2 out of 4 stars
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The Lighthouse by Tina Hansen introduces us to Jane Sea, a widow mourning the loss of her husband and daughter, who died in a water skiing accident five years before the story begins. Jane is the coordinator of the water skiing show at the Bristol Amusement Park on Lake Arrowhead and is constantly haunted by the accident that forever changed her life. As the story starts, the reader gets the strong sense that Jane is just going through the motions of life with no clear idea about her future. But one phone call from her sister Tracy changes all of that. Jane has inherited property and a lighthouse from her Uncle Delby, who she never met, but whose generous bequeath provides a much-needed opportunity for a fresh start near her childhood home in Point Pele, Michigan.
The story starts off a bit slowly while Jane tidies up her old life and sets out on her new adventure as the owner and operator of the lighthouse and a future bed and breakfast on Big Bear Island, just off the coast of Point Pele. She is quickly reunited with her high school sweetheart and first love, Travis Guy, who is, himself, widowed. She also attempts to rekindle her relationship with her somewhat estranged younger sister, Tracy, who has been shouldering the burden of caring for the girls' dying father while also raising her own family. The sisterly relationship seems to have some interesting angles and issues to explore, but we never really get into the meat of that relationship as Jane is almost completely wrapped up in making improvements to the inherited land and buildings in anticipation of the next summer and the opening of her Inn. Hansen's description of the island and Jane's efforts to prepare it for guests is rich and intriguing, and she eludes often to a darker turn of events possibly involving a haunting in the lighthouse, nefarious intruders on her quiet island home, or a mystery involving the grave of a baby girl.
Despite the excellent set-up, the story never quite provides us with the promised climax. Jane's life is interesting and filled with colorful characters, but the reader is left hanging a bit as though Hansen began a story she didn't quite know how to finish. A bit of a family mystery does emerge, but the impact of the secrets Jane uncovers do not satisfy as expected considering the wonderful build-up of anticipation. It never quite becomes clear what big obstacle Jane is overcoming as we follow her journey with interest or what problem she is meant to solve. The story feels like it is building towards something very big, but that expectation remains unfulfilled after the last page is turned.
Hansen is a skilled story-teller and provides enough detail to paint a very real and clear image without derailing the story with unnecessary forages into backstory or extraneous side stories. What is somewhat lacking is a sense of pacing (the story often jumps without warning to a later place or time) and a knack for dialogue. The dialogue sometimes varies between first and third person, and the characters all feel a bit stiff and overly formal when speaking. These two missteps were disruptive enough to make it difficult to follow along with the narrative at times, but could probably be cured with the assistance of a good editor. But Jane is a very well-developed and easy-to-like protagonist, and it feels like she has many more interesting stories to tell. As a reader, I am still wondering what might have come from some of the incidents Jane describes while settling into her isolated island home.
I give this book 2 out of 4 stars. It was very easy to read and kept me coming back for more, but it just never delivered on the promised climax and left me wondering why the author included what seemed to be foreshadowing of an unexpected twist or surprise. I do think Jane's story has enormous potential if only Hansen would chose one of many possible avenues of adventure and follow it all the way to the end. If you are looking for a short, easy read and you enjoy the idea of starting over in a new adventure, you may very well enjoy this book. Just be prepared for the story to leave you hanging in a place that feels only three-fourths of the way through the action.
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The Lighthouse
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