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jgurniak's review against another edition
5.0
Probably my least favourite of Gordon Korman's trilogies but consdering that I still gave it five stars really says something.
betag1013's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Animal death, Blood, Death, Animal cruelty, Dementia, Murder, Medical content, Violence, Vomit, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
protoman21's review against another edition
4.0
Korman doesn't go too deep with these books, but that is okay since the target audience is probably looking for something just this this with a nice blend of adventure and danger and characters with a story. He delivers just this and kids should eat this right up.
coinchantal's review against another edition
4.0
Awesome sequel to the first book. I liked it even more! Great tention building and easy to read and to understand. What will happen next??
booksong's review against another edition
4.0
The second Island book is just as good as the first, in different ways. The survival theme switches to the island, but the characters get even more developed.
Luke Haggerty and his four fellow castaways; Will, Charla, and Ian, have finally reached land after days adrift at sea. But now they are stranded on a small, tropical island in the middle of nowhere. They have no idea what might have happened to their fellows from the fated boat trip, Lyssa and J.J. And worst of all, Will, who was worst affected by the long days clinging to a piece of driftwood, has a bad case of amnesia, and is unable to remember anything about the boat trip or his friends. He begins to avoid them, his lost memory turning him into a frightened hermit for a time. And when you throw a group of men who seem to be dangerous illegal smugglers into the mix, you get a riveting, unforgettable story of a group of completely different kids thrown together on an island by fate, who must decide to cooperate, or die.
Luke Haggerty and his four fellow castaways; Will, Charla, and Ian, have finally reached land after days adrift at sea. But now they are stranded on a small, tropical island in the middle of nowhere. They have no idea what might have happened to their fellows from the fated boat trip, Lyssa and J.J. And worst of all, Will, who was worst affected by the long days clinging to a piece of driftwood, has a bad case of amnesia, and is unable to remember anything about the boat trip or his friends. He begins to avoid them, his lost memory turning him into a frightened hermit for a time. And when you throw a group of men who seem to be dangerous illegal smugglers into the mix, you get a riveting, unforgettable story of a group of completely different kids thrown together on an island by fate, who must decide to cooperate, or die.
jackson_odden's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Really good book about kids stuck on an island They find a atomic bomb
shieldbearer's review against another edition
4.0
Island: Survival is another engaging, easy-to-read installment in Korman's Island trilogy. After the events of the previous book- six teens on a character-building journey on a sailing program known as Charting A New Course to avoid juvenile hall or to deal with other problems in their lives. Naturally, things go wrong and at the end of the last book- after a grueling experience floaing adrift in the ocean- the kids finally make their way to a deserted, uncharted island somewhere in the South Pacific. Gordon balances the characterizations of the six children really well. The story never feels crowded and it's not confusing to tell the different characters apart.
Korman excels at allowing his characters to feel and their backstories have actual weight on their thoughts and their actions, instead of just lingering out of sight to be summoned forth when the character has a moment to angst. They also affect a character's development and maturation as the story goes on- particularly in the case of JJ.
Evenmoreso than in the previous installment, personal responsibility is an ongoing theme in this novel. Every character is, in some way or another, responsible for the reason they were sent to CNC in the first place even if it is no fault of their own. Luke trusted the wrong person, Charla couldn't slow down, Will and Lyssa couldn't get along, Ian couldn't tear himself away from his technology, and JJ went too far in his attempts to get his father's attention and love. However, most of the characters begin turning these weaknesses into strengths. Charla's physical prowess allows her to fish without any tools, Will and Lyssa begin to mend and Ian has accumulated a lot of knowledge from browsing the internet and watching the Discovery Channel. However, JJ refuses to believe that any of this is real and thinks that the CNC is watching from hidden cameras- and that they will come and save them any day now. As a result, he contributes as little as possible to the daily chores on the island.
Korman knows how to escalate situations without making it seemed forced or cheesy, and even when there's no action or violence, he keeps things interesting with understanding of character dynamics. He knows how to keep everyone sympathetic to the reader while still allowing tension to build between the characters. JJ and Luke butt heads a lot, understandably because of their very different backgrounds and the current dynamics of the group.
Korman excels at allowing his characters to feel and their backstories have actual weight on their thoughts and their actions, instead of just lingering out of sight to be summoned forth when the character has a moment to angst. They also affect a character's development and maturation as the story goes on- particularly in the case of JJ.
Evenmoreso than in the previous installment, personal responsibility is an ongoing theme in this novel. Every character is, in some way or another, responsible for the reason they were sent to CNC in the first place even if it is no fault of their own. Luke trusted the wrong person, Charla couldn't slow down, Will and Lyssa couldn't get along, Ian couldn't tear himself away from his technology, and JJ went too far in his attempts to get his father's attention and love. However, most of the characters begin turning these weaknesses into strengths. Charla's physical prowess allows her to fish without any tools, Will and Lyssa begin to mend and Ian has accumulated a lot of knowledge from browsing the internet and watching the Discovery Channel. However, JJ refuses to believe that any of this is real and thinks that the CNC is watching from hidden cameras- and that they will come and save them any day now. As a result, he contributes as little as possible to the daily chores on the island.
Korman knows how to escalate situations without making it seemed forced or cheesy, and even when there's no action or violence, he keeps things interesting with understanding of character dynamics. He knows how to keep everyone sympathetic to the reader while still allowing tension to build between the characters. JJ and Luke butt heads a lot, understandably because of their very different backgrounds and the current dynamics of the group.
felinity's review against another edition
4.0
Floating on a small raft in the middle of the Pacific, hundreds of miles from anywhere, somehow they have to get help, or water. But how can 4 kids manage on their own?
stale_reviews's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5