Up Island

by Anne Rivers Siddons

“A wonderful story. . . .Siddons has returned to what she does gives us a book full of laughter and adventure that has enough soul to leave us with something to think about after we finish reading.”  —  Detroit News/Free Press From childhood, Molly Bell Redwine was taught by her charismatic, domineering mother that "family is everything." But no one warned Molly that family can change unexpectedly. In rapid succession, her husband of more than twenty years abandons her for a younger woman, her mother dies, and her Atlanta clan scatters to the four winds. Molly is set adrift in a heartbeat. With her old world crumbling, Molly takes refuge with a friend on Martha's Vineyard, hoping to come to terms with who she truly is. When the summer season ends, Molly decides to stay on, renting a small cottage on a remote up-island pond—becoming part of an odd, new, very real family that taxes her old outworn notions. And as the long Vineyard winter approaches, Molly braces herself for the arduous task she must a search for renewal and identity, and the strength to carry her through to the warm and healing spring.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Southern, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Book Club

512 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Born Sybil Anne Rivers in Atlanta, Georgia, she was raised in Fairburn, Georgia, and attended Auburn University, where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority.

While at Auburn she wrote a column for the student newspaper, The Auburn Plainsman, that favored integration. The university administration attempted to suppress the column, and ultimately fired her, and the column garnered national attention. She later became a senior editor for Atlanta magazine.

At the age of thirty she married Heyward Siddons, and she and her husband lived in Charleston, South Carolina, and spent summers in Maine. Siddons died of lung cancer on September 11, 2019

Reviews

[Russell Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beware of preconceived notions. When I pulled the battered copy of Up Island from a box of discarded books a friend had asked me to disperse, I saw the author’s name. Anne Rivers Siddons? Isn’t she a romance writer? Or does she do quick-read shallow best sellers? But reading the jacket flap, I saw the novel was set in Atlanta (I love anything set in the South) and in Martha’s Vineyard (a place that is as exotic to me as Afghanistan.) So I pulled the book and placed it on my “to-read” shelf. Someday I would get to it and have a quick sojourn to places both familiar and unknown.
But oh, was I wrong. My preconceived notions were banished as much as protagonist Molly Redwine’s are in the story. Siddons writes literarily, with much grace. Her vocabulary is rich (there are words I used in Scrabble play that I know how to spell, but thanks to Siddons, now know how to use.) Her characters are colorful and wounded. And all that makes for a read that is satisfying and entertaining.
Molly Redwine, an Atlanta well-to-do society wife of a Coca Cola executive, has the perfect life: a daughter who has given Molly a grandchild, a son on the cusp of high school graduation and looking forward to university, a father who adores her, and a husband who is hard-working and supports her—he, the only love she has ever known. For Molly, she has the notion that she has a wonderful family and family is everything. But her life begins to unravel when her husband unceremoniously dumps her for a younger, shrew of a woman. Molly is devastated and in denial. But when she follows a friend—for respite from all this—to the friend’s summer home on Martha’s Vineyard, Molly sees a place to hide. She decides to stay the winter, and she soon encounters an aging, sick Portuguese woman; the woman’s bed-ridden, child-like cousin; and the woman’s one-legged, cantankerous son. Add to the mix Molly’s father, who comes to stay a while, and a pair of overindulged, willful swans. Molly’s post-husband life becomes full and almost unmanageable, but it forces her to confront her notion of what family really is.
Siddons is a superb storyteller, crafting a coming of age story for the middle aged set. I read a lot of young adult novels, which quite often tell of a teen’s ripening into adulthood. But here Siddons confronts Molly Redwine’s stunted growth at middle age, and through her machinations, brings the character, finally, into adulthood. It is masterful. And it makes me want to seek out more of Siddons’s books.

[ꕥ Ange_Lives_To_Read ꕥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed many of Anne Rivers Siddons novels but this story of what happens to Molly Redwine after her mother dies suddenly and her husband leaves her for an awful younger woman is one of her best. She has such a gift for describing places that you can practically see and smell and sense what it is like, even if you've never been there. In this case, it's Martha's Vineyard.

