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alliechase's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
myweereads's review against another edition
5.0
“She was afraid of the ocean’s endlessly reaching silent hands that would seize and drown her.”
The Fourth Island by Sarah Tolmie is the haunting story set in a village in the Aran Islands. When a body washes ashore it sets in motion a mystery the inhabitants try desperately to solve. What surfaces is a fourth Island off the coast of Ireland where only those who dwell in despair can make it there through their own darkest moments.
From the beginning, this novel sets an ominous atmosphere with its dark prose. The fourth Island Inis Caillte reinvents those who make it as their true selves. The story follows those who witness the body which is washed ashore trying to solve the mystery through a sweater which is knitted with a distinct pattern that they can’t track back to its origins.
I really enjoyed the mix of Irish folklore throughout. The key themes of this novel were the joys and sorrow of life and death, those who leave us and those who are left behind. There's a powerful message within the words which is moving and realised as the story reaches its climax.
A beautifully moving story told through vivid imagery.
The Fourth Island by Sarah Tolmie is the haunting story set in a village in the Aran Islands. When a body washes ashore it sets in motion a mystery the inhabitants try desperately to solve. What surfaces is a fourth Island off the coast of Ireland where only those who dwell in despair can make it there through their own darkest moments.
From the beginning, this novel sets an ominous atmosphere with its dark prose. The fourth Island Inis Caillte reinvents those who make it as their true selves. The story follows those who witness the body which is washed ashore trying to solve the mystery through a sweater which is knitted with a distinct pattern that they can’t track back to its origins.
I really enjoyed the mix of Irish folklore throughout. The key themes of this novel were the joys and sorrow of life and death, those who leave us and those who are left behind. There's a powerful message within the words which is moving and realised as the story reaches its climax.
A beautifully moving story told through vivid imagery.
nineteen_adze's review against another edition
3.0
The prose is lovely, but there's not really much structure to it. There's a late introduction of a pseudo-plot (or at least a source of conflict and dread), but the way it's resolved feels almost like a summary of events rather than the events themselves. Just not my cup of tea, I think.
literaturesciencealliance's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I do think this is a book where you need to be in the right mood and want to engage with the themes of this work for it to fully capture you. I was not quite in the "right" mood when I picked it up but I still really appreciated this novella and what it explored. There is a secret island that we learn about when a man is found dead on shore with a cable knit sweater that has a pattern nobody recognizes, later on with the help of this sweater a character gets transporter to this island that collects lost things. Thematically this story is about loss, despair and how our emotional energies can affect ourselves and our community. It has those soft magic/magical realism vibes that are there to give the themes and writing a scaffolding and its a lovely if a bit somber exploration of these themes.
nelsonseye's review against another edition
3.0
The Fourth Island was quite lovely, and my rating is hovering between three and four stars; I might upgrade later. There were some lovely descriptions, and some beautiful moments, but there were also some very sad moments as well. The last half/quarter was a bit confusing to me, and I’m not quite sure of the ending, but the overall I liked the book.
jgwc54e5's review against another edition
3.0
The fourth island is a novella set in the Aran Islands. The story takes place on Inis Mor and the fictional Inis Caillte (lost island in Gaelic). The island is lost and the people on it are also lost. There’s magic here, people can understand each other even if they speak different languages, the deaf can hear. It reads like a folk tale and I really enjoyed most of the book but the latter section is disappointing and doesn’t have the magic and charm of the earlier parts.
sgharsch's review against another edition
3.0
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Where does one go when they're lost?
One ends up on Inis Caillte, of course. Mysteriously hidden off the coast of Ireland, Inis Caillte is the unknown fourth Aran Island. This island, however, isn't accessible through conventional means. Only those who are lost are able to find their way there - lost in moments of hopeless despair. The inhabitants are immune to the obstacles of langue and prejudice, and welcome to their community all those who find their way to the island's shore, giving these lost souls an opportunity for a second chance, an opportunity for redemption.
Through economical yet passionate prose, Sarah Tolmie fabricates a tale steeped in Irish Folklore and dripping with atmosphere. In this novella, she creates a profound and metaphysical version of the Island of Misfit Toys - one that will make you contemplate both anguish and exultation.
I very much enjoyed the ethereal tone of the story and, once finished, I found myself wanting to learn more of Inis Caillte and its mysterious group of inhabitants.
Where does one go when they're lost?
One ends up on Inis Caillte, of course. Mysteriously hidden off the coast of Ireland, Inis Caillte is the unknown fourth Aran Island. This island, however, isn't accessible through conventional means. Only those who are lost are able to find their way there - lost in moments of hopeless despair. The inhabitants are immune to the obstacles of langue and prejudice, and welcome to their community all those who find their way to the island's shore, giving these lost souls an opportunity for a second chance, an opportunity for redemption.
Through economical yet passionate prose, Sarah Tolmie fabricates a tale steeped in Irish Folklore and dripping with atmosphere. In this novella, she creates a profound and metaphysical version of the Island of Misfit Toys - one that will make you contemplate both anguish and exultation.
I very much enjoyed the ethereal tone of the story and, once finished, I found myself wanting to learn more of Inis Caillte and its mysterious group of inhabitants.