a passion that is in some ways a metaphor for her love of her daughter Saoirse, who went missing at seventeen, eight years ago. Rosie's refusal to give up on her search for her underpins a story that is all about love, loss and grief. It examines how a disappearance affects a whole family - Rosie's husband Hugh and son Cullie grieve in their own ways - and how it can bind them closer, or tear them apart.
The peace of the island should help Rosie heal, but no matter how far she goes, she cannot escape her grief, frustration and longing for her missing daughter. Her profound sadness touched me deeply - imagining myself in that situation broke my heart - but I was never depressed by this story, For like her small ferryboat, Rosie has resilience, and she has the support of a whole island of friends and family to guide her through hard times.
The prose is beautiful, the atmosphere warm and welcoming and the plot meticulously paced to take us to a conclusion that is satisfying. This is not a murder-mystery or a thriller, but a story about people, and how they survive the worst life can throw at them.
There's a touch of feyness about it, too, another hallmark of Anne Griffin's writing, which adds to the gentle atmosphere.
A poignant, heartbreaking and powerful read.

Ann Griffin has certainly chosen a very difficult subject for her third novel: the disappearance of a child. Whether or not the reader is a parent, Griffin’s writing makes it very easy for us to appreciate Rosie’s daily torment as she hopes against hope that her daughter will return to her family. At seventeen, Saiorse inexplicably disappeared into thin air close to her Dublin home, leaving her parents and brother, Cullie, overcome with grief.
People cope with their pain in different ways. When it’s clear that Rosie and her husband, Hugh, are drawing apart, scarred by eight years of suffering, Rosie decides to return home to the small island off the mainland where she grew up operating the ferry. It is here, back at her old work, that she feels most closely the presence of Saiorse. And this comforts her. But she cannot ignore reality.
‘The Island of Longing’ is a beautifully written novel about loss and pain but it is also about people’s kindness and thoughtfulness. Whilst the West Cork island that Rosie returns to for the summer is vividly described as a place in its own right, it is also a refuge where a devastated mother can ‘step out of the world for a while, to mend wounds that might never heal fully but somehow in this place are soothed.’
My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review

I really enjoyed this book, however I loved When All Is Said more and this was the reason i picked this book. I did however read this in a couple of days, it is an easy read and a book you would want to pick up. I enjoy Anne's style of writing and looking forward to many more from her i'm sure.Huge thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a review copy.

Eight years ago, 17-year-old Saoirse disappeared without trace as she cycled home. Despite an intensive police investigation and years of constant appeals and searching by her family and friends, she has not been found, and there is no evidence of what happened that day. Now, only her mother Rosie still believes that she is alive, and this refusal to accept that she is gone has driven a wedge between Rosie ahd her husband and son. When her widowed father asks her to come back to her old home on the island of Roaring Bay for the summer to help him run the island’s ferry to the mainland, she rediscovers her love for the place and for skippering the boat, which she once loved so much, but gave up to move to the mainland after her marriage. Here she finds a certain peace and begins to think about the future, instead of only the past. This is a poignant story about family, community, love and loss, about holding on and letting go, being young and growing old. There is a lovely sense of place centred on the island, where tradition is set fast but room must be made for the new, as time brings new challenges and the island must change to survive. The characters here bring welcome warmth and humour. At the heart of the novel is Rosie’s desperate need to find her daughter and how unbearable it is not to know if she is dead or alive. That bond of love between a mother and child that never dies is powerfully conveyed, giving a rich resonance to a bittersweet story that ultimately offers the hope of healing.

Anne Griffin writes with such emotion. This was not an easy read by any means but it was skilfully and sensitively told. Rosie and Hugh’s marriage has been rocked by the tragic disappearance of their daughter years earlier and Rosie returns to her childhood home in an attempt to gain some equilibrium.

I was completely absorbed from start to finish. This is a great book and highly recommend it.

I loved Anne Griffin's novel When All Is Said, it is one of my all time favourite books , so I was very happy to receive an advanced copy of her new novel, The Island of Longing. The story is a sad one, centered on Rosie and her daughter's disappearance eight years ago and the fructures it caused and continued to cause in the family dynamics.

The backdrop of an island in Ireland, made it seem even more spiritual and I was hoping for a happy ending or a miracle right until the very end.

5* Anne Griffin just keeps getting better. Starting with the stunning debut novel When All Is Said (if you haven’t read it, you must), The Island of Longing is her third and is another stunner.