Molly goes to the island to stay with a friend while she recovers from the shock and pain of the terrible events in her life. An odd group of characters, including two surly swans, become Molly's surrogate family as she tries to figure out what to do next. I loved this book so much that I actually contemplated taking a sick day from work so I could finish it.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started out really liking this book, but in the end it was just kind of meh. I felt like it went on FOREVER. How long does it take to get to the inevitable conclusion, the one you knew it was going to get to from page 1? Sheesh.

Also, I thought the dream sequences with her dead mother were a really bizarre thing to focus on. And the romance that developed in the book was a real head scratcher (although I could see it coming from a mile away and kept thinking, "please don't get these people together; it makes no sense").

Still, there is a lot about this book that is both poignant and beautiful. And I'd now like to visit Martha's Vineyard, a desire I never had before.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pat Conroy touted Anne Rivers Siddons as one of the all time great Southern writers, I will have to agree. In this story she takes us to Cape Cod, up island on Martha’s Vineyard. I love books that take place where I have visited, brought back fond memories.

Her writing style is wonderful with meaningful descriptive passages - “fields the color of an old lion’s coat.” Molly’s homey camp sounded just like my own cozy cottage.

I have never read her before, so I’m glad to see she has left us many more novels to enjoy.

I will look at swans through new eyes!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molly's family is turned upside down without warning. She finds out her husband of more than twenty years is leaving her for a younger woman, her domineering mother dies and all of her group of friends is rapidly scattering away. Family has always been "everything". She was a good wife (to her Coca-Cola executive husband), a good mother, and an upstanding woman of the community (and all of the clubs and committees that that entail.)
The new dominating girlfriend has insinuated herself into everything. Molly can't even talk on the phone alone to her husband. Her son can't see his father alone. When she leaves on a short trip she comes home to find them in her house having drinks and starts getting advice from "friends" that she would be more comfortable in a different setting - they want her house.
She decides to go to Martha's Vineyard for a vacation with her outspoken friend from the north (a friend that has never really been accepted into Atlanta society). When her lawyer advises her to go along with whatever the husband wants in order to show that she has been cooperative, (and get a better settlement), she decided to stay for a while on the island.
While she was exploring upisland she saw a sign for a "camp" with "small feeding swan" duties. When she stops to check it out, she is immediately sucked into a new situation. Belle is the lady who owns the "camp" (a small house that islanders live in during "season" when they rent out their own homes to tourists). She inherited the land from her husband's family who has been on the island forever. She lives with Luz who is now an invalid. When she takes Molly to see the camp, she explains that there would be light duty feeding the swans, getting them groceries and occasionally taking them to doctor's appointments. There is also the matter of her son who is living in the other "camp" house. Dennis has just had his leg amputated because of cancer.
The small house is terribly rundown and Molly decides she isn't going to take them up on their offer until Belle convinces her to at least give them a few days and see how they have fixed it up. The house is totally transformed with everything washed and clean, even food in the refrigerator and wood ready to burn. It looks like the ideal place to recover and rest from her situation in Atlanta.
She immediately finds out that the situation is far from ideal. The swans hate her, Dennis knows he needs someone but is still angry about his situation - he also hasn't spoken to his mother in decades. Belle is a walking heart attack waiting to happen. Luz is an invalid with the mind of a child. Molly's newly widowed father is totally depressed and an "intrusion" on his son's life in Boston.
She calls her father and tells him she really needs a little help and he comes to visit her. He immediately bonds with the swans and gets along with Dennis. They all fall into a comfortable routine, until several things happen.
The female swan is killed and since swans mate for life, the male becomes very depressed and disappears. This sends the father into a further depression and all he wants to do is sleep. The two old ladies need a lot more care and the winter is getting worse. Molly becomes overwhelmed and Dennis steps in and reconciles with his mother, then Belle has a heart attack and dies.
Molly sees that her old family and way of life have moved on and she has become a part of a strange new family.
Side note: the male swan returns with a new mate - its the start of a renewal for her father too.

