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hannahfrimodig's review
2.0
I was disappointed by this book. it only started to get interesting at the end. I feel like it should have started and ended later. I probably would have liked it better if it was written differently.
24marsha's review against another edition
3.0
It is kind of refreshing to read a dystopian novel that doesn’t come with sequels to read to finish the story- but that comes at the cost of many unanswered questions. I loved the first half of the book as Honour struggles to understand the complex decisions to follow her parents or societies ways of thinking. The way the ending is quite open was great, but you will need to create your own conclusion in many ways.
deedralapray's review
4.0
I'm kind of on a roll with my dystopian themed books lately. Perhaps if I read The Other Side of the Island apart from this string of books, I would have rated it a little higher. It is an excellent book, and I will definitely recommend it! I would have liked to have had more info on "The Corporation" -- who were they, how did they start???
ayaktruk's review
3.0
Ahh, the ambiguous ending, followed by an author's note. Love it.
My daughter actually picked this one up at the library since it was part of the Intermediate level Sequoyah reading list. I also downloaded it onto her Nookcolor, so it was conveniently handy for a quick read.
Overly complicated setup for a one shot deal, but I enjoyed it none-the-less.
My daughter actually picked this one up at the library since it was part of the Intermediate level Sequoyah reading list. I also downloaded it onto her Nookcolor, so it was conveniently handy for a quick read.
Overly complicated setup for a one shot deal, but I enjoyed it none-the-less.
rosmo's review
5.0
I hadn't ever heard of this book and my mom found it at the library and suggested I read it. It was a lot like The Giver, except I ended up liking it more, mainly because it is about a girl my age, so I could understand it more. It was a very good book! :)
lisawreading's review
3.0
Allegra Goodman's first novel for young adults is an occasionally inventive take on a post-global-warming society, where being Inaccurate and Unacceptable are big no-nos. "The Other Side of the Island" has plenty of original elements, but overall feels reminiscent of any number of YA books about totalitarian societies. Recommended, but not necessarily all that new or different.
misswitch's review
2.0
Yet another dystopian novel that suffers from a lack of world building by the author. While it had an interesting hook, the story never really takes advantage of it. Overall, disappointing with an ending that feels like a cheat.
danessa_mae's review
4.0
At first the book is kind of slow and hard to understand, but once you get into the book its really good.
katec9999's review
4.0
Global warming has caused the polar ice caps to melt and sea levels to rise; consequently, much of the Earth’s land has disappeared, leaving only high-lying islands. A corporation run by a woman known as Earth Mother now rules all of the islands. Honor and her family have moved to Island 365, and from the outset it looks like they’ll have a hard time fitting in. First of all, Honor’s name is all wrong. Everyone born in her year has a name that begins with H, but Honor’s name has a silent H and is therefore all wrong. Honor’s family also sings songs (forbidden), stays out past curfew (a serious offense), and worst of all, has a second child. Honor grows more and more embarrassed by her family’s disrespect of the rules, but her embarrassment turns to concern when she finds out what happens to people who do not fit in. [return][return]This book is similar to other futuristic children’s books, like the City of Ember books and the Shadow Children series. If you liked those books then you’ll probably like this one; however, it’s not a standout. I liked how some of Earth Mother’s rules were similar to the rules of the former Chinese ruler Mao Zedong, like how all people had to hang a picture of her in their house and have a book of her sayings. It is truly frightening how Earth Mother and the people who work for her are able to control the population.