An Island

Karen Jennings’s spare, haunting novel follows Samuel, a lighthouse keeper living in isolation, whose life is disrupted when a mysterious refugee washes ashore. Jennings uses this minimalist setting to explore themes of xenophobia, memory, and moral responsibility. The narrative alternates between Samuel’s past and present, revealing the traumas and failures that have shaped him. Jennings’s prose is stark yet lyrical, creating a tense, atmospheric portrait of solitude. The novel’s political undertones are woven subtly but powerfully throughout, offering a chilling reflection on borders and belonging.