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Islands of Mice
Norway. 1942.
The islands of Smøla are darkened not just by the long nights, but by blackout and Occupation. Solveig Eik dreams of being a hero. She’s bored of her everyday life, of tearing propaganda posters off walls, listening to hidden radios, and arguing with Liv Sunde – the islands’ glamourous schoolteacher and the girlfriend of the German colonel.
Opportunity steps out of the shadows when she finds a man, hiding from the Germans in a cave. As Solveig navigates treacherous waters and her plans spiral out of control, she finds that all too often the line between patriot, hero and traitor is razor thin.
A gripping story of love and resistance, perfect for fans of SARAH WATERS, LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB and THE MERCIES.
The islands of Smøla are darkened not just by the long nights, but by blackout and Occupation. Solveig Eik dreams of being a hero. She’s bored of her everyday life, of tearing propaganda posters off walls, listening to hidden radios, and arguing with Liv Sunde – the islands’ glamourous schoolteacher and the girlfriend of the German colonel.
Opportunity steps out of the shadows when she finds a man, hiding from the Germans in a cave. As Solveig navigates treacherous waters and her plans spiral out of control, she finds that all too often the line between patriot, hero and traitor is razor thin.
A gripping story of love and resistance, perfect for fans of SARAH WATERS, LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB and THE MERCIES.
403 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 9, 2024
4 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 17, 2024
4 Stars
Since most war efforts/survival/resistance stories have American and British pov, it is so enlightening and entertaining to read from the Norwegian’s pov.
If I’m being honest, I haven’t read much from other European country’s citizens when it comes to WWII. And as mentioned above, Island of Mice was a good change.
The story was original, thrilling and how the author painted the whole setting gave it a very noir-ish vibe and I’m here for it. I adoooore how the author very subtly showed how humans are nuanced. Despite the war, hardships, rations and people drawing lines between them and the enemy, most of us do what we do to survive.
Since most war efforts/survival/resistance stories have American and British pov, it is so enlightening and entertaining to read from the Norwegian’s pov.
If I’m being honest, I haven’t read much from other European country’s citizens when it comes to WWII. And as mentioned above, Island of Mice was a good change.
The story was original, thrilling and how the author painted the whole setting gave it a very noir-ish vibe and I’m here for it. I adoooore how the author very subtly showed how humans are nuanced. Despite the war, hardships, rations and people drawing lines between them and the enemy, most of us do what we do to survive.
October 31, 2024
Islands of Mice is a historical novel that takes place in the 1940s in Norway, showing us the line between right and wrong, black and white. Solveig dreams of becoming part of the resistance, a fighter against the oppression of the Germans. Life on the island she lives in is boring, with no change...until Liv Sunde, a German sympathizer, comes as a school teacher to the island, and Solveig finds a supposed member of the resistance who fought against the Germans in a cave. Now is the chance to prove her worth to the world, which thinks her place in the world is not with the Resistance. But sometimes the lines between dreams and reality can be thin...
A lot of things in the literary world are glamoured up in the end, something readers would call a HEA. Lucy Jacobs does something totally different. She peels off the glamor, or the rose-colored glasses of the main character with her narrative. Solveig is someone who had planned her entire life in dreams and tries to see the real world as her ideal dream. She does not try to see the entire scene or listen to the details, since her imaginations fill them up. But as the story progresses, she realizes that there are consequences to her ‘heroic actions’, and real life does not reflect her idealist dreams. With such a character, Lucy Jacobs brings a heavy dose of reality and the element of truly growing up to see the world and its brutal truth to her historical fiction. This was different from the usual historical fiction I’ve read, and I loved it so much!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A lot of things in the literary world are glamoured up in the end, something readers would call a HEA. Lucy Jacobs does something totally different. She peels off the glamor, or the rose-colored glasses of the main character with her narrative. Solveig is someone who had planned her entire life in dreams and tries to see the real world as her ideal dream. She does not try to see the entire scene or listen to the details, since her imaginations fill them up. But as the story progresses, she realizes that there are consequences to her ‘heroic actions’, and real life does not reflect her idealist dreams. With such a character, Lucy Jacobs brings a heavy dose of reality and the element of truly growing up to see the world and its brutal truth to her historical fiction. This was different from the usual historical fiction I’ve read, and I loved it so much!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 9, 2024
To begin with, I just want to say that I loved the familiarity of the book being set in my homecountry, and the use of the Norwegian language and names! For once I could pronounce all the names correctly!🇧🇻
The book is definitely slower paced than many others, but that’s how life is at the islands dotting our coast. The important thing is that slower pace does not equal boring. The way it is written, had me almost feeling the wind in my hair, and smelling the salt of the sea. I could feel the despair in Solveig as she is trying to figure out how to be everything – a good daughter, a good farmer, and also an aspiring Resistance hero, while all at the same time navigating her feelings and relationship with Liv, the teacher from the big city, who is also on the wrong side of the war.
