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The Islanders, Vol. 1: Zoey Fools Around / Jake Finds Out by Katherine Applegate, Michael Grant
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, just wow. This was a pretty great book.
There are only two reasons why I rated this book a 4 star and not a 5 star. First reason is the fact that the POV jumps from one character to another. Each of our characters gets at least a few words in, some more than others. Zoey, Nina, Claire, Aisha are the main characters, but the guys, Jake, Benjamin, Lucas, Christopher also have a few parts. It was especially confusing during the first chapters. I was just thinking it would be Zoey's POV (since hey, the book is called Zoey Fools around), but suddenly found myself watching the story unfold from the minds of Nina, Claire or Aisha. After a while I got used to it, but it is still something I don't prefer. I prefer POVs to change during a chapter change, or when it is clearly marked. I just can't switch from one person to another in a short time span without any warning.
The second reason is the characters. Don't get me wrong, together they are a fantastic group and they make the story come alive. But quite a few of them are meh or terrible. For instance Claire and Nina were 2 characters I really didn't like. I will discuss the characters in a bit.
I want to talk about the story first. The story was perfect. We have romance, drama, but also mystery. Because, 2 years ago an accident happened. An accident that killed Jake's brother Wade. An accident that was caused by Lucas. Or at least that is what we are being fed in the beginning. Slowly, as the story continues you will find out that maybe not everything is what it seems. You will get enough hints, and quite soon you will find out that things might be going down very soon. I really like how the author wrote the story, instead of making it clear from the start, she slowly builds up the tension, slowly builds up to a climax. I approve of this. Some books build up, then dump the climax and then walk away. The author here didn't do that. Even when we find out the truth, she keeps it exciting and fun to read. You just want to know what goes on, you want to know how this will rock the foundations of the little island.
Because that is also what attracted me to this book, a little island, people who have known each other for a long time, and now things will be rocked and shaking. What will it do to the whole foundation that they build up, the little relationships they build? It was really interesting how everything was woven together, how everyone knew each other (or did they?). Even with all that, I don't think an island would be the place for me. I kind of like anonymity and privacy. Knowing that if something happens, that the only ones that know about it are my family or friends. Not the whole town/island.
The author did a great job describing the island, describing how small it was and how it looked. I could just imagine myself standing there, looking around me and seeing a small town, see the waves crashing against the beach. I could just imagine myself hopping on the ferry to get to the mainland.
I liked that this was a two in one book, especially considering how the books ends, you just want more!
Now for the characters. I will mention each character and tell a bit what I thought about them.
Let's start with Zoey.
I think Zoey was the best character in the entire book. Sure, she had some faults, and sure she did some things wrong (the situations with Lucas for instance), but she is a good girl at heart. She tries her best to help everyone, even if that means pissing off people. Unlike some of the characters, she was quite relatable, even though her romance novels were a bit awkward and weird.
Benjamin
I am still not entirely sure if I like him or not. On the one hand, he is awesome for being able to manoeuvre through life while being blind. It was quite amazing to read how he navigated through school, his house, the island. He knew exactly where he was and how to get there. I liked that he was smart and that he thought through everything. Nothing escaped him. He was also protective of his sister. But, he was also mean, rude and at times a prick. His attitude could use some adjusting. He really drew out the worst from people.
Aisha
A so-so character that didn't really leave much of an impression on me. I did think the way she played with Christopher was bad. You could clearly see she liked him, yet she kept denying.
Nina
A horrendous, childish, annoying character, who never seemed to keep any secrets. Not even those of her friends. Which is a trait I don't like in my characters. I don't mind if a character accidentally spills something, but Nina? Nina just kept doing it. No matter what it was about. Also she was so childish, the way she acted, the things she did. Her negativity about a lot of things just got on my nerves. I wish she would be happy for once, and not think negative stuff about a lot of people. And what was up with her having a unlit cigarette in her mouth at all times? o.0
Claire
The character I hated the most. What a manipulative, conniving bitch she was. Throughout the book she is just plotting things, saying or doing things that will harm others. Her secret and what she did with it? I just wanted to smack her.
However, I can say that during the last pages... I might just started seeing that she also had a good side to her. But, only for a few pages. She hurt a lot of people with what she did after certain events took place in this book and I can't just shrug and say it is all forgiven.
