Isola by Allegra Goodman

A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this “lushly painted” (People) historical epic of love, faith, and defiance from the bestselling author of Sam.

Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. That journey takes a unexpected turn when Marguerite, accused of betrayal, is brutally punished and abandoned on a small island.

Once a child of privilege who dressed in gowns and laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed.

Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola is the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival.

REVIEWS

“A work of tremendous imagination that draws on harrowing historical records to spin a story of self-determination, courage and faith.”—The New York Times Book Review

“An exciting, imagined narrative . . . As a novel of adventure and redemption and as a story of a woman coming into her own, [Isola] is a rewarding read.”—Bookpage

“A new generation of survival story: a tale that distills larger themes of power, ownership, tenacity, and colonialism into intimate, vulnerable narratives.”—Vogue, “Best of 2025 Preview”

PRODUCT DETAILS
Paperback
Publisher: Dial Press Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-0593730102
Pages: 384