Despite the slower pace, the story, with its severeal twists and turns, had me on the edge of my seat, hardly able to put the book down, needing to know what happened next!📚
I would absolutely love a sequel to this
The book is definitely slower paced than many others, but that’s how life is at the islands dotting our coast. The important thing is that slower pace does not equal boring. The way it is written, had me almost feeling the wind in my hair, and smelling the salt of the sea. I could feel the despair in Solveig as she is trying to figure out how to be everything – a good daughter, a good farmer, and also an aspiring Resistance hero, while all at the same time navigating her feelings and relationship with Liv, the teacher from the big city, who is also on the wrong side of the war.
Despite the slower pace, the story, with its severeal twists and turns, had me on the edge of my seat, hardly able to put the book down, needing to know what happened next!📚
I would absolutely love a sequel to this
August 6, 2025
(3.75)
September 30, 2024
Solveig is a young woman living with her family on an island off the coast of Norway during WWII and the German occupation. Looking to prove herself as a resistance fighter, Solveig encounters an Army deserter living in a cave and agrees to bring him food. She's also captivated by Liv, the new schoolteacher who unfortunately is a member of the collaborationist NS. The two end up forging a tentative friendship that, one night during a storm, becomes something more. But how compromised is Solveig willing to be?
This well-researched historical novel does an excellent job of placing the reader in the unforgiving setting of punishing storms and extreme cold of the islands, whose residents live off the sea and tend sheep, cows and pigs. Solveig's dreams belie her immaturity even if her heart's in the right place. But like the metaphor of the mice, little incidents tend to eat away at her sense of self and her values.
I'm going with 5 stars with one reservation. While it's clear that Liv's loyalties lie with the Germans, the author is trying to explain this by emphasizing her fear of Soviet Communism, especially given how geographically close Norway is to the USSR. But even that much gray area made me a bit uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the book is well written and an interesting look at a sapphic relationship during a really difficult time.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via Book Siren.
This well-researched historical novel does an excellent job of placing the reader in the unforgiving setting of punishing storms and extreme cold of the islands, whose residents live off the sea and tend sheep, cows and pigs. Solveig's dreams belie her immaturity even if her heart's in the right place. But like the metaphor of the mice, little incidents tend to eat away at her sense of self and her values.
I'm going with 5 stars with one reservation. While it's clear that Liv's loyalties lie with the Germans, the author is trying to explain this by emphasizing her fear of Soviet Communism, especially given how geographically close Norway is to the USSR. But even that much gray area made me a bit uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the book is well written and an interesting look at a sapphic relationship during a really difficult time.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via Book Siren.
February 4, 2025
I appreciated the different perspective to WW2 that this book took because this setting isn’t often covered in historical fiction about that time period. The author also captured the atmosphere of the town really well and it felt very isolated.
The main character Solveig was obnoxiously stubborn and deeply uninformed about what the hell was going on. I understood her desire to be a hero and to be brave. And the struggle of reconciling her dreams and the limitations of her gender but she was unbelievably naive and so wrong so many times.
“Her voice seems to have dried in her throat, sticking to the roof of her mouth. Your country needs you, Solveig. To fetch and carry, to cook and probably clean. To be a good little woman.
Some hero, confined to the kitchen.” I felt bad for her at the beginning but her immaturity started to grate on me as the book went on.
“She gave away information, betrayed a friend to certain punishment, and gained none in return. That’s terrible tactics, an awful waste of resources.
Idiot.” Truly. Her logic was dumb as shit. No one had asked to do this and now she ruined her reputation in her small town and fucked over a nice man, who was kind to her for nothing. She wasn’t commissioned for spy work by an actual organisation and was operating on wrong information for most of the book.
“It was necessary, she tells herself. She had to gain the trust of the NS somehow. ”.
“She’s a soldier in a hidden war, ”The main character was way too romantic for her sake and the people around her.