Her weather mania? It got a bit annoying, it felt out of place and out of character. It just didn't feel like something she would like. I would see her more as the ever shopping, make-up and giggles kind of girl.
Jake
I am not sure what I thought about him. He was a bit too clingy, and I can imagine girls will be scared off if you talk about marriage and staying with them forever. He was also a bit dull and boring. I do feel sorry for him, for what he lost, and what he will lose in the next coming books.
I didn't like his attitude when certain things happened in the book. It just felt weird how fast he was all over a certain person, and the things he said. Man, what a dick move. Maybe he didn't mean it, but seriously, you don't just say things like that.
Lucas
Another great character. The poor guy, I felt so sorry for him. He did all that for that person? Wow. Wow. Wow. Not a good step, but I can imagine why he did it.
He was really kind and friendly, and I liked how he tried his best to reconcile with people. He really tried so hard.
Christopher
Ah, Christopher. Dear Lord, I disliked him. He was just under Claire in my ranking under bleh/horrible/bad characters. Mostly I disliked him for how he acted around Aisha. Possessive, demanding and quite honestly? Scary and stalkerish. You don't do all that to a girl. It is just sick and creepy. At times I was just disturbed at how he thought, or how he always seemed to be there when Aisha was. *shivers*
Now with all the characters being talked about, I will just end my review with this: I would really recommend this book to everyone. Are you looking for secrets? A tiny island? Characters that will make you feel things (good and bad)? And of course romance? Then try this book. I can't wait for the second volume to arrive, since this book ended on quite an open note, and I am all curious about Jake and how stuff will continue!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
There are only two reasons why I rated this book a 4 star and not a 5 star. First reason is the fact that the POV jumps from one character to another. Each of our characters gets at least a few words in, some more than others. Zoey, Nina, Claire, Aisha are the main characters, but the guys, Jake, Benjamin, Lucas, Christopher also have a few parts. It was especially confusing during the first chapters. I was just thinking it would be Zoey's POV (since hey, the book is called Zoey Fools around), but suddenly found myself watching the story unfold from the minds of Nina, Claire or Aisha. After a while I got used to it, but it is still something I don't prefer. I prefer POVs to change during a chapter change, or when it is clearly marked. I just can't switch from one person to another in a short time span without any warning.
The second reason is the characters. Don't get me wrong, together they are a fantastic group and they make the story come alive. But quite a few of them are meh or terrible. For instance Claire and Nina were 2 characters I really didn't like. I will discuss the characters in a bit.
I want to talk about the story first. The story was perfect. We have romance, drama, but also mystery. Because, 2 years ago an accident happened. An accident that killed Jake's brother Wade. An accident that was caused by Lucas. Or at least that is what we are being fed in the beginning. Slowly, as the story continues you will find out that maybe not everything is what it seems. You will get enough hints, and quite soon you will find out that things might be going down very soon. I really like how the author wrote the story, instead of making it clear from the start, she slowly builds up the tension, slowly builds up to a climax. I approve of this. Some books build up, then dump the climax and then walk away. The author here didn't do that. Even when we find out the truth, she keeps it exciting and fun to read. You just want to know what goes on, you want to know how this will rock the foundations of the little island.
Because that is also what attracted me to this book, a little island, people who have known each other for a long time, and now things will be rocked and shaking. What will it do to the whole foundation that they build up, the little relationships they build? It was really interesting how everything was woven together, how everyone knew each other (or did they?). Even with all that, I don't think an island would be the place for me. I kind of like anonymity and privacy. Knowing that if something happens, that the only ones that know about it are my family or friends. Not the whole town/island.
The author did a great job describing the island, describing how small it was and how it looked. I could just imagine myself standing there, looking around me and seeing a small town, see the waves crashing against the beach. I could just imagine myself hopping on the ferry to get to the mainland.
I liked that this was a two in one book, especially considering how the books ends, you just want more!
Now for the characters. I will mention each character and tell a bit what I thought about them.
Let's start with Zoey.
I think Zoey was the best character in the entire book. Sure, she had some faults, and sure she did some things wrong (the situations with Lucas for instance), but she is a good girl at heart. She tries her best to help everyone, even if that means pissing off people. Unlike some of the characters, she was quite relatable, even though her romance novels were a bit awkward and weird.
