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alongreader's review against another edition
3.0
Nina has - reluctantly - brought her daughter to her inlaws' home for a stay. Her mother in law has never approved of her, but things are even stranger than usual on the little island. Why are all the adults so loud and children so quiet and solemn? Why does it feel like her daughter is slipping through her fingers?
(Possible spoilers in my review, depending on whether you understand my reference.)
This book is advertised as 'for fans of John Wyndham's[b:The Midwich Cuckoos|161845|The Midwich Cuckoos|Pauline Francis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356443215l/161845._SY75_.jpg|59633203]'. A much better comparison would be Stephen King's [b:The Tommyknockers|17660|The Tommyknockers|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1394210331l/17660._SY75_.jpg|150226]. The children play a relatively small part in Hope Island; the focus is all on Nina as she slowly uncovers the mystery of what exactly is happening.
I didn't much like the style of writing, I thought it was very slow and drawn out, but that's a very personal thing and I'm sure other readers will love it. It's certainly interesting, dreamlike in spots, emotional here and there. The final set piece, switching between the real world and a dream world, needed to be read very carefully to follow what was happening.
It's interesting, and I would read other books by the author, but I won't be racing out to buy them on publication day.
(Possible spoilers in my review, depending on whether you understand my reference.)
This book is advertised as 'for fans of John Wyndham's[b:The Midwich Cuckoos|161845|The Midwich Cuckoos|Pauline Francis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356443215l/161845._SY75_.jpg|59633203]'. A much better comparison would be Stephen King's [b:The Tommyknockers|17660|The Tommyknockers|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1394210331l/17660._SY75_.jpg|150226]. The children play a relatively small part in Hope Island; the focus is all on Nina as she slowly uncovers the mystery of what exactly is happening.
I didn't much like the style of writing, I thought it was very slow and drawn out, but that's a very personal thing and I'm sure other readers will love it. It's certainly interesting, dreamlike in spots, emotional here and there. The final set piece, switching between the real world and a dream world, needed to be read very carefully to follow what was happening.
It's interesting, and I would read other books by the author, but I won't be racing out to buy them on publication day.
phyrre's review against another edition
3.0
You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.
Many thanks to Titan Books for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Call me weird, but the combination of archaeology and dead bodies spoke to me. Something about it just made me take notice and convinced me I had to read this book.
Hope Island hearkens back to older horror/sci-fi films, with an underlying sense of foreboding that really builds over the course of the novel and a feeling of unease that’ll give you goosebumps.
Ultimately, the archaeology thing is almost a lie. It’s not really an archaeological site, and there’s no actual archaeology going on, so if you’re picking up the book for that, you’ve come to the wrong place. If you’re a fan of the old-school, black and white sci-fi/horror movies, though, this reads very much like one of them. Not quite my thing, and definitely out there at times, but still enjoyable, although I think fans of that genre would definitely get more out of the book.
- Major successfully weaves together a beautiful setting with a dark, sinister undertone that kept me guessing. Hope Island sounds like paradise. The way it’s described is gorgeous, which is in direct contrast to this really dark underpinning that something’s just not quite right. It was very effective in creating this slow-burn tension that makes the reader feel like there’s something bad lurking just around the corner. From the very first pages, Nina’s very first impression of the island, something creepy seems to be going on, even though she doesn’t quite comprehend it yet. My favorite part was the build, because it’s a slow journey to the climax, but things slowly become more and more out of place until there’s no more doubting that something is up, at least. The atmosphere was spot on in this.
- There’s a really interesting narrative in this book about a woman’s role and expectations society places on women vs. men. I’m still not quite sure how I feel about this and the way the book deals with it. In particular, Nina isn’t the mothering sort. Rob, who had a more flexible job, raised Laurie, and Nina took on the breadwinner role and flourished in her career. And how dare she! The narrative really pushes Nina’s failings as a mother (and, in subtler tones, her failure as a wife), even though I’m not sure how fair that conclusion is. This is where it gets a little murky for me, because Nina seems to believe she wasn’t around as often as she should have been, but whether that’s out of some legitimate regret or bullying from the people around her, who knows? While I thought the discussion this raised was super important, I can’t say I loved the conclusion the book seemed to leave me with.
- At its core, this book is about Nina finding her own voice and discovering who she is, and her journey was just so powerful to follow. I wouldn’t say I necessarily liked Nina or that I connected with her, but her emotional arc was such an important one. Her life’s been turned upside down, and she no longer really knows what she wants or where she’s headed, and she learns some hard truths about herself along the way. There’s a theme of finding your voice in this, something the islanders seem to have that Nina just doesn’t, and it’s something she struggles with throughout the book. I actually loved this theme and the way it was worked into the story. I loved Nina’s journey of self-discovery, and the way it ended was so powerful and lovely as far as her personal arc.