Eight years ago Rosie watched her teenage daughter cycle up the street towards their front door. But her bicycle was found abandoned on the other side of the hedge and her daughter hasn’t been seen since. As Rosie’s home life in Dublin limps on she receives a call from her father. Recently widowed and living in Rosie’s childhood home on a small island community, he needs Rosie’s help to keep the family business going over the Summer.

Rosie’s temporary move home evokes a life that could be lived alongside an incredible cast of characters.

Anne Griffin writes beautifully and imagines characters that the reader cares about deeply. The Island of Longing is a moving story that had me turning the pages and penetrated deeply into my (sometimes called concrete) heart.

Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for an ARC. I would highly recommend this book.

I thought this was a beautifully written tale of motherhood, grief, and loss. I felt that the portrayal of Rosie’s mental state was authentically and sensitively written – I could feel the tears brewing a couple of times!
The brief snippets of Saoirse’s disappearance in between each chapter were very cleverly done. It kept me turning the pages, wanting to find out what happened to her. I liked the small island community setting and seeing how Rosie fit into it, both in the past when she was growing up, and in the present when she returns to the island and begins to find herself again.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. From the very beginning, I became gripped to this book and struggled to put it down at night. I connected to the characters extremely quickly and enjoyed how short sentences at the beginning of each chapter took the reader back to the past in small snippets. I thought it was written extremely well and could easily image the island itself and its landscape. It was also very emotional, from making me laugh to shedding a tear. I would describe this book as a great holiday read. A hint of crime, but not too graphic. Very gripping with an excellent storyline

I've read both of Anne Griffin's previous books and enjoyed them very much, so I was very excited to see she had a third book coming out. I am so glad I found out, because this book, as far as I'm concerned, is probably the best book I've ever read. Beautiful writing, beautiful descriptions of the little island in Ireland, Roaring Bay (though fictitious, I am sure there are places just like it along the Irish coast).

It's told in the first person by Rosie and starts out 8 years after her 17 year old daughter Saoirse disappears without trace. After years of searching, of not knowing, the stress has taken its toll on the whole family.

It is a compelling read, I flew through the pages and the further into the book I got, I just wanted it to go on and on for ever. There are so many wonderful characters. The relationship between Rosie and her dad is so moving. Rosie's love of their family business, operating the ferry that takes visitors and residents back and forth to the mainland. She has an affinity with the ocean and feels closest to her daughter when she's out at sea, navigating the ferry Aoibhneas.

By the end of the book, I felt I knew every one of those characters, the residents on the island, Rosie's husband Hugh, her son Cullie inside out. There are some incredibly emotional scenes throughout, but it is interspersed with lighter moments too. I adored this book and the story will stay with me for a long time. Absolutely superb.

**Review to be posted to my blog around publication day**

Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of The Island of longing by Anne Griffin. The story details the emotional trauma experienced by Rosie and her family, after their eldest child vanishes 8 years prior. The isolation of island life, mirrors how isolating their grief is, and how isolated they are from each other in their sorrow. Whilst this is an emotional read, you can't help being enamoured by the characters, and the story. I would highly recommend this book.

Rosie is mourning the disappearance of her daughter Saoirse eight years ago when her husband expresses his desire for a separation. She returns to Roaring Bay Island in West Cork to help with captaining the ferry. Wonderful characters and dialogue make this a moving and surprisingly humorous novel.

On an otherwise unremarkable afternoon, Rosie watches from an upstairs window as her daughter Saoirse cycles towards home. However, there is no door slam and her bike is found abandoned on the driveway. All of this is out of character for the 17-year-old.

Despite extensive searches, the Gardai and Saoirse’s family are no closer to solving the mystery of her disappearance eight years later. Rosie refuses to let go of the hope that her daughter is alive and she can’t move on, her relationship with her husband and son disintegrating as a result.

With encouragement, Rosie returns to her homeplace of Roaring Bay Island, West Cork to help her father captain the family owned ferry “Aoibhneas” to and from the mainland. Thanks to many years of happy memories, this is the place that Rosie feels most connected to her daughter. Will the events of this summer allow her to let go of her longing for Saoirse and accept the inevitable, that it is increasingly unlikely that she is coming home?

This is a beautiful, engaging read that had me thinking of the characters, and the relationships formed between them, long after I had finished. The gorgeous descriptions of Roaring Bay and “Aoibhneas” (Irish for “joy”) made me homesick for a place I have never been. The raw devastation of a family torn apart by loss was both harrowing and gripping. Highly recommended.

*Thank you to @NetGalley, Anne Griffin and the publisher for access to this e-ARC. The Island of Longing is due to be published on 27th April*

Heartfelt exploration of grief and long-term loss and the impact it has on all those around it. Acutely told and sensitively handled.