Benjamin
I am still not entirely sure if I like him or not. On the one hand, he is awesome for being able to manoeuvre through life while being blind. It was quite amazing to read how he navigated through school, his house, the island. He knew exactly where he was and how to get there. I liked that he was smart and that he thought through everything. Nothing escaped him. He was also protective of his sister. But, he was also mean, rude and at times a prick. His attitude could use some adjusting. He really drew out the worst from people.
Aisha
A so-so character that didn't really leave much of an impression on me. I did think the way she played with Christopher was bad. You could clearly see she liked him, yet she kept denying.
Nina
A horrendous, childish, annoying character, who never seemed to keep any secrets. Not even those of her friends. Which is a trait I don't like in my characters. I don't mind if a character accidentally spills something, but Nina? Nina just kept doing it. No matter what it was about. Also she was so childish, the way she acted, the things she did. Her negativity about a lot of things just got on my nerves. I wish she would be happy for once, and not think negative stuff about a lot of people. And what was up with her having a unlit cigarette in her mouth at all times? o.0
Claire
The character I hated the most. What a manipulative, conniving bitch she was. Throughout the book she is just plotting things, saying or doing things that will harm others. Her secret and what she did with it? I just wanted to smack her.
However, I can say that during the last pages... I might just started seeing that she also had a good side to her. But, only for a few pages. She hurt a lot of people with what she did after certain events took place in this book and I can't just shrug and say it is all forgiven.
Her weather mania? It got a bit annoying, it felt out of place and out of character. It just didn't feel like something she would like. I would see her more as the ever shopping, make-up and giggles kind of girl.
Jake
I am not sure what I thought about him. He was a bit too clingy, and I can imagine girls will be scared off if you talk about marriage and staying with them forever. He was also a bit dull and boring. I do feel sorry for him, for what he lost, and what he will lose in the next coming books.
I didn't like his attitude when certain things happened in the book. It just felt weird how fast he was all over a certain person, and the things he said. Man, what a dick move. Maybe he didn't mean it, but seriously, you don't just say things like that.
Lucas
Another great character. The poor guy, I felt so sorry for him. He did all that for that person? Wow. Wow. Wow. Not a good step, but I can imagine why he did it.
He was really kind and friendly, and I liked how he tried his best to reconcile with people. He really tried so hard.
Christopher
Ah, Christopher. Dear Lord, I disliked him. He was just under Claire in my ranking under bleh/horrible/bad characters. Mostly I disliked him for how he acted around Aisha. Possessive, demanding and quite honestly? Scary and stalkerish. You don't do all that to a girl. It is just sick and creepy. At times I was just disturbed at how he thought, or how he always seemed to be there when Aisha was. *shivers*
Now with all the characters being talked about, I will just end my review with this: I would really recommend this book to everyone. Are you looking for secrets? A tiny island? Characters that will make you feel things (good and bad)? And of course romance? Then try this book. I can't wait for the second volume to arrive, since this book ended on quite an open note, and I am all curious about Jake and how stuff will continue!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
traecrochet's review against another edition
3.0
When I was a teenager in the 90s, I loved this series when it was the "Making Out" series. The first 8 books have been rebranded "The Islanders" and repackaged for today's teens, complete with updated pop culture references. Sure, there's lots of drama and insta-love, but again, its a teen series. Despite all that, the series held up pretty well. I grew up going to Maine during the summer and I was always enchanted with living on an island with a close knit community. I can't wait to read the next volume and see how that one matches up to my memory.
stayinyoursky's review against another edition
dnf: tried reading this several years ago— was hoping for a chill, beachy, summery vibe. honestly i can’t remember anything about it. all i remember was that I was so bored reading it & desperately tried to finish it for months, but to no avail. oh well
albon's review against another edition
3.0
2016 review:
You know what? When you get into this, it's really not that bad. If you can deal with the immature characters and the plot being 90% about the romance and 5% about friendship and 5% "deep dark secrets", it's okay. It was enough to keep me interested anyway. And I know it says I read this book in seven days, but it was more like two. The first five days I only read like 70 pages.