[bex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written and moving tale about a woman whose husband leaves her for someone else. Then her mother dies.

The thing is, I don't think this book is so much about divorce as it is about identity. Not just the way people identify you, but, more importantly, the way you identify yourself and what roles you play with the people around you. When something happens and you lose some of these labels and roles, it can be quite a struggle to define yourself to yourself and learn to live with your changed situation. And divorce and death of a loved one aren't the only things that can cause identity loss. It can also happen if you lose your job or struggle with health issues or even just get older and can't do some things you used to.

If you look at other prominent characters--her father and Dennis--they are dealing with the same issues of lost identity. The father is no longer husband. Dennis is coping with the loss of his leg and cancer, both of which prevent him from doing multiple things that used to be part of his identity. He used to be a runner even at a competitive level and he used to be a teacher. And once upon a time he was also husband and father. And he still hasn't dealt with what he views as his mother's rejection when he was a child, which lost his many roles in his young life.

I found myself able to relate to several of the characters and their struggles to make sense of who they are considering what is lost.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in a charity shop and reckon I got the book deal of the year. It was one of 'two for £1.25' and I don't remember better value for money. I loved it and as a bonus it was in great condition!

An author new to me, Anne Rivers Siddons told the story beautifully. I love words and phrases in their own right not just as part of a story, as I guess most readers do and there was so much here in which to delight. The characters were real, flaws and all. From the discovery and shock of infidelity in the first few pages to the fallout from that, not just for Molly but for extended family and friends, the mix of poignancy, pathos and humour was spot on. The wonderful descriptions of land, sea and skyscapes set me down in New Hampshire with a fascinating, albeit motley, collection of humanity. The sense of 'place' was very strong throughout.

This is a book of two parts. The first shorter part, set in socially upmarket, corporate world Atlanta. The second longer, in a frugal, simpler but demanding life on Martha's Vineyard. The in-between, transitional chapters which could have been flat, were saved for me by the quality of the writing, that sense of being there and again, the poignancy of feelings expressed, exposed and trodden on. An example: The conversation overheard by Molly, between Molly's 'best friend' from Atlanta and other guests at a party on The Vineyard also attended by the Clintons. Disloyalty and betrayal unwittingly but cruelly demonstrated to a vulnerable friend - ouch!

I have just looked at other reviews and can see how some readers felt that the characters were weak, or self absorbed but I feel that everyone deals with life's blows and disappointments in the way their personality and character dictates. Whilst I couldn't personally identify with any of them, I totally bought into them and their struggles. If the ending was rather predictable and there was a little bit of whimsy associated with the dreams and the swans, it didn't matter one iota to me, I found Up Island a thoroughly engrossing read.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this to be a rather dark story. I struggled to keep reading, but in the end finished the book, and I'm glad I did.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly Bell Redwine has had the mantra 'family means everything' instilled in her from early childhood by her charismatic, demanding mother. But in what seems like a single instant, Molly's world is tilted on its axis and she is shaken to her very core by the aftermath. When her husband of more than twenty years leaves her for a much younger woman, Molly's world crumbles around her. She is devastated to learn that the "Other Woman" has stepped in to Molly's life and essentially replaced her - moving into Molly's house, taking over her social position and earning the affection of Molly's son.

With the death of her domineering mother, Molly is truly set adrift in the world. Seeking refuge with a friend in Martha's Vineyard, Molly begins to search for her own identity. When her friend departs, she decides to stay in Martha's Vineyard by herself. Molly rents a small cottage, assuming the duties of caretaker for two cantankerous elderly women who share a haunting secret, the gravely ill and estranged son of one of those women, and a pair of territorial swans.

As Molly's stay on Martha's Vineyard widens the distance between her and her old life in Atlanta, she learns to let go of her outdated notions of family and becomes part of a different - but still very real - new family. As winter closes in on Martha's Vineyard, Molly struggles to nurture them and looks forward to a more hopeful future.