The Island of Longing is the first book I have read by Anne Griffin but certainly will not be my last.

Rosie saw her 17-year-old daughter cycle into town, that would be the last she saw her. Eight years on stuck in limbo believing her daughter is still alive she receives a phone call from her father asking her to return to Roaring Bay, her hometown.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the characters were well-developed as was the story. My only criticism would be I felt there was a lot of repetition especially in regards to the past. In saying that I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley, Anne Griffin and Hodder & Staughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4-5 stars

Rosie watches from the window of her Dublin home as her daughter Saoirse comes up the drive on her bike. However, there is no door slam and her bike is found abandoned on the drive. That is the last sighting of Saoirse and the police, despite extensive enquiries, are no closer to solving the mystery of her disappearance, she vanishes before Rosie’s very eyes. Eight years on Rosie refuses to let go of the hope that her daughter is alive and she can’t move on. With the encouragement of her husband Hugh, Rosie goes back to Roaring Bay Island, West Cork to help her father captain the family owned ferry ‘Aoibhneas’ to and from the mainland. For Rosie, this island is her haven, it’s where she feels most connected to her daughter. Will Rosie be able to let go of the longing for Saoirse and accept that it is very unlikely that she is coming home?

This is inevitably a very emotional and moving read, which is beautifully told as you sense Saoirse’s spirit, and get a clear idea of Rosie’s strengths and weaknesses. The grief, pain and unhappiness is palpable but it is interwoven with wonderful characters and friendships, with terrific dialogue with some well placed humour. It’s a wonderful blend of the serious, examining how lives are irrevocably changed by loss, it looks at motherhood and relationships with the intense mystery of Saoirse’s disappearance underpinning all, which is heightened by the inclusion of snippets from that day.

The sense of place is outstanding, with the island and its inhabitants being beautifully described making you feel as if you are there with the characters becoming friends. It’s separation from the mainland serves to highlight Rosie’s feelings of isolation and the huge gap in her life following the loss of a much loved child. Yet the island also offers solace and the understanding she craves. Here, maybe she can find the comfort she so sorely needs.

Overall, inevitably at times this is a tear jerker but I love the message of the book and the ending is deeply moving.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This is a beautifully written story of a mother struggling to cope with the unexplained disappearance of her seventeen-year-old daughter. I found it incredibly hard to read (as the mother of a teenage daughter myself) but at the same time I couldn’t put it down and have just stayed up far to late to finish it. The way the author describes Rosie’s feelings of anger and loss, her relationships with her husband and son, her determination to find Saoirse, her hope and uplifted spirits when she returns to the island, is beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. The development of her friendship with Iggy and the conflict with Liam are perfectly portrayed. The descriptions of the island and the other characters are really lovely, and the dialogue is written so well that you can hear the characters speaking - it really brings them and the story to life. I thoroughly recommend this beautiful story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy!

A heartbreakingly beautiful story about the impact a vanishing child can have in all factors of your life. Emotional throughout this is so hard to put down.

The title reflects the emotion of Rosie Driscoll about the island where she grew up but moved away from when she married Hugh. It also reflects her longing to find what happened to her daughter Saoirse who disappeared one afternoon when she was a teenager. Rosie has kept believing she will be found but her husband and son are less sure. That causes problems in her marriage. She goes back to her home at Roaring Bay, an island off West Cork. What draws her back there is the ferry owned by her father and which she is qualified to pilot. The book conjures up an interesting rural life. It does not have unexpected twists or an ending other than what is obvious from the start. It is a pleasant read but not page turning l

This book just oozes with pain and hope from the very first page.
The disappearance of Saoirse triggers the breakdown of a family and the crumbling of lives mixed with the ever present insistence of Rosie that she will return one day.
The island setting plays well to the loneliness and isolation Rosie feels, estranged from her husband as they struggle to agree on Saoirse being alive or not and how their personal feelings impact on how to move forward.
Each relationship is beautifully relayed and delicately balanced and the book, whilst tackling something unbelievably sad is a joy to read.

Rosie Driscoll grows up as the daughter of the ferryman on a tiny island in Cork. She’s returned to that island when her marriage is on the brink of failing eight years after her daughter was abducted.
Where is one’s heart’s haven? Is it your happy childhood home or where your soulmate is? Do memories alone anchor you to that place or do you have to continuously work at keeping it your own?
I’ve read Griffin’s “When All Is Said” and was blown over by it. Her “Listening Still” I liked very much. This one, I’m afraid to say, despite the brilliant characters and atmospheric painting of an island lifestyle, sagged a bit for me.