The Islands

Emily Brugman (Allen & Unwin, $29.99) In the mid 1950s, a small group of Finnish migrants set up camp on Little Rat, a tiny island off the coast of Western Australia. Drawn there by tragedy, Onni Saari is soon hooked by the stark beauty of the landscape. An ambitious young man, grappling with the loss of a loved one, he is accompanied by wife Alva, quiet but stoic and seeking a sense of belonging, and their pensive daughter, Hilda. As the Saaris try to build their future, their lives entwine with those of the families of Little Rat, in myriad and unexpected ways.