"Based on the true life of Marguerite de la Rocque, a young woman born into nobility in the 1500’s..she became an orphan and was placed under the care of a guardian, Roberval.. a volatile man..who she doesn’t even know. He is in charge of her future.
Well, he is also a gambling man and he sells her lands and home to pay off his debts. He also makes her come on a voyage to New France with him where he believes he will find wealth.
They board the ship, she with her servant Damienne..they have a rough time on the trip but she ends up falling for Robertval’s secretary and is caught with him.
They are ordered off the ship and taken to a deserted island… mostly made of rock.
Now it is a fight for survival as they were only given limited supplies and hardly any food when they left the ship.
This part of the story was very intense… riveting…with much grief and loss.
Very beautiful writing!

Here is a review from another author:

Praise
"A shocking story, made all the more stunning by the fact that it has its roots in true history, Isola is an immersive journey through the eyes of Marguerite de la Rocque, who redefines what makes one a woman of worth and what the difference is between having a life and truly living."
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi
Picoult
Copyright © 2024 Allegra Goodman. Site


Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the Arc!

"

"What a great book to start the new year with. Tense, Exciting and Unputdownable.

With this novel Ken Follett makes a return to contemporary storytelling and a clash of superpowers as China reacts to a generals revolt in North Korea and America battles a terrorists thread in central Africa. A young window and her son embark on a journey to find better lives for themselves in a country where human trafficking in rife. Set in the present day and one can help wonder how close to the bone this one cuts. We watch events unfold through a host of wonderful and complicated characters, some whom are spies in Beijing and Chard and US President Pauline Green. The World on the brink of war and a war that could end civilization as we know it.

I can honestly say that the premise of Ken Follett’s novels never excite me and yet once I read the first chapter of any of his novels I am completely drawn in and hooked.
This is my sixth novel by Follett and once again I was captivated by his storytelling, terrified by the “what if” and in love with his vast host of characters.

Well researched and beautifully written this is one novel that had me kept me reading well past my bedtime. I very rarely read novels over 400 pages and yet the 800 pages of this one flew by.

I read the hard copy of this one and listened to audio version as well and the narrator was excellent."

"I’ve read a couple chunky books so far in 2022, and Never just may be my favorite. This never felt long. It was oh so good!

Have you read any books by Ken Follett? I’m discovering his books late with this being my first, but I have a few on my TBR.

Never is an epic thriller. It’s a complex story as three different storylines converge. Set across the Sahara Desert, China, and the United States, Never imagines a World War III type scenario, and the authenticity is especially terrifying and timely right now.

Ken Follett truly takes his time layering this story. My analytical brain had a blast thinking about the pieces and making predictions throughout, while also trying not to panic that all of this could actually happen.

A solid reading experience with a book I could not wait to pick up each time; I’ll be moving my other Follett books up the TBR soon. Epic.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: and instagram: "

"Ken Follet se imagina por nosotros cĂłmo podrĂ­a llegar a producirse una escalada en las hostilidades entre las grandes potencias, con el fatal desenlace de una conflagraciĂłn nuclear que puede llevar a estas, y al resto del planeta, a una soluciĂłn final, con aniquilaciĂłn mutua. Es decir, la tercera guerra mundial, y, posiblemente, la Ăşltima.

La cosa empieza con un conflicto entre El Chad y Sudán, dos países que a muchos nos costaría situar en el mapa. Allí chocan intereses de diversa índole entre EEUU por una parte, y China y Corea del Norte por otra. A partir de aquí, se nos presentan los diversos personajes que llevarán la trama hasta el clímax final. A saber, Pauline Green, presidenta americana, que no atraviesa su mejor momento matrimonial, y que tiene las próximas elecciones a la vuelta de la esquina, con un candidato republicano (una copia de Trump) que va ganando adeptos con cada barbaridad que suelta en los medios. Chang Tai, al cargo de la agencia de inteligencia militar china, un moderado al que los halcones del viejo régimen comunista ven como débil y proclive al entendimiento con los americanos. Tamara Levit, de la CIA, estacionada en el Chad y heroína ocasional. Y Abdul, americano-libanés, en una misión especial que implica la trata de personas y el tráfico de drogas. Todos estos personajes están bastante bien perfilados. Algo menos lo están el presidente chino, la presidenta surcoreana, y algunos secundarios que no dejan de ser personajes de relleno, y un poco de paja.

La trama es terroríficamente plausible, y con ella vamos pasando de DEFCON 5, el nivel más bajo de alerta, hasta el DEFCON 1, donde la guerra nuclear es ya inminente o incluso ha comenzado.

Mi mayor pega con esta novela son los diálogos, sobre todo entre los altos mandatarios. Hablan entre ellos de tal manera que parecen, en algunos casos, estudiantes en una visita escolar. Pero ello es justificable, pues el autor debe informar al lector sobre las diversas situaciones y posibles soluciones que se van presentando. Si lo hicieran como verdaderos expertos que se suponen que son, es posible que no nos enterásemos de nada. Pero, aún así, en más de una ocasión chirrían esos intercambios de frases.

Novela para pasar (a pesar de la temática) un buen rato. No es el típico producto de la factoría Follet. Se va desgranando a fuego lento, pero no llega a aburrir, pues lo que nos cuenta nos mantendrá pegados a las páginas. Eso sí, al ser un producto occidental, notarás que “los buenos” suelen estar más de este lado que del otro. El presidente chino no queda muy bien retratado, pero a la presidenta americana solo le falta llevar la capa de Super Woman. Quien espere otra cosa, saldrá defraudado. Quién solo quiera evasión y algo de aprendizaje de geopolítica, se lo puede pasar muy bien leyéndola.

Como deseo final, esperemos que Rusia se esté quietecita en Ucrania, no vayamos a seguir el guión que Mr Follet, imagino, pretendió como mero entretenimiento.

4 🌞🌞🌞🌞
"