I really enjoyed reading Up Island. In my opinion, Anne Rivers Siddons is a truly great author - she really draws the reader into the story, and they are captured by a desire to know what happens next. I vaguely remember reading this book before several years ago, but I couldn't really remember most of the plot, so it was like reading an entirely new book for me. I give Up Island by Anne Rivers Siddons an A+! and will place it on my keeper shelf to read again.

[Marleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were parts of this book that I hated, and parts that I loved. Up Island doesn’t leave me unmoved, that’s for sure! I thank the author for bringing to life such genuine characters. Honestly, almost everyone in this story is either irritating or selfish, naïve, mean, sad, depressing, spiteful – and I can go on and on.. Except at the end, those few Ponders who come to Molly's aid, finally to assist her in caring for their own estranged relatives – a bit late, but nevertheless – they felt more like normal down-to-earth people. Molly’s father fit right into that category. A good egg. So is Molly. She has a heart of gold really, but she doesn't know it because she has such a distorted image of herself. Her mother was the cause of that, of course. You’ll have to read this to understand.

So what was the allure of this book? The real-feel of the events occurring, for one, and the authentic characters for another, certainly – and I think that’s what will stay with me most. Oh, How my anxiety piqued when reading how poor Molly was betrayed by her cavalier husband of so many years – and that Sherri-woman he hooked up with! That horrible Sherri felt so entitled – What a cow. The situation pained me so much. I guess you got it: This is NOT your typical feel-good book, far from it. But in the end you get away with a positive vibe, nonetheless.
Part of the story is set on the east-side of Martha’s Vineyard which islanders call Up Island. It felt beautiful and again, a bit depressing: that long winter, brrrrrr – I felt the cold coming of the page.

Some other reviewers are right when they say this book is mostly about finding your identity, but it is also about scratching the surface and getting to know your loved-ones a bit better.
If you don't need your stories neatly tied up with little bows on top, then this is a read for you.

[Linda Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book for years and just have ignored it. Now that I've remedied that, I can't believe I waited this long. Molly Bell is gobsmacked when her husband suddenly reveals an affair and wants a divorce. Her mother, with whom she has had a strained relationship, has just died, her father is depressed and acting strangely, her brother is non-supportive, and her son is leaving for college. Faced with what seems to be overwhelming decisions, she flees to Chappaquidick Island for a summer stay with a friend. When fall arrives, she can't face going home to Atlanta so she answers an ad to care for a remote cottage and a pair of unfriendly swans in the up island area. What she didn't bargain for was being of serious help to the cousins who rent her the cottage and the son of one of them who is recovering from cancer surgery. As she faces her problems, tries to deal with her mother's death, her father's depression, the swans, and her landladies, and the invalid son, she learns truths about herself. At the end of a harsh winter, she has grown as a person. This is a wonderful book. The imagery of the island during the winter is so vivid and beautiful that the island becomes one of the more fascinating characters.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer read with a predictable plot about a southern woman whose husband leaves her for a younger version. She spends the summer recovering and rebuilding her life on Martha's Vineyard with many references to a thinly disguised Chappy Beach Club, Edgartown and Vineyard life in general. Siddons is a good writer and her prose and plot lines are engaging.
My favorite part of the book was the reference to the swans Up Island near Chilmark where she spends the winter. Swans mate for life. The female swan can no longer fly due to some kind of injured wing hence they winter over on a pond near the main character's winter home. The descriptions and imagery of the swans, winter life on a frozen pond and what it really means to mate for life I found memorable. I have never looked at swans the same way since.

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does indeed stay with you. At first, it seems like a standard tale of a woman’s failed marriage and her quest for meaning… but then it quickly moves deeper, following that quest, but proving how each and every character is hiding something from themselves, for various reasons.