Benjamin was my favorite character, and I really loved him. He's blind, but he's not defined at all by this disability. He can get around town on his own, he has a girlfriend and friends, he's a good brother, he likes music and books and makes a lot of jokes. I feel like it's rare that you find a good depiction of disability in books. Disabled characters are either 100% defined by their disability, or it doesn't affect them at all, which also isn't realistic. I don't know a lot about being blind so don't take my word as gospel, because at the end of the day someone with more knowledge may disagree and I respect that and would listen to that, but I thought Applegate (+Grant) handled Ben's disability in a good way.
Other than that, I wasn't overly fond of any character. Nina was okay, if I had to pick a second favorite it would be her.
I liked that it was set on an island, and that they had to take the ferry to school every day. And yes, it did make me want to live on a small island in Maine.
This book (or should I say these books, as it's actually a 2-in-1 volume) was actually first published in the 90s. All the pop culture references are updated, but nobody has cellphones and all the technology they mention is really old-fashioned. Personally I think it would've been better if they just removed all the pop culture references (if they had to get rid of the old ones), because in 10 years time this book will probably be outdated all over again.
It's hard to place this in age genre. It's obviously YA. The writing style and the characters read more like younger YA, but there are a lot of references to sex and in one of the last chapters in the book they allude to a very dark topic that will probably come up later in the books.
Would I recommend this? Maybe not. But if your goal is to read as many Applegate and/or Grant books as you can get your hands on, this won't be the worst thing you read.
You know what? When you get into this, it's really not that bad. If you can deal with the immature characters and the plot being 90% about the romance and 5% about friendship and 5% "deep dark secrets", it's okay. It was enough to keep me interested anyway. And I know it says I read this book in seven days, but it was more like two. The first five days I only read like 70 pages.
Benjamin was my favorite character, and I really loved him. He's blind, but he's not defined at all by this disability. He can get around town on his own, he has a girlfriend and friends, he's a good brother, he likes music and books and makes a lot of jokes. I feel like it's rare that you find a good depiction of disability in books. Disabled characters are either 100% defined by their disability, or it doesn't affect them at all, which also isn't realistic. I don't know a lot about being blind so don't take my word as gospel, because at the end of the day someone with more knowledge may disagree and I respect that and would listen to that, but I thought Applegate (+Grant) handled Ben's disability in a good way.
Other than that, I wasn't overly fond of any character. Nina was okay, if I had to pick a second favorite it would be her.
I liked that it was set on an island, and that they had to take the ferry to school every day. And yes, it did make me want to live on a small island in Maine.
This book (or should I say these books, as it's actually a 2-in-1 volume) was actually first published in the 90s. All the pop culture references are updated, but nobody has cellphones and all the technology they mention is really old-fashioned. Personally I think it would've been better if they just removed all the pop culture references (if they had to get rid of the old ones), because in 10 years time this book will probably be outdated all over again.
It's hard to place this in age genre. It's obviously YA. The writing style and the characters read more like younger YA, but there are a lot of references to sex and in one of the last chapters in the book they allude to a very dark topic that will probably come up later in the books.
Would I recommend this? Maybe not. But if your goal is to read as many Applegate and/or Grant books as you can get your hands on, this won't be the worst thing you read.
READING PROGRESS
September 13, 2015 – Shelved
September 13, 2015 – Shelved as: to-read
August 31, 2016 – Started Reading
September 1, 2016 –
page 77 16.04% "So far, this is exactly what I expected it to be. All over the place, sometimes cheesy, weird pop culture references (this was originally published in the 90s. It's been updated and name-drops One Direction and Liam Hemsworth, but nobody owns a mobile phone), but still somewhat entertaining. The things you read for your favorite author..."
page 77 16.04% "So far, this is exactly what I expected it to be. All over the place, sometimes cheesy, weird pop culture references (this was originally published in the 90s. It's been updated and name-drops One Direction and Liam Hemsworth, but nobody owns a mobile phone), but still somewhat entertaining. The things you read for your favorite author..."
September 5, 2016 –
page 247 51.46% "Finished book 1 of the two books in this volume. Not sure how I feel yet, but I like Benjamin's character."
page 247 51.46% "Finished book 1 of the two books in this volume. Not sure how I feel yet, but I like Benjamin's character."
