The Island by Jen Minkman: Review

Hi friends! I have another review for you guys, this time for The Shadow by Jen Minkman. I actually read this book about a week ago, but I've been to lazy to review it.

I suck as a blogger, I know. Hate emails are unnecessary.

YA Dystopian

Jen Minkman

Amazon Link

Publisher: Self
My Rating: 8/10

If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall. Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.

Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers. 

"I have never seen one.’

Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors. 

But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?

Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?

If you are a real Serial Reader, you've seen the review for one of my first novellas ever. And you also know that I pretty much thought it sucked. In more or less words.

I was kind of apprehensive about reading about the Island, because I wasn't in the mood for another sucky book, no matter how short it was. Thankfully, the Island didn't suck at all. It was actually pretty good. 

For one, the Island reminded me of the Giver by Lois Lowry, except it was so much better. And this is why:

• The Island was easier to understand.
• The Island had better characters. 
• The Island was easier to "fall" into.

Catch the gist?

Unlike what I thought would happen, the Island started off with a good scene and never fell off that track. I was able to stay entertained the whole time.

Although the Island is not as long as traditional books, I was amazed at the story that fit into the length. Unlike the last novella I read, it didn't feel rushed, or like the story didn't have time to develop. I would've like more romantic aspects in the story, but I'm just used to the NA romances. 

The Island was highly entertaining. And it was nice to get a fresh taste of dystopian novels.

The only thing is I'm not sure about the Star Wars elements in the book. I think that kind of tainted the story.  

But overall I choose to keep the Island on my shelves.

And come see my review for Shadow of Time, also by Jen Minkman!

Goodreads Link