“He has brought her so much trouble. It’s his fault, all of it. If he hadn’t been there, if she hadn’t found him, helped him, her life would have gone on as normal. Those fantasies of resistance, glory would have stayed just that.” What?? After the first time, she should have never gone to see him again or even brought him home to her family barn. I disliked Solveig so much. I mean Lars was an unstable asshole but she can't blame everything on him. She was so juvenile and naive for a 22 year old.
The ending felt a bit rushed. I would have liked if there was a bit more time around in the barn and the consequences of it. It happened and then was resolved in less than 20 pages.
The main character Solveig was obnoxiously stubborn and deeply uninformed about what the hell was going on. I understood her desire to be a hero and to be brave. And the struggle of reconciling her dreams and the limitations of her gender but she was unbelievably naive and so wrong so many times.
“Her voice seems to have dried in her throat, sticking to the roof of her mouth. Your country needs you, Solveig. To fetch and carry, to cook and probably clean. To be a good little woman.
Some hero, confined to the kitchen.” I felt bad for her at the beginning but her immaturity started to grate on me as the book went on.
“She gave away information, betrayed a friend to certain punishment, and gained none in return. That’s terrible tactics, an awful waste of resources.
Idiot.” Truly. Her logic was dumb as shit. No one had asked to do this and now she ruined her reputation in her small town and fucked over a nice man, who was kind to her for nothing. She wasn’t commissioned for spy work by an actual organisation and was operating on wrong information for most of the book.
“It was necessary, she tells herself. She had to gain the trust of the NS somehow. ”.
“She’s a soldier in a hidden war, ”The main character was way too romantic for her sake and the people around her.
“He has brought her so much trouble. It’s his fault, all of it. If he hadn’t been there, if she hadn’t found him, helped him, her life would have gone on as normal. Those fantasies of resistance, glory would have stayed just that.” What?? After the first time, she should have never gone to see him again or even brought him home to her family barn. I disliked Solveig so much. I mean Lars was an unstable asshole but she can't blame everything on him. She was so juvenile and naive for a 22 year old.
The ending felt a bit rushed. I would have liked if there was a bit more time around in the barn and the consequences of it. It happened and then was resolved in less than 20 pages.
September 27, 2024
Fans of historical Sapphic fiction rejoice!! This book is an absolute stunner and I recommend it wholeheartedly. Set in the remote islands of German-occupied Norway during WW2, we have atmospheric storytelling, secrets and lies, the exploration of morality (especially within the context of war) and two ladies destined to be together, against all odds!
Solveig has lived in the lighthouse at Smøla almost her entire life. She looks after sheep, raises pigs and cows and keeps herself to herself… she also fancies herself a resistance fighter against the oppressions of the Germans. Her world is turned upside down when the new schoolteacher arrives on the island - the beautiful and mysterious Liv Sunde. Liv is a card carrying member of the NS (a German-sympathetic faction in Norway) and Solveig immediately dislikes her.
But as the war wages on and island life starts to become oppressive and toxic, Solveig realises she and Liv have more in common than she wants to admit. Throw in a few brutal storms, a terrifying stranger and fearful whispers of military retribution in the town and you have this thrilling melting pot of drama!
Read Islands of Mice for:
✨ Sapphic historical novel set in WW2
✨ Set on the remote Norwegian islands
✨ Schoolteacher x lighthouse keeper
✨ Exploring the morality of war
✨ Small town gossip and fear
✨ Beautiful atmospheric writing
✨ Mysterious, twisting plot
✨ They’re gay and they do crime
Thank you to the author and Booksirens for an eARC of this amazing book! It’s out on 9th October 2024.
Trigger warning, minor spoiler - this book does contain a scene where a woman is in peril whilst giving birth (Solveig’s sister) however both mother and baby are fine.
Solveig has lived in the lighthouse at Smøla almost her entire life. She looks after sheep, raises pigs and cows and keeps herself to herself… she also fancies herself a resistance fighter against the oppressions of the Germans. Her world is turned upside down when the new schoolteacher arrives on the island - the beautiful and mysterious Liv Sunde. Liv is a card carrying member of the NS (a German-sympathetic faction in Norway) and Solveig immediately dislikes her.
But as the war wages on and island life starts to become oppressive and toxic, Solveig realises she and Liv have more in common than she wants to admit. Throw in a few brutal storms, a terrifying stranger and fearful whispers of military retribution in the town and you have this thrilling melting pot of drama!