September 6, 2016 – Finished Reading
jahanam's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
For what it is, its a good book. Not a great fantasy or literary fiction book but I still enjoyed it. I read these books when I was a teenager cuz my library had them all, and somehow I wanted to revisit them. Not sure if I would actually enjoy them now otherwise.
Zoey is still annoying but the rest is fine. Claire and Ben used to be my favorite. Still kind of are.
Zoey is still annoying but the rest is fine. Claire and Ben used to be my favorite. Still kind of are.
bookaddictrn's review against another edition
Dnf after book 1. The magical adolescent memories are lost.
brapfel's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
bookmarklit's review against another edition
3.0
Super dramatic and cheesy, in an addicting 90s-style kind of way. (This would have been my JAM back when I was an actual young adult!) I'm open to romance tropes (love triangles, instalove) in ways that feel real and right. This book has both of those things in absolute full force, but not exactly how I prefer them. I couldn't even tell you about each character's personality/interests because they all felt the same. Despite all my complaints I have to say I enjoyed reading the drama. I'll definitely continue the series at some point!
skler3's review against another edition
3.0
Kind of repetitive and stereotypical, but a very easy read
princess_starr's review
3.0
I’ve spent the past few weeks in a kind of nostalgic binge for the trashy YA novels that I would have grown up with—the series that would release multiple books in a matter of months that dealt with the pre-connected age of teen soap opera lurid scandals that didn’t feel out of place on the pre-CW WB primetime teen dramas. Not that the bulk of them could probably hold up nowadays, technology disconnect or otherwise, but they’re just so much fun to read. It’s literary junk food, and once in a while, I feel the need to binge on them. I saw the first Islanders omnibus on an Amazon Daily Deal email, thought, “It’s Katherine Applegate, it’s only $1.99, let’s do this.” (I’m more familiar with the Animorphs series rather than Applegate’s teen dramas. To be fair, the Islanders was first released in 1994, and I would have been a little too young for it then.)
(Side tangent: Reading updated editions of YA books almost always cracks me up because there is such a devoted effort to make sure all of the pop culture references are contemporary, and yet nobody questions the fact that none of the main characters wouldn’t own a personal cell phone or computer. Especially given that they all live on a small island that requires the characters to be ferried to school every day. Just put a small note at the beginning saying the date, guys. If teens can’t accept the fact that the book takes place over 20 years ago or can’t two seconds to Google the references (and I’m pretty sure even then you can find acceptable well-known references), then that’s their problem. I have a bigger lack of faith in the publishers than in the readers.
Btw, the only reason the cultural updating worked in the final Princess Diaries rerelease is that they did at least stick to the conceit that the timeline was from 2005-2010, so that the tech disconnect wasn’t as bad.)
The first volume of The Islanders is pure mid-90s teen soap opera cheese that I’m surprised that I haven’t heard of an inkling for a TV show back in the day. This is the perfect style of overwrought teenage drama featuring murder charges, bad boys with a heart of gold, girls getting themselves into deep, and a setting where everyone thinks that they know everyone’s else secrets. Give it to me.
The main plot of The Islanders concerns the return of Lucas Cabral, a kid from the wrong side of the island who was cast as a cold-hearted villain after a fatal car accident that took the life of Wade McRoyen, the older brother to star quarterback Jake. Lucas has just returned from two years in juvie, and Jake is now out for not-entirely defined vengeance on Lucas. Jake’s girlfriend and main character Zoey (who kissed Lucas for no particular reason before he left) begins to realize that Lucas might not be as bad as everyone insists him to be. And the only person who begins to realize that there was something fishy about the accident is Zoey’s blind brother, Benjamin, who’s currently dating Lucas’s ice queen ex-girlfriend, Claire, who’s also the older sister of Zoey’s best friend Nina, who has a crush on Benjamin and thinks that Jake is more bad news for Zoey than Lucas is. The only person in this group who isn’t dealing with the tangle of love and backstabbing is mutual friend Aisha, although she has her own problems in dealing with literal Nice Guy Christopher, who won’t give up on dating Aisha until she’s forced to say yes. (Bonus points to the fact that they’re the only two black people of the same age living on the island.)