Depression, pain and love are all major themes covered in depth, and it has made me think about all three, a fact which alone makes it more than worth reading. The beautiful Southern style of realism versus romance makes the journey that much more palatable – even when you despise some of the characters, you are still trying to figure out how this unusual story will continue, as with the main character’s life itself.

[B. Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siddons' descriptions are exquisite.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book about the re-defining of family, from one extreme to another.

[Masteatro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Llegué a este libro por casualidad gracias a su localización en la pintoresca Martha's Vineyard.
Es una novela que habla de muchísimas cosas: la familoa, el matrimonio, la maternidad-paternidad, el fracaso matrimonial, la soledad, la depresión, el duelo, la enfermedad, la vejez, la amistad, los procesos de recuperación, la añoranza, el empezar de cero... ¿sigo?
Ha sido uan lectura muy agradable y también dura y conmovedora en ocasiones. Quizá se podría haber contado la misma historia con 50 páginas menos pero en cualquier caso, la he leído muy a gusto y creo que la autora tiene un estilo cuidado y a la vez cercano.

[Deemcgdiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Up Island was full of intense emotions, life’s complexities and a wide array of family dynamics. Haunting and dark in so many ways, yet raw and beautiful in others. Very well written.

[Nfrances · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, liked it a lot

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always thought I wouldn't like Siddons' novels, but I decided to try this one. I really liked her writing and wonderful character development. I will miss Molly's "families" especially her Up Island one. I was sad when I finished the book.
I was concerned that the story's ending would be depressing with all the drama each character brought, but it wasn't. Sure, there was sadness, but the ending left the reader with hope.
The pair of surly swans were part of the charm of the book.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading Anne Rivers Siddons stories. I love the world she takes me to. This is the second book of hers I've read and I plan to read a lot more. I like the way she contrasts the development of the seasons and nature with her story and characters.

The main character, Molly, was entirely believable to me. I've known women like her - the author's description of her denial behavior in coping with the difficulties she encounters is so real. Molly drove me crazy in places because it was obvious there were things happening, but Molly just chose not to deal with it - reminded me of my mother. But, I care about Molly and identify with her losses. Siddons characters are multi-dimensional.

The swans were an important part of the story for me. I love all birds to begin with and knew that swans mate for life and they are very precious birds. Family being an important plot of this story, the swans were perfect for representing the quality of fidelity. I loved the relationship between Molly's father, Tim, and the swans. I couldn't understand why Molly didn't have that same sensitivity.

There were a few places that I feel the author left hanging - like the mention of Molly cutting Dennis's hair, but she never did? Or, the bed sores of Luz that got treated and mentioned only once? That was part of the ongoing demands on Molly and I kept waiting to get to the part of some resolution on these two issues.

But, that's just a small part of the story. I learned more about Martha's Vineyard. I had no idea they still had "wild" places on the Vineyard. I loved visiting it vicariously in this story. I do like the way the story ended. The maturity on Molly's part through this story is shown in the ending.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts out as the typical blue-print for a contemporary novel; Suburban wife is left by husband, runs off to vineyard to lick her wounds and find inner healing.
I was pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness and depth of this book, despite the cliches.
At first, I was slightly disappointed by the initial shallowness of the plot and characters...
but the more the story developed, the more human it became. Although this is marketed as a beach read, and follows many of those tropes, it tackles a lot of darker subjects. Especially grief and death. I really appreciated the diversity in the characters and their intimate struggles, It was refreshing.

It also helps that Mrs Siddons is a very good writer, Its very easy but eloquent reading. She's very good at taking you somewhere else with world building and atmosphere.
If you want a good beach read with some actual heart, I'd definitely recommend this.

[Karole Petty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first by this author, the characters hooked me and drew me in from the first few pages. Enjoyed the storyline but, grew so frustrated with the character of Molly. She is a complex character most definitely damaged from her mother but, so wanted her to wake up and figure her shit out! Enjoyed all the characters she met but, she was very naïve to the world especially relationships. The author could drone on with her descriptions of the island which became very confusing when latter in the book she would mention these places. Thought after taking 400 pages to get us where she wanted us to be that it was a rather abrupt ending. Would to like to have known more of what became of her situation... I feel everything was left unfinished. I might give this author one more chance to woo me. Don't think I would recommend this book or author to anyone as of yet.... But one can always judge for them selves.

