Isola

‘A beautiful and profound book about survival and hope’ – Alice Winn, author of In Memoriam‘Fascinating… Delicious… Powerful… I was enthralled, first to last’ * Washington Post *‘Based on a true story, Isola by Allegra Goodman has it all: love, resilience, defiance… I mean, she even fights a bear! This is easily one of my favorite historical fiction reads yet.’ – Reese Witherspoon‘A work of tremendous imagination that draws on harrowing historical records to spin a story of self-determination, courage and faith’ * New York Times *‘An extraordinary book that reads like a thriller, written with the care of the most delicate psychological and historical fiction’ * Vogue ‘Best Books of 2025’ *‘Allegra Goodman’s latest novel is a feminist castaway tale about love, faith, and self-actualization.’ * Time, ‘Most Anticipated Books of 2025’ *‘Lushly painted … a perfect read for cozying up by a roaring fire—and feeling thankful you’re not the sixteenth-century heroine the story is based on.’ * People, ‘Most Anticipated Books of 2025’ *‘What a gift this novel is: vast, lush, feminist, and brilliantly crafted… Exhilarating’ – Ann Napolitano, author of Hello Beautiful‘A shocking story, made all the more stunning by the fact that it’s true.’ – Jodi Picoult, author of My Sister’s Keeper‘Makes the past strange and real and maddening - and is all the more memorable for that.’ – Joanna Quinn, author of The Whalebone Theatre

Allegra Goodman is the author of six novels, including Intuition, which was longlisted for the Orange Prize in 2009. Her short fiction has appeared in the New Yorker and the Sunday Times, and her essays and reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New Republic, Washington Post, and Boston Globe. She is the recipient of a Whiting Award and a fellowship from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.

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