Read Islands of Mice for:
✨ Sapphic historical novel set in WW2
✨ Set on the remote Norwegian islands
✨ Schoolteacher x lighthouse keeper
✨ Exploring the morality of war
✨ Small town gossip and fear
✨ Beautiful atmospheric writing
✨ Mysterious, twisting plot
✨ They’re gay and they do crime
Thank you to the author and Booksirens for an eARC of this amazing book! It’s out on 9th October 2024.
Trigger warning, minor spoiler - this book does contain a scene where a woman is in peril whilst giving birth (Solveig’s sister) however both mother and baby are fine.
October 14, 2024
This book was so good! I could not put it down. I haven’t read a lot of historical fiction recently, at least not World War 2 related, but it used to be my favorite genre. This book definitely reignited that genre for me. This story took place in Norway during World War 2. It’s crazy that I never have really thought of how life was in Norway during that time period simply because of how many of the books I’ve read (both fiction and nonfiction) surrounding WW2 talked mainly about France, England, Germany, and/or Poland. I just never heard about Norway and what they went through.
This book followed a woman named Solveig, a farmer from a remote island of Norway, and her journey dealing with the Nazi occupation on her home islands. She dreamed of being part of the Resistance and stopping the Nazis, all while falling for a Nazi sympathizer who came to the island as a school teacher. The story had so many layers to it, but it captured and held my attention so well.
This book was beautifully written with wonderful characters and insight into those characters. There was LGBTQ+ representation in a time period where it was basically forbidden to be LGBTQ (this was a main theme). There were minor editing issues but I got an ARC copy so it might be fixed in the actual purchased version. They didn’t interrupt the story or make it difficult to read; they were very easy to gloss over. It was a heartbreaking book but so, so worth it.
Overall, I loved it. I would highly suggest reading this one. I will definitely read more of this author as she publishes more since I believe this is her debut novel.
Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book followed a woman named Solveig, a farmer from a remote island of Norway, and her journey dealing with the Nazi occupation on her home islands. She dreamed of being part of the Resistance and stopping the Nazis, all while falling for a Nazi sympathizer who came to the island as a school teacher. The story had so many layers to it, but it captured and held my attention so well.
This book was beautifully written with wonderful characters and insight into those characters. There was LGBTQ+ representation in a time period where it was basically forbidden to be LGBTQ (this was a main theme). There were minor editing issues but I got an ARC copy so it might be fixed in the actual purchased version. They didn’t interrupt the story or make it difficult to read; they were very easy to gloss over. It was a heartbreaking book but so, so worth it.
Overall, I loved it. I would highly suggest reading this one. I will definitely read more of this author as she publishes more since I believe this is her debut novel.
Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 19, 2024
This debut is way too good to be a debut!
I loved Solveig! Sometimes I find it hard to relate to women on the page, but not here! Solveig had my heart from the first moment she couldn't take her eyes off Liv.(I probably couldn't either.) She's a perfect protagonist, both smart and strong-willed, with just a tiny bit of revolutionary naivety that I personally couldn't begrudge anyone.
Showing exactly how wartime occupation feels for the occupied people, Jacobs paints an eerie and familiar picture. I loved how even the smallest side characters felt nuanced. Nuance is actually the perfect word to describe people stuck in such a situation. No one's actions are perfectly patriotic all the time, not if they want to survive. No resistance fight is always glamorous, especially when you're a woman. Not every occupying soldier is a sadist. People are just people, trying to live their lives in the systems that exist around them. This book gives us plenty of examples, and they all feel crushingly real.
While the romance plot is deeply interwoven in everything, don't expect this book to be about the romance. It's about everything in Solveig's life, and a woman like her can't afford to be only concerned with her love life. I'd call it more historical fiction with a romance plot than a historical romance. And I think that's absolutely fair, considering the setting.
CW: (era-appropriate) misogyny, descriptions of childbirth (side character)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved Solveig! Sometimes I find it hard to relate to women on the page, but not here! Solveig had my heart from the first moment she couldn't take her eyes off Liv.(I probably couldn't either.) She's a perfect protagonist, both smart and strong-willed, with just a tiny bit of revolutionary naivety that I personally couldn't begrudge anyone.
