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scrollsofdragons's review against another edition
1.0
Wow. If you want a book about a shitty group of people who do fucked up stuff to one another that all gets forgiven in the end and get given everything they ever wanted then you're welcome to this book. But none of them, even the adults, deserved shit and I am so mad that nobody made the price.
These are some things that pissed me off about this book because I'm too mad to write a review:
1. Seriously Seb who treated Gil like a slave, who bullied and harassed him until another victim came along they later end up together? And then Link who starved Flora because she wouldn't perform for him later gets married to her? Gil and Flora where's your respect for yourselves?
Also, what a bad, bad message to send to teens since this is a YA book that you should end up with someone abused you.
2. I can't believe these kids all ended up in the careers they wanted. They don't deserve it. Like what's the life lesson here-be awful and you're still get what you want? Fuck off.
3. Link as president. Are you having a laugh? Seriously? He's gonna run the states? Fuck me, I feel for the American public. (And I mean, there already fucked and when they think it's over, nope they got Link next.)
4. Are private schools really like what? How horrific.
5. Worst parents ever. What kind of parents approve for their kids to be drugged, dropped out of an airplane into a deserted island, watched by cameras without their consent and forced to hunt, kill and be treated like shit for a experiment.
Shitty ones that's who. Especially Link's parents being behind it all, who does that to their son when you know he is already getting bullied (though you swear you don't know how bad which fine whatever you say) they don't ever apologize and Link hardly gets mad at them, they are forgiven like in a instant.
I am so angry on behalf of these kids.
6. Where are the ethics in such a experiment? There's none. And at the end of the novel, this experiment is not even portrayed as a bad thing. What the fuck?
Spoiler
These are some things that pissed me off about this book because I'm too mad to write a review:
1. Seriously Seb who treated Gil like a slave, who bullied and harassed him until another victim came along they later end up together? And then Link who starved Flora because she wouldn't perform for him later gets married to her? Gil and Flora where's your respect for yourselves?
Also, what a bad, bad message to send to teens since this is a YA book that you should end up with someone abused you.
2. I can't believe these kids all ended up in the careers they wanted. They don't deserve it. Like what's the life lesson here-be awful and you're still get what you want? Fuck off.
3. Link as president. Are you having a laugh? Seriously? He's gonna run the states? Fuck me, I feel for the American public. (And I mean, there already fucked and when they think it's over, nope they got Link next.)
4. Are private schools really like what? How horrific.
5. Worst parents ever. What kind of parents approve for their kids to be drugged, dropped out of an airplane into a deserted island, watched by cameras without their consent and forced to hunt, kill and be treated like shit for a experiment.
Shitty ones that's who. Especially Link's parents being behind it all, who does that to their son when you know he is already getting bullied (though you swear you don't know how bad which fine whatever you say) they don't ever apologize and Link hardly gets mad at them, they are forgiven like in a instant.
I am so angry on behalf of these kids.
6. Where are the ethics in such a experiment? There's none. And at the end of the novel, this experiment is not even portrayed as a bad thing. What the fuck?
readabookorfive's review against another edition
1.0
Having loved the authors debut novel, S.T.A.G.S, I was so excited to finally dive into The Island, unfortunately, I was not a huge fan of this book which is sad.
I did really like the concept of this book, it did give me some S.T.A.G.S vibes as well as The Breakfast Club vibes but it didn't live up to either of those titles sadly. But, yes I really did like the concept of these teenagers who are all so completely different, yet similar, being stuck on this dessert island with each other, having to fend for themselves and eventually work together. I thought it might turn into a "found family" story which again, unfortunately, it didn't but I was hopeful okay.
My biggest issues with this book were:
1) The characters
2) The predictability of the "twist"
1) The characters.
I can honestly say that I hated all of the characters in this story apart from one, Ralph, who I grew to love by the end of the book but I didn't like anyone else. Honestly, from the start of the book, I disliked the main character. With his, yes I am just one big stereotype, personality and I know the author did that on purpose, well I hope she did because else it's an even bigger mess, but I just think promoting stereotypes like that is harmful oops. But over the book, I just hated him more and more, he was convoluted and just grew to be more and more pretentious, kind of really wanted him to punch him in the face??? I also really didn't like the others on the island. They treated everyone "below" them like they were just a piece of shit they picked off their shoe whilst they were still at school and at the beginning of them all being on The Island, it really rubbed me up the wrong way. Yes, I know that people in high school are like that believe me but I thought the author really overdid it honestly. Like I said, by the end, I really did like Ralph. I thought he turned out to be so sweet and I'm so glad that he perused being a doctor in the future because he really did seem like he was excited to learn and help people!
