The Black Isle
The Black Isle by Sandi Tan, published by Grand Central Publishing on August 7, 2012, is a 480-page work of fiction that explores the life of young Cassandra, who is uprooted from Shanghai and finds herself in a bustling, immigrant-filled seaport. As she navigates her new environment, she discovers that the Black Isle is inhabited by ghosts that only she can see. This haunting ability adds complexity to her experience as she grapples with loneliness and the challenges of adapting to her new home.
Readers will find a richly woven narrative that spans from the 1920s through the Japanese occupation during World War II, culminating in the transformation of the Isle into a cosmopolitan city. The story delves into themes of identity and belonging, as Cassandra’s unique gift may hold the key to her island’s salvation amidst looming war. The Black Isle presents a vivid portrayal of historical events intertwined with personal struggles, making it a significant addition to the genre of historical sagas.
Official synopsis Publisher
There are ghosts on the Black Isle.
Ghosts that no one can see.
No one…except Cassandra.
Uprooted from Shanghai with her father and twin brother, young Cassandra finds the Black Isle’s bustling, immigrant-filled seaport, swampy jungle, and grand rubber plantations a sharp contrast to the city of her childhood. And she soon makes another discovery: the Black Isle is swarming with ghosts.
Haunted and lonely, Cassandra at first tries to ignore her ability to see the restless apparitions that drift down the street and crouch in cold corners at school. Yet despite her struggles with these spirits, Cassandra comes to love her troubled new home. And soon, she attracts the notice of a dangerously charismatic man.
Even as she becomes a fearless young woman, the Isle’s dark forces won’t let her go. War is looming, and Cassandra wonders if her unique gift might be her beloved island’s only chance for salvation . . .
Taking readers from the 1920s, through the Japanese occupation during WWII, to the Isle’s radical transformation into a gleaming cosmopolitan city, THE BLACK ISLE is a sweeping epic–a deeply imagined, fiercely original tale from a vibrant new voice in fiction.
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