Editorial Book Review: Island of Silver by B. Henderson

 Island of Silver
By Bonnie Henderson 

Publication Date: 25th February 2026
Publisher: Publish Authority
Page Length: 269
Genre: Historical Fiction

A story of two worlds – one of darkness as the First World War rages in Europe – and one of ineffable light, where a little girl named Lorley lives through her jewel bright imagination.

Lorley has a golden life on the island of Guernsey. Blessed with a wondrous imagination, she sees magic all around her. She dreams of mermaids in the waves and angels in the mist, a young girl who sees heaven in the wildflowers.

But beyond this tiny island in the sea, the First World War begins, and soon the killing fields of Europe bleed into Guernsey. Lorley’s Papa must leave his family to fight in the trenches of France.

So begins the great yearning of Lorley’s family. Her Mamma cannot truly believe in the war, and longs for her husband’s safe return. Lorley’s brothers, Reginald and Herbert, too young to fight, yearn for the glory of battle. And her youngest brothers, Lloyd and Randolph, adventurous, lion-hearted boys, yearn for their Papa, their hero, to return to them.

Lorley's world becomes one of great longing also. Believing she must strive to not be afraid, and to not be sad, as her Papa tells her before he leaves, Lorley waits for her Papa to come home.

It is then that the magical Mme. de la Rue enters her life, a radiant witch with shimmering silver hair from the mysterious South Shore of the island. She is a gifted healer and dreamspeaker, and becomes a spiritual beacon for Lorley. The little girl’s imagination spirals to new heights as Mme. de la Rue becomes part of Lorley’s family through the dark days of the war, through the great longing.

Lorley and her family endure heart-wrenching loss that changes their lives irrevocably. Never, though, does Lorley lose sight of the magic and the wonder in the world.

Abram Vidamour has a wife, five children and a vineyard on the island of Guernsey. He also has a duty to fulfil. When the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry prepares to leave for active service, Abram knows that he must go with them, despite everything and everyone he will be leaving behind.

His departure leaves the Vidamour family facing an uncertain future. Marie has never worked the land, and the responsibility of keeping the vineyard going falls heavily upon her eldest sons, Reginald and Herbert. With their father away fighting a war from which he may never return, childhood suddenly begins to look very different for the Vidamour children.

Five-year-old Lorley understands things rather differently. When the mysterious Mme. de la Rue enters the family's lives, Lorley is captivated by the silver-haired healer whom others whisper might be a witch. In a world being steadily changed by war, Lorley finds comfort in the possibility that some things cannot be explained quite so easily — and that perhaps there really is a little magic left in Guernsey.

'Island of Silver' by B. Henderson is an utterly captivating historical novel about a family facing separation, uncertainty and the terrible realities of the First World War. Henderson combines a moving family story with Guernsey folklore and a subtle touch of the unexplained, creating a novel that is as enchanting as it is poignant.

The novel's greatest strengths is the Vidamour family themselves. Reginald, Herbert, Lloyd and Randolph are not simply four older brothers gathered around Lorley; each has his own personality and his own place within the family. There is teasing, mischief and the inevitable squabbling between siblings, but beneath it is a fierce affection for one another.

Abram's departure changes the dynamics of the household considerably. Reginald and Herbert find themselves shouldering responsibilities that would ordinarily have belonged to their father, and the work required to keep the vineyard going does not disappear simply because Abram is away. There is something particularly effective about watching these boys being pulled towards adulthood before they are quite ready for it. Their ideas about military service also reveal how easily courage, uniforms and adventure can become tangled together in the minds of young men who have yet to experience the reality of war.

Abram knows that reality only too well. The chapters that follow him into military service are markedly different in tone from those set on Guernsey. Henderson does not romanticise what he experiences, nor does she allow Abram to become merely another soldier in the trenches. He remains first and foremost a husband and father, with his thoughts returning to the family he has left behind. His concern for his sons becomes particularly poignant. Abram understands the attraction that military service might hold for boys eager to prove themselves, but having experienced war for himself, the thought of his own sons following the same path is almost unbearable. The contrast between their expectations of bravery and glory and the reality their father encounters is one of the more powerful aspects of the wartime narrative.

Lorley brings an entirely different perspective to events. Henderson captures the reasoning of a five-year-old particularly well. Lorley listens carefully to what is said around her and tries to make sense of it with the limited understanding of a young child. The result can be amusing, touching and, at times, unexpectedly sad, particularly when the reader recognises the significance of something that Lorley herself cannot yet comprehend.

Mme. de la Rue adds another dimension to the story. With her striking silver hair and extensive knowledge of herbs and traditional remedies, she is regarded with suspicion by some of the islanders. Some consider her a healer, while others are convinced she is a witch. Henderson wisely resists explaining everything about her. There are things that can be understood in practical terms and others that are much harder to account for, leaving just enough uncertainty to make her fascinating.

Guernsey provides a beautiful setting for the novel, but it is also an important part of the Vidamours' story. Henderson gives a strong sense of island life and of a family whose familiar world is being affected by a conflict taking place far beyond its shores. Abram's experiences in France stand in stark contrast to the home he has left behind, making the separation between him and his family all the more keenly felt. 

Henderson moves between life on Guernsey and Abram's experiences at war with considerable skill. Neither part of the narrative overwhelms the other, and both show the consequences of separation from very different perspectives. The quieter moments of family life are given as much importance as the larger historical events, which makes the Vidamours' experiences feel all the more personal.

Henderson has created a memorable cast of characters whose future quickly matters to the reader. Abram and Marie are compelling characters in their own right, while Reginald, Herbert, Lloyd and Randolph each bring something different to the family. Mme. de la Rue adds an intriguing sense of mystery, and Lorley's presence gives the story a perspective quite unlike that of the adults around her.

'Island of Silver' is a compelling and beautifully atmospheric historical novel about separation, duty and a family trying to adapt when the world they know is suddenly changed. Henderson brings wartime Guernsey vividly to life while allowing a tantalising thread of mystery to run alongside the historical story. By the final page, there is still much ahead for the Vidamours, making this an excellent beginning to the series.

Review by Ellie Yarde
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Bonnie Henderson 

One of my earliest memories is sitting with my sister, Karen, while our grandmother told us magical stories, instilling within me a lifelong passion for reading. This ultimately led to my attaining a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Western University, and then teaching English at several high schools throughout southwestern Ontario. Through my teaching, I discovered that my love of my students was as powerful as my love of literature; these combined loves strengthened my passion to write.

It was my husband, Joseph, though, who first inspired me to write, by believing in my work, and by telling me, simply, that “a writer is someone who writes.” (Unbeknownst to him at the time, he was quoting the writer Pat Schneider.) And so began decades of writing, experimenting with various forms and styles, writing at least one million words before I created anything worth reading. Throughout those years, my husband’s support and encouragement were constant. Later, when I was blessed with my sons, Jeffrey and Marc, I was inspired to write even more.

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