Our book today, Isola, is by Allegra Goodman. This is a brand-new book published this year. This book is set in 16th century France and was inspired by the real life of a French noblewoman. I think listeners will enjoy this story that explores the very sheltered lives of young noblewomen during the Renaissance. When we meet our main character, Marguerite, she has been orphaned by the death of her parents. Her mother at her birth and her father when she was three as he was at war. Marguerite is left under the guardianship of her father’s cousin, Roberval. The first paragraph of the book gives us Marguerite and is so beautifully written:
“I never knew my mother. She died the night that I was born, and so we passed each other in the dark. She left me her name, Marguerite, and her ruby ring, but no memory of her. I did not know my father either. When I was three years old, he was killed fighting for the King at Pavia. Then I was rich, although I did not know it, and poor, although I did not know it. I was heir to a chateau in Perigord with its own villages, vineyards, and sunny fields, but I had no parents, aunts, or uncles living. Servants surrounded me, but I had no sisters or brothers, and so I was alone.”
Nancy thought one of the book’s themes is isolation. For Linny, it was more sheltering. Nancy also thought hopelessness was a recurring theme. She found out that the battle Marguerite’s father died in was an actual battle. The battle of Pavia was the decisive military engagement of the war in Italy between King Francis I of France and the Habsburg emperor Charles V. The French army had 28,000 who were annihilated. This hopeless battle, to Nancy, fits in with the overall hopelessness of Marguerite’s story. Linny thought rather than hopelessness, it was more powerlessness. The book is about her trying to find the levers that are available to her.
Nancy liked the excerpts from the book, LESSONS FOR MY DAUGHTER, at the beginning of each section. LESSONS FOR MY DAUGHTER was written by Anne of France right before Marguerite is born. Anne was the daughter of Louis XI and sister of Charles VIII. She was one of the most powerful women of her time. So, she is writing from a position of power and writing to help her daughter navigate the world. But her advice reveals the very little agency women had. Here’s one quote:
“Because of their weak feminine nature, it is especially important for all gentlewomen desiring a good reputation to be so modest and afraid of error that they do not take a single step unless they must, and that compassed by reason, they behave with perfect delicacy.”
Marguerite’s nurse and later her tutor and her tutor’s daughter try to help Marguerite learn these lessons of how to be a gentlewoman. Linny notes that these lessons don’t work for Marguerite because she is not in the position of a gentlewoman. The women around her try to help Marguerite, but they are operating from a lower status level and are depending on Marguerite to succeed in order to succeed themselves.
Every story needs an antagonist. At the beginning of the story, Nancy thought that might be Marguerite’s nurse, Damienne, but pretty quickly it is clear it’s going to be Roberval. In the end, Damienne, Marguerite realizes Damienne has given up everything to live up to the promise she made to Marguerite’s mom to never leave her side. Damienne is a religious woman and tries to instill faith in God into Marguerite. In the end, it seems like Marguerite always believes in God but doesn’t believe in God’s mercy or love.
Linny thought about the cultural components of the faith references. To her, faith allows you to feel less powerless, since you’ve got God on your side. So, the characters are trying to please God as well as seek His help. Linny thinks it’s interesting that Nancy was captured by the faith theme. It didn’t strike her as much. Nancy liked the representation of faith in this story because it is threaded throughout the book. Faith, or lack of faith, is something many people consider throughout their lives based on their experiences. Marguerite continues to think about belief and how her life is playing out. She thought the reality of faith is handled well in this book.
Marguerite and Claire have a beautiful relationship. They enjoy THE BOOK OF THE CITY OF LADIES. For Marguerite, the stories of female heroines is very inspiring. Once again, Nancy did some research and found that this is an actual book. Nancy likes that this is another example in the book of women taking care of other women. Linny looked at it a little differently – more like classism as a major theme. That people had class roles and observed their roles. Operating well within the roles meant success. Nancy argues there was a benevolence, affection, or even love between the characters. Linny notes that the story is told through Marguerite’s eyes, and her vision is very narrow and self-concerned. Linny reminisces that, years ago, Nancy suggested Linny watch a PBS reality series about modern day people assuming roles within a medieval castle. This was years before commercial television got on the reality series craze. Linny notes that the only person who was happy in the entire series was the white king. He was clueless that the others were unhappy because he just went about his life and his role and everyone had to accommodate him. Marguerite, likewise, is oblivious to others’ needs. Nancy agrees that Marguerite is self-involved and likes Marguerite’s realization, late in the book, that Damienne had a family she left to serve her. Nancy says pretty much everyone in medieval France were poor peasants.
Nancy likes the king’s sister is the person finally frees Marguerite from Roberval. She wonders if this is a nod to Anne of France. Linny wonders if this is a woman helping woman illustration. Though they have less power, there are still pathways for the women to make change.
Nancy liked the detail of the bear claw which was maybe a symbol of her resilience. Linny thought that the bear claw served as a grounding tool. Grounding tools help people remember things. Linny also talked about the symbolism of the rings and how they were grounding about Marguerite’s heritage. Claire and Marguerite traded rings as a symbol of their friendship. These symbols have Marguerite strength. Nancy remembers Roberval’s box and how that may have been symbolic. Linny thinks it was a mystery and that money and her wealth is a mystery to Marguerite.
Overall, Linny liked the book and she liked the ending. She likes happy endings. They don’t have to be Hollywood-happy or rosy, but she likes that Marguerite got to a decent life. She liked the arc of the character from a pampered girl who has figured out how to have agency in her life. A real feat. Nancy also really liked the book. It reminded her a bit of THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT, an earlier book. Though the love story was tragic, Linny was satisfied with it because Marguerite was able to fall in love with a really nice person.
