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A review by irongator
The Island by M.A. Bennett
Did not finish book.
I couldn't finish this book, in fact I only got 68 pages in before I took it to a charity shop and parted ways with it forever.
The author doesn't seem like she knows enough about the hobbies and interests of her main character to make him believable. I also had issues with the continued idea that intelligence and 'geekiness' can not be paired with athleticism, I don't have words for how much I loathe this trope. I was sick of how 'white' he was, how 'skinny' he was. How he wore glasses because it fit with the authors geeky narrative. Speaking as a person who is into video games and comic books, I also was on the sports teams at school and went hiking and cycling. I feel this weighed heavily on my quick and perhaps a little harsh judgement of the book.
As I said, I didn't finish it so he may become more interesting as the book progresses, and as I turned each page I really did want to like it and hoped it would improve - the premise sounded really interesting.
What finally made me put the book down though was the fact that Link (our narrator) had claimed to be a fan of both DC and Marvel, then in a later chapter had called the Hulk 'David Banner'. David Banner was the name given to the Hulk's alter ego in the 1978 TV series, I just can't imagine a Marvel fan - particularly one born post 2000 - referencing the TV series narrative instead of the comic's Bruce Banner.
My only hope now is that someone else will pick it up and give my donated copy the love I couldn't.
The author doesn't seem like she knows enough about the hobbies and interests of her main character to make him believable. I also had issues with the continued idea that intelligence and 'geekiness' can not be paired with athleticism, I don't have words for how much I loathe this trope. I was sick of how 'white' he was, how 'skinny' he was. How he wore glasses because it fit with the authors geeky narrative. Speaking as a person who is into video games and comic books, I also was on the sports teams at school and went hiking and cycling. I feel this weighed heavily on my quick and perhaps a little harsh judgement of the book.
As I said, I didn't finish it so he may become more interesting as the book progresses, and as I turned each page I really did want to like it and hoped it would improve - the premise sounded really interesting.
What finally made me put the book down though was the fact that Link (our narrator) had claimed to be a fan of both DC and Marvel, then in a later chapter had called the Hulk 'David Banner'. David Banner was the name given to the Hulk's alter ego in the 1978 TV series, I just can't imagine a Marvel fan - particularly one born post 2000 - referencing the TV series narrative instead of the comic's Bruce Banner.
My only hope now is that someone else will pick it up and give my donated copy the love I couldn't.