This is so full of deliciously cheesy tropes that I secretly kind of love it while simultaneously facepalming at the overwrought drama and some bad missteps. (I’ll get back to Aisha and Christopher.) Like, you have Zoey dramatically sobbing when she finds out that Lucas is being sent to Texas and she’s losing her “ONE TRUE LOVE!” after they’ve only been making out in public for a week. Or that Claire is the typical YA bitch queen who can get anything that she wants by manipulating all of the boys in her life to do so. And Nina being a sensible best friend (with a quirk of sucking on unlit cigarettes unmetaphorically) except she has secret trauma relating to why she doesn’t want a boyfriend. (It’s hinted at in the end of the second volume, and presumably, Nina’s sexual assault is a main plot point for the rest of the series. I’m not going into it fully here because it’s really not brought up except for an “Oh…oh” moment, but fair warning.) But I like that there’s more to them than being just slotted character archetypes. For example, Claire, who is by her own admission a terrible person who uses her friends and then backstabs them. But, as Benjamin infers, in a position where she could put herself first or her friends first, Claire will do the right thing.While there’s a lot of convoluted drama surrounding why Claire can’t reveal that she was actually the one driving in the car crash that killed Wade, she still owns up to it and has to live with the fact that her current target, Jake, has been blaming Lucas for years and that she needs to come clean about it. (Also, Claire is very much into meteorology and habitually records weather patterns in her diary, which I found interesting.) Even Jake gets a somewhat sympathetic realization that he’s been holding onto his brother’s death for so long that he starting to realize that maybe he ought to let go and not be a complete asshole to Lucas all of the time. Of course, then he slides back into being a jerk once Zoey starts cheating on Jake, but there’s at least an effort to grow up and move past it.
The only thing that I do think is an issue is Aisha’s begrudging relationship with Christopher. Mainly because Christopher’s “I’m a nice guy, just give me a chance” routine was more accepted back then than it is nowadays, but I did wish that someone other than Aisha would call Christopher out on literally showing up wherever she goes—Christopher works multiple jobs around the island, including cooking at Zoey’s parents’ restaurant and landscaping for Aisha’s family, but once he showed up at her school for work, that does feel a lot like he’s stalking Aisha. (But again, the accepted “Oh, but he’s so nice and sweet and he likes you! You should give him a chance!” kind of rom-com stalking.) Along with the fact that they are literally the only two black people living on Chatham Island (which Aisha calls out that fact and says she’s not going to date Christopher for that reason), it just doesn’t completely work for me, and we really don’t know that much about Christopher to know if he does have an ulterior motive in play or if he’s just pulling the Nice Guy card.
While there’s a lot of plot that happens and very little that gets resolved over the course of two books, I am interested in reading the rest of the series. The second book ends on a massive cliffhanger with everyone finding out what really happened the night Wade McRoyen died, and the preview chapter for the second volume hints at an even bigger secret concerning Nina’s trauma. (Katherine Applegate knows how to write her cliffhanger drama bombs, as we all learned the hard way.) And as I said, it’s just fun to read. There are problems with the plot and the characters, but they don’t take away my enjoyment of reading the book, and I want to find out more.What’s going to happen to Claire and Jake? Is Lucas’s father going to admit the truth to everyone about the deal he made with Claire’s father? Is Benjamin secretly pulling the strings on a grand conspiracy? Is Zoey going to realize that her romance novel isn’t going to really go anywhere? Can Aisha wisen up and dump Christopher’s ass? Will Nina stand triumphant over everyone or go “FUCK YOU ALL AND THIS POPSICLE STAND, I’M OUT”? These are important questions I need to know. It’s a fun little slice of cheese, and I am planning on getting more of it.
(Side tangent: Reading updated editions of YA books almost always cracks me up because there is such a devoted effort to make sure all of the pop culture references are contemporary, and yet nobody questions the fact that none of the main characters wouldn’t own a personal cell phone or computer. Especially given that they all live on a small island that requires the characters to be ferried to school every day. Just put a small note at the beginning saying the date, guys. If teens can’t accept the fact that the book takes place over 20 years ago or can’t two seconds to Google the references (and I’m pretty sure even then you can find acceptable well-known references), then that’s their problem. I have a bigger lack of faith in the publishers than in the readers.