2) The predictability of that "twist"
You know what, I'll admit, when it was first revealed I was like ah yes! But then I thought back and thought about kind of how obvious it was. When they first started to explore the island and the plane, I kind of had my suspicions that what was going on was going on but then I pushed it down and when it actually got to the reveal, I was shocked for about five seconds before I was bored again. After the twist, was when Link truly became intolerable. Normally, when I come out of a thriller, I can't stop thinking about the plot twist for days, weeks and the whole book goes around in my head but I'm already starting to forget this one and I really am sad about it.
Also, one other gripe I had with this book was the school. Some people in high school are absolutely horrific, I have first hand experience of pretty intense bullying but, the school was just so unrealistic. The run thing was just so stupid, no school is actually like that. No responsible adults, teachers in a school are that horrific to all of their students and do absolutely nothing to at least try and prevent the behaviour shown in this book, it really did annoy me honestly.
Overall, I did not like The Island which does make me so sad but I am hoping the sequel to S.T.A.G.S is a book I enjoy a lot more!
I did really like the concept of this book, it did give me some S.T.A.G.S vibes as well as The Breakfast Club vibes but it didn't live up to either of those titles sadly. But, yes I really did like the concept of these teenagers who are all so completely different, yet similar, being stuck on this dessert island with each other, having to fend for themselves and eventually work together. I thought it might turn into a "found family" story which again, unfortunately, it didn't but I was hopeful okay.
My biggest issues with this book were:
1) The characters
2) The predictability of the "twist"
1) The characters.
I can honestly say that I hated all of the characters in this story apart from one, Ralph, who I grew to love by the end of the book but I didn't like anyone else. Honestly, from the start of the book, I disliked the main character. With his, yes I am just one big stereotype, personality and I know the author did that on purpose, well I hope she did because else it's an even bigger mess, but I just think promoting stereotypes like that is harmful oops. But over the book, I just hated him more and more, he was convoluted and just grew to be more and more pretentious, kind of really wanted him to punch him in the face??? I also really didn't like the others on the island. They treated everyone "below" them like they were just a piece of shit they picked off their shoe whilst they were still at school and at the beginning of them all being on The Island, it really rubbed me up the wrong way. Yes, I know that people in high school are like that believe me but I thought the author really overdid it honestly. Like I said, by the end, I really did like Ralph. I thought he turned out to be so sweet and I'm so glad that he perused being a doctor in the future because he really did seem like he was excited to learn and help people!
2) The predictability of that "twist"
You know what, I'll admit, when it was first revealed I was like ah yes! But then I thought back and thought about kind of how obvious it was. When they first started to explore the island and the plane, I kind of had my suspicions that what was going on was going on but then I pushed it down and when it actually got to the reveal, I was shocked for about five seconds before I was bored again. After the twist, was when Link truly became intolerable. Normally, when I come out of a thriller, I can't stop thinking about the plot twist for days, weeks and the whole book goes around in my head but I'm already starting to forget this one and I really am sad about it.
Also, one other gripe I had with this book was the school. Some people in high school are absolutely horrific, I have first hand experience of pretty intense bullying but, the school was just so unrealistic. The run thing was just so stupid, no school is actually like that. No responsible adults, teachers in a school are that horrific to all of their students and do absolutely nothing to at least try and prevent the behaviour shown in this book, it really did annoy me honestly.
