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annarella's review
4.0
It's quite creepy and entertaining. The author builds slowly the tensions and you cannot help being hooked because you want to understand if what you read is an hallucination or something that the character is living.
I think that the atmosphere is sometime dreamlike and I like how the tension build up slowly and the plot becomes more horrific
The characters are well thought, I liked Nina, and the world building is amazing.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling.
It was a book I liked, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I think that the atmosphere is sometime dreamlike and I like how the tension build up slowly and the plot becomes more horrific
The characters are well thought, I liked Nina, and the world building is amazing.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling.
It was a book I liked, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
littlebirdbooks's review
3.0
I picked up Hope Island after seeing quite a lot of people talk about it on Instagram. The bright, Lichtenstein-esque, cover caught my eye and the description sounded very intriguing and unlike a novel that I have read for a while.
The novel centres around Nina Scaife, a workaholic TV producer, and her relationship with her daughter Laurie. After Nina’s partner, Rob, leaves her for another woman she takes Laurie to the remote Hope Island to visit Rob’s parents. However, when a dead body is found on the beach, Nina soon begins to realise that not all is what it seems on the island.
It took me a little while to warm up to Nina, but I did find that it was refreshing to have a protagonist so suspicious of the goings on of the odd behaviour on the island. To have her question everything instead of brushing it off, or just going along with it, was a nice touch. Where the novel was told from Nina’s perspective, an outsider on the island, I found that I didn’t really get attached to any of the other characters; which meant that some events didn’t have quite as much as an impact towards the end. I also found the very brief romantic prospect for Nina was a bit unnecessary.
The way Major creates suspense and builds tension is brilliantly done. I found it gripping and I needed to know what was going to happen, and to uncover the secrets of the island. I really liked the descriptions of the island too, you could really see it. Towards the end of the novel the structure of the sentences began to change, as well as the chapters, which was really effective. However, at the same time I did find the chaos a little too confusing but I was still able to piece together what was going on.
I enjoyed the novel and did feel on edge reading it, however as I was unable to bond with the characters I wasn’t able to fully immerse myself in the world despite Major’s well-written tension.
The novel centres around Nina Scaife, a workaholic TV producer, and her relationship with her daughter Laurie. After Nina’s partner, Rob, leaves her for another woman she takes Laurie to the remote Hope Island to visit Rob’s parents. However, when a dead body is found on the beach, Nina soon begins to realise that not all is what it seems on the island.
It took me a little while to warm up to Nina, but I did find that it was refreshing to have a protagonist so suspicious of the goings on of the odd behaviour on the island. To have her question everything instead of brushing it off, or just going along with it, was a nice touch. Where the novel was told from Nina’s perspective, an outsider on the island, I found that I didn’t really get attached to any of the other characters; which meant that some events didn’t have quite as much as an impact towards the end. I also found the very brief romantic prospect for Nina was a bit unnecessary.
The way Major creates suspense and builds tension is brilliantly done. I found it gripping and I needed to know what was going to happen, and to uncover the secrets of the island. I really liked the descriptions of the island too, you could really see it. Towards the end of the novel the structure of the sentences began to change, as well as the chapters, which was really effective. However, at the same time I did find the chaos a little too confusing but I was still able to piece together what was going on.
I enjoyed the novel and did feel on edge reading it, however as I was unable to bond with the characters I wasn’t able to fully immerse myself in the world despite Major’s well-written tension.
paperbacksandpinot's review
4.0
Firstly, thank you to Titan books and Negalley for a review copy of Hope Island, I went into this off the back of Snakeskins, Tim Major's previous released through Titan which I loved. Whilst Hope Island does have some similar themes, it is a very different kind of tale.
For me, the blurb belies the story a little and whilst indeed all the happenings mentioned are, well happening, this is very much an Introspective piece for our protagonist Nina for the most part. As a reader we are with her throughout and a lot of the story is her inner monologue as she struggles to come to terms with the breakdown of her relationship, her desire to reconnect with her daughter all whilst being on an island reminiscent of The Wicker Man. I have to say that Nina is a character that I deeply connected with, having myself had to return to work full time whilst my partner took the primary childcare role, I felt that I understood her and was able to empathise with her feelings of inadequacy and being out of her depth, she is written in a sensitive way and clearly either a lot of time was spent on research or the author is remarkably astute in this area. On an Island sceptical of outsiders I enjoyed her relationship with Marie the most, it felt very honest and gave a much needed outlet away from Nina's mind and a greater understanding of her situation when she actually voiced it to another. I felt that the reactions and temperament of Marie's baby, Niall, were very well played in the sense of the bigger picture.
