Reviews

The Fourth Island by Sarah Tolmie

lostcanticles's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

sascham's review against another edition

5.0

Ohhhh this was good. Like a stiff breeze moving through your whole brain and clearing out all the trash hidden in the corners. How do you go on after death? How do the survivors manage? And what is the purpose of a good warm sweater in all of this? I guess you gotta read this poetic little story to find out. Don't go too far from shore though. The sea might eat you up and spit you out on the other side.

shomarq's review

emotional reflective 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

4.5

caidyn's review

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

I wanted to love this one, but I didn't. I think it wasn't the right time for me to read this one. But, I have a feeling that I'll try it again sometime.

gertron's review

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

leahrosereads's review

dark mysterious reflective medium-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

3.0

So I absolutely loved the concept of this novella, and I really liked how the characters' stories were interwoven. The island was the most fascinating, intriguing character, and I wish there was more exploration of it.  Unfortunately, we mostly followed the human characters, and I didn't feel like we saw enough of any one to really form a connection.  


It made for a very strong first half of the story, when we're introduced to everyone and thing to a lackluster second half when there's nothing new to discover. 

john_ingold's review against another edition

2.0

2.5
“We are the necromancers here. We have made a golem of the whole earth”

karbingut's review against another edition

mysterious sad 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

5.0

claudiaswords's review

adventurous dark inspiring fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, and Sexism

tyrshand's review against another edition

4.0

This is another of this year's short, dreamy, kind of unresolved tales that I fully enjoyed sinking into. I'm not sure I have much more to say about it. It's like a fragment of a legend or fairy tale, discovered as a side mention in an old book about something totally different. Maybe everyone knew about it at the time, but as much as you'd like to know the full story, the rest has been lost to the ages and you're just lucky you got this glimpse to spark you're curiosity and imagination.