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joecam79's review against another edition
4.0
Nina Scaife and her fourteen-year old daughter Laurie have just arrived on the eponymous Hope Island, off the coast of Maine, the childhood home of Nina’s long-time partner (and Laurie’s father) Rob. Nina, a British TV news producer is a workaholic, and this is the first time that she has made time to accompany her daughter on a visit to Rob’s elderly parents in America. How ironic then that during this stay she will have to break the news that Rob is not really “away on a holiday” or on a work trip and that the reason for his absence is that he has recently abandoned a long-fraying relationship.
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html
valetparkering's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
This was a really disappointing book, the cover led me astray
riverwise's review against another edition
3.0
This is a supernatural horror novel, but it has a vibe that you also find in a certain stand of 60s British SF like John Wyndham or Quatermass And The Pit. Fans of those influences and the wider area of folk horror will find a lot to enjoy here, whereas the gorehounds are likely to be disappointed. Despite the Maine setting it’s not a full on Stephen King horrorfest, but more a character study of someone already going through trauma being thrust into an unsettling and unexplained situation that starts to turn very nasty. The novel cleaves rigourously to her viewpoint - you will spend the entire book firmly locked inside her head and have to make your own mind up about what’s “real” or not. From that point of view it’s a success. Major conjures up the fear and paranoia of being stuck on a hostile island with no escape (the handling of the local geography is particularly good, and even without a map you’ll have a good idea of how each location relates to another), and the eventual supernatural denouement is very effective.
annarella's review
4.0
It's quite creepy and entertaining. The author builds slowly the tensions and you cannot help being hooked because you want to understand if what you read is an hallucination or something that the character is living.
I think that the atmosphere is sometime dreamlike and I like how the tension build up slowly and the plot becomes more horrific
The characters are well thought, I liked Nina, and the world building is amazing.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling.
It was a book I liked, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I think that the atmosphere is sometime dreamlike and I like how the tension build up slowly and the plot becomes more horrific
The characters are well thought, I liked Nina, and the world building is amazing.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling.
It was a book I liked, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
joecam79's review
4.0
Nina Scaife and her fourteen-year old daughter Laurie have just arrived on the eponymous Hope Island, off the coast of Maine, the childhood home of Nina’s long-time partner (and Laurie’s father) Rob. Nina, a British TV news producer is a workaholic, and this is the first time that she has made time to accompany her daughter on a visit to Rob’s elderly parents in America. How ironic then that during this stay she will have to break the news that Rob is not really “away on a holiday” or on a work trip and that the reason for his absence is that he has recently abandoned a long-fraying relationship.
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html
The novel opens with a literal jolt – Nina, just after her arrival in Hope Island, is driving towards her in-laws’ house when she slams on the brakes to avoid running over a mysterious girl ominously standing in the middle of the road. Laurie, Grandpa Abram and Grandma Tammie are in the car but do not notice the girl. Is Nina’s mind playing tricks? Soon, Nina discovers that all the children on the island seem to be acting strangely and starts fearing that Laurie will be the next to be infected with the strange malaise which seems to hold them in thrall. The “Siblings”, a sort of quasi-mystical commune who have settled on the island, and to whom Tammie and Abram belong, seem to have something to do with the creepy goings-on.
Tim Major is a writer of speculative fiction who cites John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury and H.G. Wells amongst his influences. Indeed, Hope Island is based a Wyndhamesque premise combining elements of sci-fi and supernatural fiction. The novel also has a strong folk-horror vibe to it. The contrast between Nina – the sceptical journalist and outsider – and the islanders is a typical trope of that genre, as are the frenzied rituals featured in some of the book’s chapters.
What is more surprising is how much of the novel does not deal with the uncanny at all, but is actually a psychological study of a woman – Nina – who is questioning her life choices after the traumatic event of the breakdown of her relationship. Indeed, as Nina’s sanity becomes increasingly fragile, one starts to suspect that at least some of the supernatural events in the novel might be the creations of her feverish mind.
Perhaps because of this conceptual approach, lovers of page-turning, action-packed horror novels might be disappointed. Hope Island requires some patience – it’s a slow-burning read with includes symbolic dreamlike sequences which are not always easy to follow. However, you should definitely check out this novel if your idea of horror is the psychological type, where the eeriness creeps upon you slowly but surely.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2020/05/hope-island-by-tim-major.html
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