The book is not all about a woman in crisis though, it is clear from the opening page that Hope Island, for all it's idyllic beauty, is an island with a secret. It has a very sinister and almost stifling feel, its inhabitants are closed and eerily silent, fertile ground for a journalist who just can't leave the job behind. The artists commune feels out of place on the island and it's like it's tolerated rather than embraced as it is the cause of bringing yet further strangers to the island. They are an affable bunch though and I liked the eclectic mix of characters. The silence of the children gets you in the gut, their presence is oppressive whenever they appear and I was constantly holding my breath at those times. The culmination comes quickly, the reveals were sudden and devastating and the story felt like it took an about turn and indeed the writing style felt very different as the tale took more of an existential feel. Honestly I felt that the end was rushed and it all felt a little muddled in my mind. When the attention was on Laurie the story had huge pace and felt like a thriller, however when the attention flipped back to Nina I started to feel less and less immersed in the story. It is a clever ending though and the islands secrets are incredibly imaginative.
Hope Island is a wonderful slow burn story that will catch you out when you least expect it and a great follow up to Snakeskins.
For me, the blurb belies the story a little and whilst indeed all the happenings mentioned are, well happening, this is very much an Introspective piece for our protagonist Nina for the most part. As a reader we are with her throughout and a lot of the story is her inner monologue as she struggles to come to terms with the breakdown of her relationship, her desire to reconnect with her daughter all whilst being on an island reminiscent of The Wicker Man. I have to say that Nina is a character that I deeply connected with, having myself had to return to work full time whilst my partner took the primary childcare role, I felt that I understood her and was able to empathise with her feelings of inadequacy and being out of her depth, she is written in a sensitive way and clearly either a lot of time was spent on research or the author is remarkably astute in this area. On an Island sceptical of outsiders I enjoyed her relationship with Marie the most, it felt very honest and gave a much needed outlet away from Nina's mind and a greater understanding of her situation when she actually voiced it to another. I felt that the reactions and temperament of Marie's baby, Niall, were very well played in the sense of the bigger picture.
The book is not all about a woman in crisis though, it is clear from the opening page that Hope Island, for all it's idyllic beauty, is an island with a secret. It has a very sinister and almost stifling feel, its inhabitants are closed and eerily silent, fertile ground for a journalist who just can't leave the job behind. The artists commune feels out of place on the island and it's like it's tolerated rather than embraced as it is the cause of bringing yet further strangers to the island. They are an affable bunch though and I liked the eclectic mix of characters. The silence of the children gets you in the gut, their presence is oppressive whenever they appear and I was constantly holding my breath at those times. The culmination comes quickly, the reveals were sudden and devastating and the story felt like it took an about turn and indeed the writing style felt very different as the tale took more of an existential feel. Honestly I felt that the end was rushed and it all felt a little muddled in my mind. When the attention was on Laurie the story had huge pace and felt like a thriller, however when the attention flipped back to Nina I started to feel less and less immersed in the story. It is a clever ending though and the islands secrets are incredibly imaginative.
Hope Island is a wonderful slow burn story that will catch you out when you least expect it and a great follow up to Snakeskins.
joecam79's review
4.0
Nina Scaife and her fourteen-year old daughter Laurie have just arrived on the eponymous Hope Island, off the coast of Maine, the childhood home of Nina’s long-time partner (and Laurie’s father) Rob. Nina, a British TV news producer is a workaholic, and this is the first time that she has made time to accompany her daughter on a visit to Rob’s elderly parents in America. How ironic then that during this stay she will have to break the news that Rob is not really “away on a holiday” or on a work trip and that the reason for his absence is that he has recently abandoned a long-fraying relationship.
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html
valetparkering's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
This was a really disappointing book, the cover led me astray
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
It's quite creepy and entertaining. The author builds slowly the tensions and you cannot help being hooked because you want to understand if what you read is an hallucination or something that the character is living.
I think that the atmosphere is sometime dreamlike and I like how the tension build up slowly and the plot becomes more horrific
The characters are well thought, I liked Nina, and the world building is amazing.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling.
It was a book I liked, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I think that the atmosphere is sometime dreamlike and I like how the tension build up slowly and the plot becomes more horrific
The characters are well thought, I liked Nina, and the world building is amazing.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling.
It was a book I liked, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
joecam79's review against another edition
4.0
Nina Scaife and her fourteen-year old daughter Laurie have just arrived on the eponymous Hope Island, off the coast of Maine, the childhood home of Nina’s long-time partner (and Laurie’s father) Rob. Nina, a British TV news producer is a workaholic, and this is the first time that she has made time to accompany her daughter on a visit to Rob’s elderly parents in America. How ironic then that during this stay she will have to break the news that Rob is not really “away on a holiday” or on a work trip and that the reason for his absence is that he has recently abandoned a long-fraying relationship.
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html