Sticking Points:
- I hated all of the characters with a passion, with the exception of Nina. I didn’t love Nina, but at least I could tolerate her. The rest? Peh. This makes it so hard when reading a book, because I want to at least have someone I can root for. Nina wasn’t particularly the rooting type, and I wanted the others to just … disappear. Especially Rob, and I didn't understand why everyone loved him so much. This just continued as the book went on, especially as it comes to light that he’s maybe done some not-so-great things. Which of course changes the other characters’ opinions of him not a whit, at which point I completely and utterly hated all of them and wanted Hope Island to sink into the sea out of embarrassment for its population.
- The last maybe fifth of the novel was so out there and very sci-fi that I was completely lost and had no idea what was going on. I feel like this is a very genre-specific thing, and I’m not a huge sci-fi fan to start with. This was a little out there for me, though. It was weird. The writing felt very surreal, which can be good for immersion, but I was a little too immersed in that Nina’s confusion turned into my confusion, and 40 pages of that is a little much. This may not be an issue for everyone, but for me, I hate the feeling of being untethered and not knowing what’s going on in a story. The ending was also kind of open. It wrapped up some aspects, but a lot of things were kind of just … up in the air. I feel like a broken record here, but I’m just not a fan of open endings. I want things nicely wrapped up. So this is definitely a me thing, but I walked away from the book feeling like things were left too open for me, personally.
Many thanks to Titan Books for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Call me weird, but the combination of archaeology and dead bodies spoke to me. Something about it just made me take notice and convinced me I had to read this book.
Hope Island hearkens back to older horror/sci-fi films, with an underlying sense of foreboding that really builds over the course of the novel and a feeling of unease that’ll give you goosebumps.
Ultimately, the archaeology thing is almost a lie. It’s not really an archaeological site, and there’s no actual archaeology going on, so if you’re picking up the book for that, you’ve come to the wrong place. If you’re a fan of the old-school, black and white sci-fi/horror movies, though, this reads very much like one of them. Not quite my thing, and definitely out there at times, but still enjoyable, although I think fans of that genre would definitely get more out of the book.
- Major successfully weaves together a beautiful setting with a dark, sinister undertone that kept me guessing. Hope Island sounds like paradise. The way it’s described is gorgeous, which is in direct contrast to this really dark underpinning that something’s just not quite right. It was very effective in creating this slow-burn tension that makes the reader feel like there’s something bad lurking just around the corner. From the very first pages, Nina’s very first impression of the island, something creepy seems to be going on, even though she doesn’t quite comprehend it yet. My favorite part was the build, because it’s a slow journey to the climax, but things slowly become more and more out of place until there’s no more doubting that something is up, at least. The atmosphere was spot on in this.
- There’s a really interesting narrative in this book about a woman’s role and expectations society places on women vs. men. I’m still not quite sure how I feel about this and the way the book deals with it. In particular, Nina isn’t the mothering sort. Rob, who had a more flexible job, raised Laurie, and Nina took on the breadwinner role and flourished in her career. And how dare she! The narrative really pushes Nina’s failings as a mother (and, in subtler tones, her failure as a wife), even though I’m not sure how fair that conclusion is. This is where it gets a little murky for me, because Nina seems to believe she wasn’t around as often as she should have been, but whether that’s out of some legitimate regret or bullying from the people around her, who knows? While I thought the discussion this raised was super important, I can’t say I loved the conclusion the book seemed to leave me with.
- At its core, this book is about Nina finding her own voice and discovering who she is, and her journey was just so powerful to follow. I wouldn’t say I necessarily liked Nina or that I connected with her, but her emotional arc was such an important one. Her life’s been turned upside down, and she no longer really knows what she wants or where she’s headed, and she learns some hard truths about herself along the way. There’s a theme of finding your voice in this, something the islanders seem to have that Nina just doesn’t, and it’s something she struggles with throughout the book. I actually loved this theme and the way it was worked into the story. I loved Nina’s journey of self-discovery, and the way it ended was so powerful and lovely as far as her personal arc.
Sticking Points:
- I hated all of the characters with a passion, with the exception of Nina. I didn’t love Nina, but at least I could tolerate her. The rest? Peh. This makes it so hard when reading a book, because I want to at least have someone I can root for. Nina wasn’t particularly the rooting type, and I wanted the others to just … disappear. Especially Rob, and I didn't understand why everyone loved him so much. This just continued as the book went on, especially as it comes to light that he’s maybe done some not-so-great things. Which of course changes the other characters’ opinions of him not a whit, at which point I completely and utterly hated all of them and wanted Hope Island to sink into the sea out of embarrassment for its population.
