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The Island by Adrian McKinty
In The Morning I’ll Be Gone, Gun Street Girl, and Rain Dogs by Adrian McKinty are Sean Duffy novels that have won awards yet are commercially underappreciated. But sadly, I didn’t enjoy his single action-thriller The Chain, which became an instant worldwide bestseller. And now, in a related spirit, his most recent book, The Island…
I won’t sugarcoat it in any way. This book’s beginning was really tedious to me. Why? The conversation was occasionally uncomfortable and perplexingly vulgar, and the plot development and character development felt fragile. It seemed as though the incisive and nuanced prose that longtime admirers know McKinty is capable of had been drowned out by the editorial kitchen’s overcrowding of chefs.
Thankfully, though, after a few chapters McKinty’s writing voice eventually seized control and the text quality and reading experience increased. After that, I became totally involved. It’s true that some of the character discoveries and errors that fuel The Island’s lightning-fast plot appear convenient rather than creative. But keep in mind that this is an escape-oriented action-adventure thriller, and McKinty maintains a relentless rhythm throughout.
The complexity of lead protagonist Heather’s transforming story arc, though, is what ultimately kept me interested and I assume is the reason why this is already being adapted for a limited TV series broadcast on Hulu. What is not captivating about a woman who is all too frequently underestimated discovering and unleashing her inner warrior when she finds herself in a battle for survival that is either life or death?
I am happy to see Adrian McKinty attain long-overdue commercial success with these two action-thriller publications, The Chain and The Island because he is an unquestionably excellent author. I can only hope that his newly acquired fans will continue to learn about the excellent calibre of his Sean Duffy books and that the series’ powerful brilliance will be preserved in Books 7-9, which are now tentatively scheduled for release in late 2022 and beyond.
About The Book
The Island is the latest action-packed adventure from the mind behind the award-winning worldwide phenomenon The Chain and a family narrative unlike any you’ve read before. It’s exhilarating, horrifying, and razor-sharp.
You ought not to have visited the island.
You shouldn’t have been driving too fast.
Avoid attempting to conceal the body.
You shouldn’t have assured your kids that you could protect them.
Anyone can only run for so long.
‘a tense, pacy page-turner’ The Guardian
‘Sure to please readers who love pacy, suspenseful survivalist adventures’ Weekend Australia
‘The Island certainly gets the blood pumping and the pages turning as it races to its dramatic conclusion’ Canberra Weekly
‘The tension is palpable. The plot is twisted and claustrophobic. McKinty snatches you early and doesn’t let you escape until the very last page’ Good Reading
The Review
The Island
9.5 Score
This book should come with a warning: reading at night could cause insomnia. It’s an adrenaline pumper of a tale with a female Rambo figure as its heroine. Moral of the tale and a lesson to all bad guys: never come between a mama bear and her cubs. Highly recommended if you enjoy edge of your seat thrillers.
PROS
- Superb Thriller.
- A compulsive thriller.
- Page-turner.
- Quick and entertaining.
CONS
- Absolutely Awful.
- Sean Duffy novel.
- Disappointing.
- Cheap, shallow, and manipulative.
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