Showing exactly how wartime occupation feels for the occupied people, Jacobs paints an eerie and familiar picture. I loved how even the smallest side characters felt nuanced. Nuance is actually the perfect word to describe people stuck in such a situation. No one's actions are perfectly patriotic all the time, not if they want to survive. No resistance fight is always glamorous, especially when you're a woman. Not every occupying soldier is a sadist. People are just people, trying to live their lives in the systems that exist around them. This book gives us plenty of examples, and they all feel crushingly real.
While the romance plot is deeply interwoven in everything, don't expect this book to be about the romance. It's about everything in Solveig's life, and a woman like her can't afford to be only concerned with her love life. I'd call it more historical fiction with a romance plot than a historical romance. And I think that's absolutely fair, considering the setting.
CW: (era-appropriate) misogyny, descriptions of childbirth (side character)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 6, 2024
ARC review of Islands of Mice by Lucy Jacobs!
4.5⭐️
A really beautiful debut from Lucy Jacobs! This historical, sapphic fiction takes place during WWII in rural Norway. It follows Solveig as she struggles to accept and challenge her reality as a young, queer woman who desires nothing more than to be fully immersed in the Resistance.
Lucy Jacobs has beautiful prose. The setting was so unique. I felt like I was beside Solveig, tending to her livestock in the bitter wind. I could taste the salt in the air. I could hear the waves crashing into the rocks.
The story itself was slower paced but felt appropriate for the atmosphere set by the author. On the other hand, the romantic relationship between Solveig and her love interest felt a bit rushed at times. The timeline of the story was also confusing at certain points.
Each of the characters introduced were interesting and imperfect. I sort of wished we could have learned more about certain side characters and their motivations, but the townsfolk and life happening around Solveig felt realistic, and since the story is from Solveig’s point of view, we will just have to rely on her perceptions, even if they are biased.
I look forward to reading future works by the author!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
4.5⭐️
A really beautiful debut from Lucy Jacobs! This historical, sapphic fiction takes place during WWII in rural Norway. It follows Solveig as she struggles to accept and challenge her reality as a young, queer woman who desires nothing more than to be fully immersed in the Resistance.
Lucy Jacobs has beautiful prose. The setting was so unique. I felt like I was beside Solveig, tending to her livestock in the bitter wind. I could taste the salt in the air. I could hear the waves crashing into the rocks.
The story itself was slower paced but felt appropriate for the atmosphere set by the author. On the other hand, the romantic relationship between Solveig and her love interest felt a bit rushed at times. The timeline of the story was also confusing at certain points.
Each of the characters introduced were interesting and imperfect. I sort of wished we could have learned more about certain side characters and their motivations, but the townsfolk and life happening around Solveig felt realistic, and since the story is from Solveig’s point of view, we will just have to rely on her perceptions, even if they are biased.
I look forward to reading future works by the author!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 7, 2024
A truly engrossing look at life in Norway during the occupation of WW11.
Solvieg, our MC is discontent with life. She wants more from life than to marry a local man and raise children, however, circumstances seem to make that her only option.
Then the mysterious new school teacher, Liv, arrives and life begins to become complicated for Solvieg as she tries to come to terms with her new friendship with Liv, who is a Nazi collaborator.
Solvieg tries to reconcile her own sense of loyalism with the gender bias of the time that prevents her from becoming involved in the resistance purely because of her gender.
Soon she is confronted with an opportunity to assist someone who is fleeing from the Germans. Should she help him? Should she try to be more like Liv and accept the German rule? Desperate to contribute to the resistance, she tries to help as best as she can. But is this stranger she is risking her life for all that he appears to be?
This book is captivating. Not only has the author captured the desperation of the times, they have painted such a descriptive and evocative view of the landscape and the people that you can almost feel the salt spray on your face and hear their voices. Highly recommended.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Solvieg, our MC is discontent with life. She wants more from life than to marry a local man and raise children, however, circumstances seem to make that her only option.
Then the mysterious new school teacher, Liv, arrives and life begins to become complicated for Solvieg as she tries to come to terms with her new friendship with Liv, who is a Nazi collaborator.
Solvieg tries to reconcile her own sense of loyalism with the gender bias of the time that prevents her from becoming involved in the resistance purely because of her gender.
Soon she is confronted with an opportunity to assist someone who is fleeing from the Germans. Should she help him? Should she try to be more like Liv and accept the German rule? Desperate to contribute to the resistance, she tries to help as best as she can. But is this stranger she is risking her life for all that he appears to be?