- The last maybe fifth of the novel was so out there and very sci-fi that I was completely lost and had no idea what was going on. I feel like this is a very genre-specific thing, and I’m not a huge sci-fi fan to start with. This was a little out there for me, though. It was weird. The writing felt very surreal, which can be good for immersion, but I was a little too immersed in that Nina’s confusion turned into my confusion, and 40 pages of that is a little much. This may not be an issue for everyone, but for me, I hate the feeling of being untethered and not knowing what’s going on in a story. The ending was also kind of open. It wrapped up some aspects, but a lot of things were kind of just … up in the air. I feel like a broken record here, but I’m just not a fan of open endings. I want things nicely wrapped up. So this is definitely a me thing, but I walked away from the book feeling like things were left too open for me, personally.
deadmosquitoonmywall's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
inkymouse's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
alicantread's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
What a wild ending. Kind of made me wish I hadn't invested any time in actually following the story for the first 4/5 of it.
kyrac's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
It's quite creepy and entertaining. The author builds slowly the tensions and you cannot help being hooked because you want to understand if what you read is an hallucination or something that the character is living.
I think that the atmosphere is sometime dreamlike and I like how the tension build up slowly and the plot becomes more horrific
The characters are well thought, I liked Nina, and the world building is amazing.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling.
It was a book I liked, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I think that the atmosphere is sometime dreamlike and I like how the tension build up slowly and the plot becomes more horrific
The characters are well thought, I liked Nina, and the world building is amazing.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling.
It was a book I liked, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
littlebirdbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I picked up Hope Island after seeing quite a lot of people talk about it on Instagram. The bright, Lichtenstein-esque, cover caught my eye and the description sounded very intriguing and unlike a novel that I have read for a while.
The novel centres around Nina Scaife, a workaholic TV producer, and her relationship with her daughter Laurie. After Nina’s partner, Rob, leaves her for another woman she takes Laurie to the remote Hope Island to visit Rob’s parents. However, when a dead body is found on the beach, Nina soon begins to realise that not all is what it seems on the island.
It took me a little while to warm up to Nina, but I did find that it was refreshing to have a protagonist so suspicious of the goings on of the odd behaviour on the island. To have her question everything instead of brushing it off, or just going along with it, was a nice touch. Where the novel was told from Nina’s perspective, an outsider on the island, I found that I didn’t really get attached to any of the other characters; which meant that some events didn’t have quite as much as an impact towards the end. I also found the very brief romantic prospect for Nina was a bit unnecessary.
The way Major creates suspense and builds tension is brilliantly done. I found it gripping and I needed to know what was going to happen, and to uncover the secrets of the island. I really liked the descriptions of the island too, you could really see it. Towards the end of the novel the structure of the sentences began to change, as well as the chapters, which was really effective. However, at the same time I did find the chaos a little too confusing but I was still able to piece together what was going on.
I enjoyed the novel and did feel on edge reading it, however as I was unable to bond with the characters I wasn’t able to fully immerse myself in the world despite Major’s well-written tension.
The novel centres around Nina Scaife, a workaholic TV producer, and her relationship with her daughter Laurie. After Nina’s partner, Rob, leaves her for another woman she takes Laurie to the remote Hope Island to visit Rob’s parents. However, when a dead body is found on the beach, Nina soon begins to realise that not all is what it seems on the island.
It took me a little while to warm up to Nina, but I did find that it was refreshing to have a protagonist so suspicious of the goings on of the odd behaviour on the island. To have her question everything instead of brushing it off, or just going along with it, was a nice touch. Where the novel was told from Nina’s perspective, an outsider on the island, I found that I didn’t really get attached to any of the other characters; which meant that some events didn’t have quite as much as an impact towards the end. I also found the very brief romantic prospect for Nina was a bit unnecessary.
The way Major creates suspense and builds tension is brilliantly done. I found it gripping and I needed to know what was going to happen, and to uncover the secrets of the island. I really liked the descriptions of the island too, you could really see it. Towards the end of the novel the structure of the sentences began to change, as well as the chapters, which was really effective. However, at the same time I did find the chaos a little too confusing but I was still able to piece together what was going on.
I enjoyed the novel and did feel on edge reading it, however as I was unable to bond with the characters I wasn’t able to fully immerse myself in the world despite Major’s well-written tension.
paperbacksandpinot's review against another edition
4.0
Firstly, thank you to Titan books and Negalley for a review copy of Hope Island, I went into this off the back of Snakeskins, Tim Major's previous released through Titan which I loved. Whilst Hope Island does have some similar themes, it is a very different kind of tale.