Btw, the only reason the cultural updating worked in the final Princess Diaries rerelease is that they did at least stick to the conceit that the timeline was from 2005-2010, so that the tech disconnect wasn’t as bad.)
The first volume of The Islanders is pure mid-90s teen soap opera cheese that I’m surprised that I haven’t heard of an inkling for a TV show back in the day. This is the perfect style of overwrought teenage drama featuring murder charges, bad boys with a heart of gold, girls getting themselves into deep, and a setting where everyone thinks that they know everyone’s else secrets. Give it to me.
The main plot of The Islanders concerns the return of Lucas Cabral, a kid from the wrong side of the island who was cast as a cold-hearted villain after a fatal car accident that took the life of Wade McRoyen, the older brother to star quarterback Jake. Lucas has just returned from two years in juvie, and Jake is now out for not-entirely defined vengeance on Lucas. Jake’s girlfriend and main character Zoey (who kissed Lucas for no particular reason before he left) begins to realize that Lucas might not be as bad as everyone insists him to be. And the only person who begins to realize that there was something fishy about the accident is Zoey’s blind brother, Benjamin, who’s currently dating Lucas’s ice queen ex-girlfriend, Claire, who’s also the older sister of Zoey’s best friend Nina, who has a crush on Benjamin and thinks that Jake is more bad news for Zoey than Lucas is. The only person in this group who isn’t dealing with the tangle of love and backstabbing is mutual friend Aisha, although she has her own problems in dealing with literal Nice Guy Christopher, who won’t give up on dating Aisha until she’s forced to say yes. (Bonus points to the fact that they’re the only two black people of the same age living on the island.)
This is so full of deliciously cheesy tropes that I secretly kind of love it while simultaneously facepalming at the overwrought drama and some bad missteps. (I’ll get back to Aisha and Christopher.) Like, you have Zoey dramatically sobbing when she finds out that Lucas is being sent to Texas and she’s losing her “ONE TRUE LOVE!” after they’ve only been making out in public for a week. Or that Claire is the typical YA bitch queen who can get anything that she wants by manipulating all of the boys in her life to do so. And Nina being a sensible best friend (with a quirk of sucking on unlit cigarettes unmetaphorically) except she has secret trauma relating to why she doesn’t want a boyfriend. (It’s hinted at in the end of the second volume, and presumably, Nina’s sexual assault is a main plot point for the rest of the series. I’m not going into it fully here because it’s really not brought up except for an “Oh…oh” moment, but fair warning.) But I like that there’s more to them than being just slotted character archetypes. For example, Claire, who is by her own admission a terrible person who uses her friends and then backstabs them. But, as Benjamin infers, in a position where she could put herself first or her friends first, Claire will do the right thing.
The only thing that I do think is an issue is Aisha’s begrudging relationship with Christopher. Mainly because Christopher’s “I’m a nice guy, just give me a chance” routine was more accepted back then than it is nowadays, but I did wish that someone other than Aisha would call Christopher out on literally showing up wherever she goes—Christopher works multiple jobs around the island, including cooking at Zoey’s parents’ restaurant and landscaping for Aisha’s family, but once he showed up at her school for work, that does feel a lot like he’s stalking Aisha. (But again, the accepted “Oh, but he’s so nice and sweet and he likes you! You should give him a chance!” kind of rom-com stalking.) Along with the fact that they are literally the only two black people living on Chatham Island (which Aisha calls out that fact and says she’s not going to date Christopher for that reason), it just doesn’t completely work for me, and we really don’t know that much about Christopher to know if he does have an ulterior motive in play or if he’s just pulling the Nice Guy card.
While there’s a lot of plot that happens and very little that gets resolved over the course of two books, I am interested in reading the rest of the series. The second book ends on a massive cliffhanger with everyone finding out what really happened the night Wade McRoyen died, and the preview chapter for the second volume hints at an even bigger secret concerning Nina’s trauma. (Katherine Applegate knows how to write her cliffhanger drama bombs, as we all learned the hard way.) And as I said, it’s just fun to read. There are problems with the plot and the characters, but they don’t take away my enjoyment of reading the book, and I want to find out more.