Island by Jane Rogers

Island by Jane Rogers

Stars: 5/5

I promise not to spoil any plot twists or anything super important.

Originally, I only wanted to read this book because the movie it inspired featured an actor that I appreciate. However, I didn't want to watch the movie without first reading the book because for me, reading the book before the movie is a mandatory process. In this case, reading the book before watching the movie was totally and absolutely necessary. 

"When I was twenty-eight I decided to kill my mother."

Immediately the first sentence put me off. Personally, I don't care for reading books that are written in first-person because it makes me feel like I'm the character. Thank God Harry Potter wasn't written in first person, I would have never finished it. After  reading the first sentence of Island, I though to myself, "Oh wonderful,  it's in first-person and in the point of view of a total crazy person."

Lucky for me, I have "I started the book, I have no other choice on Earth but to finish it" problems. 

Nikki Black, the "total crazy person" quickly establishes her reasons for being the way she is. She grew up with the knowledge that her mother left her as a baby at the post office. growing up, she was shuffled from home to home, never being adopted or properly cared for. At age twenty-eight, Nikki decides to find her mother, ask her stuff, and decidedly murder her. 

During Nikki's six chapter monologue, I was disturbed, and was desperately wishing that I could convince myself to take the book back to the library. 

Nikki eventually finds herself on an obscure island, renting a room from her mother, who is unaware of Nikki's true identity. Soon after, Nikki meets her half-brother, Calum (twenty-six I think?). 

Calum. 

What a character! At twenty-six (I think!) he has never been to the mainland because his and Nikki's mother forbids it of him. Mrs. Lovage, the mother, controls Calum's every move. Calum seems to be an overgrown child and simpleton. His knowledge of the island is based off of both fact and myths that he doesn't seem to be able to distinguish from each other. His favorite pastime is walking around the island with a rucksack, collecting anything and everything that the sea has gifted to the island. He takes all of his "treasure" to his house and sorts it into the ever growing piles in his front yard. What I love about Calum is that he is able to find the beauty in anything. When he first meets Nikki, he surprises her by being fascinated with her cheap earrings.

Nikki and Calum become fast friends even though her intentions towards him are sinister (because she's crazy). He takes her around the island telling her every fact and fairy tale about the island with unlimited enthusiasm. My favorite part in the book is when Nikki tells Calum that she doesn't believe in fairies. He warns her against it saying, 

"People who annoy them-th-they spoil everything for them They can suck the insides out of stuff and leave it just the same. A meal, say, a feast. They suck the goodness out of everything and leave it just a h-hollow shell. It looks good but when you touch it crumbles. To dust."

Nikki asks him if they can do it to people. He replies,

"Some say they've done it to the whole w-world already."

What I love about the book:

-Calum and his life philosophies

-the way the book is written (even though it's in first person)

-the ending

What I dislike about the book:

-Nikki. She makes me angry and I just want to shake her.

-the crap that Calum goes through.

-the ending

My reason for having a love/hate relationship with the ending without spoiling the ending: I can't decide if it has a happy ending or not. It definitely is very thought provoking and all that, but it's like the ending in Sweeney Todd where everything is just one big tragic misunderstanding and I hate it. But, it is a bit refreshing not to have a clear-cut happy ending because it's different from what I usually read, and so it was something new.

So. After reading the book in one sitting, I knew I had to watch the movie RIGHT NOW. 

The movie I would say gets 3/5 stars, though, it gets full credit though for staying true to the book. Most of the script is a direct quote which I love. However, without the whole first-person narration, there is hardly any insight at all as to why the characters do the things they do. There is no obvious reason for Nikki being a total psychopath, which is vital for the entire plot. Having read the book, the movie was good. The movie on it's own however, not so much. I would highly recommend the book. The writing is amazing, and the plot is original. My brother is even reading it and he doesn't usually read anything I suggest. He even tried to steal it back from me when I borrowed it to write this post.

Books, books, YAAAYY BOOKS.