The Island by Jen MinkmanReview Copy: NetGalley
Kindle Edition, 80 pages
Published:
June 1st 2013
by Patchwork Press
Purchase: Amazon
Description From GoodReads:
‘I walk toward the sea. The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.
Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers.
If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall.
Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.
I have never seen one.’
Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.
But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?
Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?
Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers.
If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall.
Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.
I have never seen one.’
Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.
But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?
Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?
My Review:
Rating: 3.5 Stars
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from The Island.
I knew to expect Star Wars references, but I didn’t expect the story itself to revolve around Star Wars. (Which actually isn’t a bad thing.)
The Island is a quick read. It is short and enjoyable, but it does feel like something is missing and I think that is only because of its short length.
I love novellas, especially since I don’t really have much time to read nowadays, but I was hoping for a bit more with The Island. The concept is definitely unique, and I absolutely loved that about The Island. (Seriously, if you’re a Star Wars fan, I think you’ll enjoy this novella.) But I would’ve liked to see the relationship between Leia and Walt develop a bit more, or even see what exactly happened to Leia’s father, or her mother’s reaction to the note.
If you’re looking for a short read that you an easily devour, then I’d recommend The Island. And if you’re a Star Wars fan, then I would definitely recommend checking this out. It is a unique dystopian tale that will leave readers wanting more.
View all my reviews
Hi Nicole, thanks for your review! there will actually be a sequel to The Island :)
ReplyDeleteOh, wonderful! Definitely looking forward to reading it. :)
Delete