For me, the blurb belies the story a little and whilst indeed all the happenings mentioned are, well happening, this is very much an Introspective piece for our protagonist Nina for the most part. As a reader we are with her throughout and a lot of the story is her inner monologue as she struggles to come to terms with the breakdown of her relationship, her desire to reconnect with her daughter all whilst being on an island reminiscent of The Wicker Man. I have to say that Nina is a character that I deeply connected with, having myself had to return to work full time whilst my partner took the primary childcare role, I felt that I understood her and was able to empathise with her feelings of inadequacy and being out of her depth, she is written in a sensitive way and clearly either a lot of time was spent on research or the author is remarkably astute in this area. On an Island sceptical of outsiders I enjoyed her relationship with Marie the most, it felt very honest and gave a much needed outlet away from Nina's mind and a greater understanding of her situation when she actually voiced it to another. I felt that the reactions and temperament of Marie's baby, Niall, were very well played in the sense of the bigger picture.
The book is not all about a woman in crisis though, it is clear from the opening page that Hope Island, for all it's idyllic beauty, is an island with a secret. It has a very sinister and almost stifling feel, its inhabitants are closed and eerily silent, fertile ground for a journalist who just can't leave the job behind. The artists commune feels out of place on the island and it's like it's tolerated rather than embraced as it is the cause of bringing yet further strangers to the island. They are an affable bunch though and I liked the eclectic mix of characters. The silence of the children gets you in the gut, their presence is oppressive whenever they appear and I was constantly holding my breath at those times. The culmination comes quickly, the reveals were sudden and devastating and the story felt like it took an about turn and indeed the writing style felt very different as the tale took more of an existential feel. Honestly I felt that the end was rushed and it all felt a little muddled in my mind. When the attention was on Laurie the story had huge pace and felt like a thriller, however when the attention flipped back to Nina I started to feel less and less immersed in the story. It is a clever ending though and the islands secrets are incredibly imaginative.
Hope Island is a wonderful slow burn story that will catch you out when you least expect it and a great follow up to Snakeskins.
For me, the blurb belies the story a little and whilst indeed all the happenings mentioned are, well happening, this is very much an Introspective piece for our protagonist Nina for the most part. As a reader we are with her throughout and a lot of the story is her inner monologue as she struggles to come to terms with the breakdown of her relationship, her desire to reconnect with her daughter all whilst being on an island reminiscent of The Wicker Man. I have to say that Nina is a character that I deeply connected with, having myself had to return to work full time whilst my partner took the primary childcare role, I felt that I understood her and was able to empathise with her feelings of inadequacy and being out of her depth, she is written in a sensitive way and clearly either a lot of time was spent on research or the author is remarkably astute in this area. On an Island sceptical of outsiders I enjoyed her relationship with Marie the most, it felt very honest and gave a much needed outlet away from Nina's mind and a greater understanding of her situation when she actually voiced it to another. I felt that the reactions and temperament of Marie's baby, Niall, were very well played in the sense of the bigger picture.
The book is not all about a woman in crisis though, it is clear from the opening page that Hope Island, for all it's idyllic beauty, is an island with a secret. It has a very sinister and almost stifling feel, its inhabitants are closed and eerily silent, fertile ground for a journalist who just can't leave the job behind. The artists commune feels out of place on the island and it's like it's tolerated rather than embraced as it is the cause of bringing yet further strangers to the island. They are an affable bunch though and I liked the eclectic mix of characters. The silence of the children gets you in the gut, their presence is oppressive whenever they appear and I was constantly holding my breath at those times. The culmination comes quickly, the reveals were sudden and devastating and the story felt like it took an about turn and indeed the writing style felt very different as the tale took more of an existential feel. Honestly I felt that the end was rushed and it all felt a little muddled in my mind. When the attention was on Laurie the story had huge pace and felt like a thriller, however when the attention flipped back to Nina I started to feel less and less immersed in the story. It is a clever ending though and the islands secrets are incredibly imaginative.
Hope Island is a wonderful slow burn story that will catch you out when you least expect it and a great follow up to Snakeskins.
joecam79's review against another edition
4.0
Nina Scaife and her fourteen-year old daughter Laurie have just arrived on the eponymous Hope Island, off the coast of Maine, the childhood home of Nina’s long-time partner (and Laurie’s father) Rob. Nina, a British TV news producer is a workaholic, and this is the first time that she has made time to accompany her daughter on a visit to Rob’s elderly parents in America. How ironic then that during this stay she will have to break the news that Rob is not really “away on a holiday” or on a work trip and that the reason for his absence is that he has recently abandoned a long-fraying relationship.
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html