The Light Between OceansThe Light Between Oceans
Score Modern
What it's about
On a remote Australian island, a childless couple quietly keep a lighthouse. Then a boat washes ashore carrying a dead man and a living baby, and they make a decision that will have devastating consequences.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 119 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a moving moral drama about love and loss.
You'll love it if you liked
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Where the Crawdads Sing
The NightingaleGood to know
It's emotional and slow-building. It became a 2016 film.
By the numbers
- Readers39 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller65 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #86 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #116 of the 233 romances we rank
- #826 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1536 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Light Between Oceans worth reading?
Yes. It spent 119 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,536 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Light Between Oceans about?
On a remote Australian island, a childless couple quietly keep a lighthouse. Then a boat washes ashore carrying a dead man and a living baby, and they make a decision that will have devastating consequences.
How long does it take to read The Light Between Oceans?
About 8 hours (339 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Light Between Oceans?
If you liked it, try The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens or The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.