AN ISLAND LONG AGO

Julie Burnette Feingold’s sweeping historical novel, AN ISLAND LONG AGO, is a romantic family saga stretching from the late 19th century into the mid-20th century. When the Americans occupy the Philippines after the Spanish-American war, love between an American solider and a Filipina woman has generations’ worth of consequences. Add in a cruel family matriarch and a selfish choice made by a love-struck, guilt-ridden priest, and there are layers of drama and tragedy with a backdrop that is both dramatic and exotic. Feingold’s exploration of how the consequences of political decisions affect the daily lives of regular people, and, especially, create additional pain and chaos for the women, are well-depicted and often heart-breaking. AN ISLAND LONG AGO has echoes of love, loss, and hope that resonate.