This book is captivating. Not only has the author captured the desperation of the times, they have painted such a descriptive and evocative view of the landscape and the people that you can almost feel the salt spray on your face and hear their voices. Highly recommended.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 21, 2024
Living in a lighthouse with her family on the small Norwegian island of Smøla should be magical, but twenty-two-year-old Solveig has grown bored with the limitations her gender affords her.
It is the 1940s in Nazi-occupied Norway, and Solveig longs to fight alongside the men in the resistance. To become the hero she knows she is.
Her arguments with schoolteacher Liz, who also happens to be the girlfriend of the German Colonel, go some way to challenge her, but it isn't enough. When Solveig finds a man hiding from the Germans in a cave on the island, everything starts to spiral out of control.
The arguments that spark between Solveig and Liz soon turn to passion, and the danger increases on all fronts. Yet Solveig and Liz are no more likely to stop their inevitable journey, than they are to stop the very ebb and flow of the tide.
'Islands of Mice' is Solveig's coming-of-age story, told in deeply atmospheric prose that conveys the beauty of the Norwegian landscape, waters, and people.
At first, we get to know Solveig through her naivety and innocence as she sees everything through idealistic-tinted glasses. She lives in a world where only right and wrong exist, and the heroes live forever.
However, mice can cause the utmost damage if given enough opportunity, and innocence is always the first casualty of war.
By the end of the story, Solveig has matured and understands that although she has to make a choice, she has already lost everything.
Because the only difference between a hero and a traitor... is perspective.
*I received an advanced reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review*
It is the 1940s in Nazi-occupied Norway, and Solveig longs to fight alongside the men in the resistance. To become the hero she knows she is.
Her arguments with schoolteacher Liz, who also happens to be the girlfriend of the German Colonel, go some way to challenge her, but it isn't enough. When Solveig finds a man hiding from the Germans in a cave on the island, everything starts to spiral out of control.
The arguments that spark between Solveig and Liz soon turn to passion, and the danger increases on all fronts. Yet Solveig and Liz are no more likely to stop their inevitable journey, than they are to stop the very ebb and flow of the tide.
'Islands of Mice' is Solveig's coming-of-age story, told in deeply atmospheric prose that conveys the beauty of the Norwegian landscape, waters, and people.
At first, we get to know Solveig through her naivety and innocence as she sees everything through idealistic-tinted glasses. She lives in a world where only right and wrong exist, and the heroes live forever.
However, mice can cause the utmost damage if given enough opportunity, and innocence is always the first casualty of war.
By the end of the story, Solveig has matured and understands that although she has to make a choice, she has already lost everything.
Because the only difference between a hero and a traitor... is perspective.
*I received an advanced reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review*
January 21, 2025
Islands of Mice offers a fresh take on World War II by focusing on a small Norwegian community during the German occupation. With vivid descriptions and a story full of emotional depth, it dives into the blurry line between heroism and betrayal. Solveig’s struggles, tough choices, and moments of introspection make her journey relatable and gripping. The story also shows how even remote areas weren’t spared from the hardships of war—like food shortages, propaganda, and fear. With its compelling characters and powerful themes, this is a unique and engaging read.
Check out my complete review at TheLesbianReview.com
Check out my complete review at TheLesbianReview.com
November 24, 2024
Lucy Jacobs presents her debut release of 'Islands of Mice' with pride and passion and my goodness am I here for it.
A fabulous telling of an occupied Norway during war times. Rebellion, unrequited love, hope and a beautiful island really are the perfect ingredients for this beautiful book. Her writing style is detail orientated yet extremely easy to follow! Perfect!
An easy five stars and a definite recommendation for everyone's book shelves.
A fabulous telling of an occupied Norway during war times. Rebellion, unrequited love, hope and a beautiful island really are the perfect ingredients for this beautiful book. Her writing style is detail orientated yet extremely easy to follow! Perfect!
An easy five stars and a definite recommendation for everyone's book shelves.
October 9, 2024
4.5 🌟
Lucy Jacobs' debut novel is incredibly well written and impressive. The story has depth and complexity appropriate for the time period and conditions it is set in: Norway in the middle of World War II.
Solveig Eik is a young woman desperate to be part of the resistance but bound by duty and societal constraints. Liv Sunde is the new school teacher and bound by duty to what she thinks is right. Lucy's ability to bring these two extremely different women together and tell their dangerous love story is masterful.
If you enjoy a diverse, historical romance, with mystery, intrigue, and just enough spice, get this book!
