Monday, January 7, 2019

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder

🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts. And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them—and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again.

Today’s Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny’s best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now—to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they’ve always been. But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back—and take her away forever from the only home she’s known?

Initially, I thought that I was going to like this book. It seemed so different in the beginning that I became curious with the direction that the author would take the book in. Will Jinny fight her fate? Will she make the same choice that Deen did? I wasn't sure what was going to happen but I was excited to find out. I found that as the book progressed I liked it less and less. I found Jinny to be selfish and impatient. I didn't understand why she seemed to only think of herself even though there were so many other children on the island with her. I also did not like how whenever something happens all of the characters sound like broken records. They don't offer up any new dialogue. They just say the same things over and over.  I think that one of the things that annoyed me the most about the book was the ending. I don't feel like there was one. I wanted answers and some sort of closure. I have read in other reviews that that wasn't the point to the story. That it was supposed to be a metaphor for growing up but that just isn't enough for me. The book was fine for what it was but I don't think that it was for me. 

2 comments:

  1. Wait! There isn't an ending!! NOOOO! I started this today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. There is but it isn't a satisfying one!

    ReplyDelete