Enchanted Islands

Interested in this based on a review I'd read. It's historical fiction based on the lives of two women born in 1882's Minnesota. The primary focus is on Francine (nee Frankowski) Conway and her best friend who together run away from home at 15 years old. It captures their lives from then on, sometimes in real time and sometimes in Francine's memory. It is very much about relationships in many forms as well as how we adapt to life and survive (or not). For me, I was fascinated that the book is based on Frances' (as she changed her name) memoirs of her fascinating arranged marriage to a homosexual naval officer (20 years her junior) so they could move to the Galapagos Islands in the years leading up to WWII with the intent of spying on the Germans who were already living there. The growth of the relationship between the couple is a huge part of the story. Though the arrangement was to end after a year, they remained married until her husband died. I had never heard of this aspect of WWII and was fascinated. Satisfying story of a pioneering woman in American history.

Rather dull ....