Overall, I did not like The Island which does make me so sad but I am hoping the sequel to S.T.A.G.S is a book I enjoy a lot more!
inbookishworld's review against another edition
2.0
Początek książki zapowiadał się nieźle - rozbitkowie na bezludnej wyspie, do tego nieszczególnie darzący się sympatią. Miałam nadzieję na trochę brutalniejszą akcję. Jednak minęła połowa, a to co zaczęło się tam dziać spowodowało, że nie wiedziałam czy się śmiać, czy płakać, zwłaszcza przez zachowanie Linka. Sam główny bohater, a zarazem narrator, zachowuje się jak rozkapryszone dziecko (pomimo tego, że ma szesnaście lat) - wyspa jest jego, to on ustala nazwy strategicznych miejsc, mianuje się samozwańczym królem, potrafi jako jedyny wzniecić ogień i przez to wszyscy mają się go słuchać, a jak coś nie idzie po jego myśli zaczyna szantażować koleżanki i kolegów. Plus taki, że pod koniec zaczyna rozumieć, że sam zamienia się w jednego z oprawców, których tak nienawidził. Pozostali bohaterowie są w większości nijacy, głównie poznajemy ich jako stereotypowych uczniów liceum - sportowca, geeka, kujona. Jedynie niewielkie fragmenty pozwalają lekko poznać ich osobowości. Chociaż jeśli się zastanowić, to żadna z tych postaci nie wykazała się zbytnią inteligencją (może poza Florą), ponieważ w sprawie katastrofy wiele rzeczy nie trzymało się przysłowiowej kupy, a oni widząc to, nie poświęcili temu zbyt wiele myśli (brak butów, brak ciał w samolocie czy brak szyby w kokpicie, a także dziwne drzewa z dziwnymi owocami). Autorka przy pisaniu powieści nie pomyślała też, że będąc na diecie składającej się z ryb i kóz niekoniecznie uzyska się sporą ilość mięśni i siły.
W powieści znajduje się dużo odniesień do innych utworów książkowych i filmowych, głównie "Władcy much", "Hrabiego Monte Christo", "Cast Away" czy "Zagubionych". Niektóre z nich mogą je nawet spojlerować, więc trzeba być ostrożnym przy czytaniu "Bezludnej wyspy".
Książkę czyta się szybko. Porusza ona również problem prześladowań w szkole, to że dzieciaki często to ukrywają przed rodzicami, a także psychiczne skutki nękania i to chyba jedyny plus. Wszystkie plot twisty udało mi się odgadnąć dosyć łatwo i żadne z nich nie było dla mnie zaskoczeniem. Epilog w ogóle nie pasował do całości, był kompletnie niepotrzebny.
Podsumowując, lekkie, niewymagające myślenia czytadło, na jeden raz. Niestety nie zostanie ze mną na dłużej.
W powieści znajduje się dużo odniesień do innych utworów książkowych i filmowych, głównie "Władcy much", "Hrabiego Monte Christo", "Cast Away" czy "Zagubionych". Niektóre z nich mogą je nawet spojlerować, więc trzeba być ostrożnym przy czytaniu "Bezludnej wyspy".
Książkę czyta się szybko. Porusza ona również problem prześladowań w szkole, to że dzieciaki często to ukrywają przed rodzicami, a także psychiczne skutki nękania i to chyba jedyny plus. Wszystkie plot twisty udało mi się odgadnąć dosyć łatwo i żadne z nich nie było dla mnie zaskoczeniem. Epilog w ogóle nie pasował do całości, był kompletnie niepotrzebny.
Podsumowując, lekkie, niewymagające myślenia czytadło, na jeden raz. Niestety nie zostanie ze mną na dłużej.
whyisgamora's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
tessa_g's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
cld_bs's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
maddieparky's review against another edition
4.0
When Link, the nerdy, home-schooled teenager, joins Osney school, it is immediately torture. When everything is based around sports, and he isn't very sporty, the bullying gets so intense he decides he wants to leave school at the first available moment. But when his parents convince him to at least stay on for a Life Skills trip, it ends up in a plane crash - and the tables being turned. Link, unused to having the power he suddenly holds, struggles to beat his tormentors, but in doing so misses the mysteries of the island.
The Island is an interesting story from Bennett that has a similar feel to S.T.A.G.S while also having a completely unique edge. It shows what may happen when kids are left alone, in a Lord of the Flies style novel.
The Island is an interesting story from Bennett that has a similar feel to S.T.A.G.S while also having a completely unique edge. It shows what may happen when kids are left alone, in a Lord of the Flies style novel.
charlottesshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
link was such a dickhead and i know that was the whole point but sweet jesus
cassiekins92's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0