Reviews

An Island by Karen Jennings

rebelqueen's review

3.0

A lot to unpack in this. Solitude, violence, the struggle for redemption, rage, land ownership. Jennings asks us to consider whether human nature is inherently good or evil in this. The time jumps were jarring and confusing. The ending was wow.

fantlisasy's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Pros:
-poetic language 
-vivid description of the island 
-development of Samuel’s paranoid thoughts 
-deals with important topics such as violence, dictatorship, poverty, death, colonialism and xenophobia 
-interesting concept 
-suspenseful and dark ending 

Cons:
-lack of detail: no specific setting 
-unlikeable characters (especially the protagonist) 
-randomly appearing flashbacks 
-confusing political development in Samuel’s past
-lack of interaction between Samuel and the stranger 
-wasted potential for more in depth exploration of the characters personality and identity 

pearloz's review

4.0

Grim and short, just how I like them. We got twinned stories here: 1) Samuel the caretaker of an abandoned military (?) outpost on a small island, complete with a lighthouse; and 2) Samuel growing up from disaffected youth to reluctant-then-gung-ho militiaman who participated in the slaughter of his neighbors. As the fortunes of the country swayed back and forth between the military and the people's government (as far as I could tell), so too did Samuel's, arrested by the government, released by the military...joined a group of rebels?, then...conscripted (I think) and was then stationed at the Island...but then the military fell again, and he was just...left there. I admit that sounds a little vague and, to be fair to me, the book was vague about certain details: for instance, where the country and island are located. The island portion of the book did a fairly clever thing of narrowing and essentializing the "immigrant experience" to two people. Person A took over some land (Samuel on the island), Person B arrives, literally, on the shore (the Man); Person A is wary of Person B, doesn't understand their language, is hostile to their difference. Person B tries to settle in and just work. Person A is skeptical, paranoid, distrustful and belligerent. Person A then kills Person B due to a perceived misstep or overreach. I thought it was a well-crafted, smart book.

jaine297's review

challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

websterworks's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

agirlandabook85's review against another edition

4.0

A short novel at under 120 pages but what it lacks in size it more than makes up with substance and that ending...phenomenal.

An Island is set over a period of 4 days but in fact spans decades of the life of an old lighthouse keeper, Samuel who has lived alone on the Island for many years. One day a refugee washes up on shore and causes Samuel to reflect on his life and how he came to be on this Island.

I have to admit (this might be controversial) but I do not tend to pay much attention to the Booker longlist, I am not drawn into the hype and consider them to be above me, that I perhaps lack the intelligence or culture to fully appreciate the writing in those selected. My very good pal @escape_through_pages however posted her review and I was intrigued and compelled to pick it up immediately. Not an exaggeration I read the review and downloaded the book from Kindle Unlimited the next second! It was finished within 24 hours

rosielazar1's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

katekoda's review against another edition

3.0

Claustrophobic and quietly gruesome short novel with a punch. This is very well written, vivd and poignant, really colourful and gripping.

ive_colon's review

3.0

Samuel has been a lighthouse keeper for 20 years when an unknown man arrives after being the only survivor on a refugee boat. All of this happens on an island off the coast of Africa. The point of views go back and forth of Samuel's life before the lighthouse. Although a quick short read, I could not get into the book. I had trouble connecting and really wanted to connect.

kumipaul's review against another edition

4.0

So many deep thoughts in a short book. Somewhere in Africa, Samuel has been isolated for many years as a political prisoner. Used to solitude, he takes a job as a lighthouse keeper in a tiny island where he is the only inhabitant, and has been for years. Occasionally a refugee's body will wash up on his shore, but other than that the only company he cares to receive are the twice monthly supply deliveries. However, when a refugee washes up on his shore - his island - and they don't speak the same language, Samuel has to come to terms with the idea of home and of ownership. Solitude gives way to misunderstanding and mistrust of the other man. Is the unnamed man the only refugee, or is Samuel also a refugee?