[Kim R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book dragged on forever. The beginning was good, but by the middle, the prose was so overly descriptive that I ended up skimming some sentences and even some paragraphs. The ending seemed rushed and predictable. Actually, the whole premise of Molly taking care of 2 old ladies, an estranged son, and her depressed father was a bit unbelievable. How much can one woman do without the skill set to do it? The snow scene with Dennis after the sled ride (won't spoil it here) was ridiculous. IN THE SNOW???
When you finally find out the reason why all these characters hated one another, I was bored with all of them. I know families have conflicts, but this "reason" sounded "eh" to me. I was expecting something gruesome or hideous or something other than the reason given. (Copyrite 1997, so maybe it was the times, I don't know.)

[Kathryn Rothermel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered Anne Rivers Siddons when I read a book I'd purchased at a library's used book sale. I enjoyed the book and wanted to read more of her titles, so I searched our local library for more. Up Island is just what I'd hoped it would be. I have never visited or lived anywhere on the east coast of the U.S., except Florida. I enjoy reading about the culture of areas that I have heard of but never visited. Anne Rivers Siddons is very good at making the reader feel part of the story. She gives details about clothes, food, people, everything. I like books with lots of detail. This story is interesting and the characters are too. I am going to pick out a few more from the library, so I can continue enjoying this new author, to me.

[Colleen Lahey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne Siddons does an excellent job exploring complex, relationships in this book. Molly finds out that her husband is cheating on her and he effectively pushes her out of her own home in Atlanta so his new fiance can move in. Molly finds temporary housing in Martha's Vineyard up island. There she agrees to help care for two elederly ladies, their son who has cancer and has lost a leg and two swans. In the meantime, her mother dies and her father and her dog, Lazurus join her on the island. This is a beautiful, heartfelt story about difficult relationships and what consitutes families. Anne's book is truly moving.

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just did not like this book in the least! I am stubborn so when I start something I want to finish it but I thought about giving up on this book more than once! The author uses pompous language like "He obviously was not in immediate extremis" and several reference to flotsam and jetsam to describe the debris of the main character's life but this main character was anything but pompous. She was almost cowardly and childlike. An ostrich wanting to bury her head in the sand. The ending provided no resolution to the underlying conflict ( the break up of the main character's marriage). Truly disappointing! I won't read another Anne Rivers Siddons book.

[Barner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel, published in 1997. The plot is one that is not surprising, some of the characters are rather grotesque on first meeting, but the general idea of putting aside one's pain (loss of spouse, divorce, illness) by thinking of others is a good one. The dreams Molly has about her dead mother did not strike me as real at all, but the other configurations I could believe. The swans are important: they mate for life and bring such joy to the characters, giving them release just by their very presence. Nature can do that. This book probably is for women readers.

[~mad · Rating 3 out of 5]

7.8.16 - reading this again after finishing PEACHTREE ROAD earlier in the day.

Love her words. Must finish to see why I gave it only three stars previously in 2008!

Finished 7.10.16 - just a great read - why do good uthor hav to age and/or die? ARS, Pat Conroy...

10.08.19 reading again before I cull it! This will be the third time.finished this one in less than 24 hours. I’m on a roll! Still loved it even tho I only gave it three stars the first time.

[Jeri · Rating 3 out of 5]

middle aged woman in Atlanta torn apart when her husband, a coca cola executive announces he wants to marry a younger woman. Fleeing to Martha's Vineyards at the suggestion of a friend just for the summer, she remains there and finds herself and others....a book to make you laugh and cry and laugh some more.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. An easy summer read. I could identify with the main character in that I've never felt complete unless I was caring for someone else and taking care of their needs. The book brought the main character through betrayal and pain, and their immediate consequences, to eventual healing.