Enchanted Islands: Reviewed By Jennifer Rollins

Photography by Savannah Dean

Enchanted Islands (2016) by Allison Amend does not fit any particular genre. It is a story of female friendship, a spy thriller, a romance, and a survivalist memoir all wrapped into one book. But even better than that – it is based on a true story. Amend remembered reading about a series of disappearances and murders in the Galapagos Islands in the early 1940s. She found the memoirs of Frances Conway, who was one of the ‘survivalists’ who left civilization to find a better way of life. Frances and her husband, Ainslie, moved to Floreana Island in the Galapagos Islands, living off the land and the kindness of passing ships. Curious about the couple’s background, when Amend was unable to find any information,  she wrote her own book about them.

It is a fictionalized story of Frances’ life beginning with her childhood in Duluth, Minnesota. It follows her and her best friend, Rosalie, as they run away from home, hoping to create the life they always wanted. Unfortunately, things do not work out as planned and, years later, the two friends reunite. World War II looms. Rosalie is now a housewife and mother, while Frances is working for the Navy’s Intelligence Bureau. Frances finds herself marrying a man many years her junior whom she barely knows. She is then sent as a spy to Floreana Island. Are there German spies on the island with her or are the other inhabitants merely living simplified lives?

Amend’s beautiful and lush language brings the island of Floreana, and its many odd characters, to life. If you enjoy Amend’s Enchanted Islands, you should also read Frances Conway’s original memoir of the same name.

About Jennifer Rollins

Jennifer Rollins was born in Virginia and moved to Panama City in 1994. She has a degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Information and Library studies from Florida State University and is a media specialist at Northside Elementary School. She never leaves home without a book and says there is nothing better than finding the perfect book for a child to read. As an elementary school librarian, she reads a lot of children’s and young adult fiction, and also enjoys reading historical fiction and nonfiction adult books. Jennifer is a member of the Ukulele Orchestra of St. Andrews, teaches swimming, and likes to hang out with her dog, Max.