Reviews

The Mystery of Ireland's Eye by Shane Peacock

mldavisreads's review

adventurous

4.0

Middle Grade Adventure.  Dylan lives in Canada with his parents.  His dad is an adventure-seeker, and when Dylan hears him talking about a trip to the mysterious abandoned island off the coast of Newfoundland he wants to take part.  Over the next year Dylan proves himself responsible in any way he can, working on his grades, his hockey performance, his upper body strength.  He successfully convinces his parents that he is up for the physical toll of a long kayak trip.  But as they get closer to Ireland's Eye, Dylan gets spooked-- why does he see faces in an abandoned town?  Soon Dylan realizes that getting to the island was nowhere near the most treacherous part of the trip.

This story had several things going for it-- a male main character (unfortunately uncommon in middle grade and YA literature), parents that were very much present, and a high-stakes adventure.  I enjoyed the story, switching back and forth between the audio version and the print version.  This is first in a series.

bugabusu's review

4.0

The Mystery of Ireland's Eye by Shane Peacock was an outstanding read. I was completely captivated by the opening scene of Dylan and his parents kayaking in open waters. I loved the flashbacks of how Dylan won his parents over and convinced them to let him join them on their holiday. It really came through how much hard work pays. Shane Peacock’s descriptions of the landscapes was wonderful. I can imagine kayaking the waters between islands or running through the woods or peering into the abandoned buildings. The build up of Dylan’s questionable experiences on Ireland’s Eye made me turn every page with trepidation, waiting for the big reveal. I really enjoyed this dramatic tale of one young man’s summer adventure and was excited to learn there are other stories in this series.