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)
Lucy Jacobs' debut novel is incredibly well written and impressive. The story has depth and complexity appropriate for the time period and conditions it is set in: Norway in the middle of World War II.
Solveig Eik is a young woman desperate to be part of the resistance but bound by duty and societal constraints. Liv Sunde is the new school teacher and bound by duty to what she thinks is right. Lucy's ability to bring these two extremely different women together and tell their dangerous love story is masterful.
If you enjoy a diverse, historical romance, with mystery, intrigue, and just enough spice, get this book!
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)
October 7, 2024
I really enjoyed this take of rural Norway during WWII. Solveig, while naive and overly idealistic, has the best intentions at heart and was easy to connect with her and her story. At times she was frustrating (like in a horror film where you know the bad guy is about to jump out, but they’re looking in the opposite direction), but still endearing. There were a few parts where I did have to reread to figure out who was talking or performing actions, which took me out of the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 11, 2025
What a fantastic read for a debut author. A 1940s Norwegian island tale during German occupation, and quite unlike any other war era set story I have come across. I found the story fascinating in the resistance to not loose your ideals. And not only to save yourself but also others even when the there is not really an ideal win-win situation for our characters.
This story focuses is on Solveig Elk and her ideals of resistance, a female at 22 year old not able to do her bit as her male counterparts can and Liv Sunde a socialist collaborator sent to be the new school teacher and the tension this brings.
I really enjoyed Solveig character, you can feel her thoughts and put yourself in her position to understand why she may do what she does. her ideals to us are what we would feel we would do in her situation, I will say sometimes she does not think things through! But a shepherdess that rows into trouble on her farming island by harbouring and helping a soldier and the connection to Liv that neither of them seem to be able to deny long term the push and pull from their interactions, at times is heartbreaking to watch for Solveig. But Solveig is a stoic woman, she knows right from wrong but when she makes her mind up she will not be able to sway her to onto another course.
The interactions between the two women is of stolen looks and friendship, a further act of rebellion even though Liv knows what will happen and Solveig being deemed traitorous to her local people. The story weaves the most ordinary aspects of life getting your rations from the butcher, a picnic on the island, a catch up with friends wanting you to settle down in between the drama of the hidden world Solveig has created for herself at times unnecessarily so.
I would recommend highly to add this to any reading list you may have, the pace is perfect and will have you wanting more. For reference the story is not a battlefield tale, yes there is various soldiers and war occupational aspects that do build up to an interesting end. But what great you hear the female voice so often not heard during wartime and where you can decide your own opinion on what is right or wrong.
I was given the opportunity to read this as part of an honest review prior to release.
This story focuses is on Solveig Elk and her ideals of resistance, a female at 22 year old not able to do her bit as her male counterparts can and Liv Sunde a socialist collaborator sent to be the new school teacher and the tension this brings.
I really enjoyed Solveig character, you can feel her thoughts and put yourself in her position to understand why she may do what she does. her ideals to us are what we would feel we would do in her situation, I will say sometimes she does not think things through! But a shepherdess that rows into trouble on her farming island by harbouring and helping a soldier and the connection to Liv that neither of them seem to be able to deny long term the push and pull from their interactions, at times is heartbreaking to watch for Solveig. But Solveig is a stoic woman, she knows right from wrong but when she makes her mind up she will not be able to sway her to onto another course.
The interactions between the two women is of stolen looks and friendship, a further act of rebellion even though Liv knows what will happen and Solveig being deemed traitorous to her local people. The story weaves the most ordinary aspects of life getting your rations from the butcher, a picnic on the island, a catch up with friends wanting you to settle down in between the drama of the hidden world Solveig has created for herself at times unnecessarily so.
I would recommend highly to add this to any reading list you may have, the pace is perfect and will have you wanting more. For reference the story is not a battlefield tale, yes there is various soldiers and war occupational aspects that do build up to an interesting end. But what great you hear the female voice so often not heard during wartime and where you can decide your own opinion on what is right or wrong.
I was given the opportunity to read this as part of an honest review prior to release.
August 5, 2025
Forbidden Love between opposite war's front, remote island, secret and plot twist, what do you want more? Ah and did I mention that is also sapphic. ✨Chef kiss perfection ✨. Finished in one sitting ( yeah it's that good). I just would have like more of the side character especially of Solveig's sister and maybe a more clear ending ( my mind wonders a lot otherwise).
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