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July Read - Orphan Island - what did you think?
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LS
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Jun 22, 2017 04:15PM
I just finished this book. I have never disagreed with the group so much as I have on this book. To me, the first 15 chapters of the book were more like a character study and could have been covered in a couple chapters. They do establish the premise of the book, but again, could have happened in a few chapters. The last 10 chapters were the main part of the story. Those chapters were miserable for me to read. I really wanted to stop reading the book, but I had already invested my time in the first 20 chapters. There was no resolution at the end of the book. I know there has been talk of an upcoming prequel or another book in the series. But it still should have stood on its own as a complete storyline. I'm not a fan of this book. I won't be recommending it to my students. I can't believe it is being talked about as a possible Newbery book. What does anyone else think?
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Thank you for creating this link! I read the book and the story stayed with me for many days -still now. I see it as a metaphor for leaving childhood or childish ways and moving on to more maturity. I think the author wanted us to know there are awesome things in both childhood and beyond, and it is necessary to make that move. I enjoyed it and feel the book stands in its own... if you see it as a metaphor. I started by being very curious and almost irritated by the lack of information and background. I only really enjoyed the book when I let go of the need to know and surrendered to the metaphor. I really don't need to know how the kids got to the island or what happens when the boat reaches its destination. I'm content. If you read the "acknowledgements" page, the author refers to the story as a metaphor in many sentences, specially the end. That's my "two cents' worth". I am so interested in reading what others thought as well!
Ana I appreciate your perspective. It is an intriguing idea to consider the work as a whole as a metaphor, perhaps about growing up. I will think about that as a possibility. Right now, even that doesn't really work for me. So when Jinny chooses to stay, she is choosing to prolong childhood? But that's when the "sky started falling". So is the lesson, don't hang on to that? Move on with life and grow up? I'm just not sure. And unlike you, I actually needed to put the story out of my head for a few days before I could write this. It bothered me in a way that no story has for a while.I too look forward to hearing the experience of others when reading this.
LSJohnson, the fact that the story has provoked such strong emotion in your tells me something... I think the message is that there are seasons in life and when we hang in to something, like childhood, things get messy. We must have the courage to "get on the boat" and move on to the next stage in life. That's with everything... like maybe someone that is unable to commit to a mate, or an immature adult.
LSJohnson wrote: "I just finished this book. I have never disagreed with the group so much as I have on this book. To me, the first 15 chapters of the book were more like a character study and could have been covere..."This is my review for Orphan Island:
I enjoyed Orphan Island immensely. It was quite an exciting page turner. Jinny and Ess are irresistible characters. Impossible not to empathize and root for Jinny throughout the book. I do wish the author provided some answers at Orphan Island's conclusion. A sequel is definitely necessary. I won't give anything away but there was little payout in the end. I do think the book's core audience will be ultimately dissatisfied. Just an extra sentence or two showing hope, disaster, anything would have been great. The ride was terrific for me so it I'm giving it 5 stars.
A lot of people commenting on Orphan Island are looking at it through the eyes/mind of an adult solely, it seems. I try my very best to take a child's view into account. I don't think the average middle grade reader is going to be considering the metaphor angles during most if any of the book. He or she want's to know are they all really orphans, where the boat comes from and where it goes, why is the imagery all beautiful and happy then it becomes unsettling and dangerous when you go against what is expected. Yes, a lot of it appears to be about leaving the safe world of childhood and the uncertainty that follows. But it is also an adventure/sci fi book. I am fairly certain the kids picking up Orphan Island think something otherworldly and fantastical is what the book is about and how the book will end.
LSJohnson- Please, do not assume that students won't like it just because you didn't. I was lucky enough to win an ARC of Orphan Island and used it as a read aloud with two MG classes. At the end there was not a student who did not want to read a sequel if one is ever written. We spent so much time in truly valuable discussions as to what was happening in the story. Many of these students chose to write their own sequels and prequels when given the opportunity in class. I loved Orphan Island as much as the 48 students I read it with did!
Buettner wrote: "LSJohnson- Please, do not assume that students won't like it just because you didn't. I was lucky enough to win an ARC of Orphan Island and used it as a read aloud with two MG classes. At the end t..."Personally, I enjoyed Orphan Island so much more than last year's Newbery honor award winners (excluding the picture book that won an honor). The writing and imagery were absolutely top notch. I felt like I was stranded there with the gang.
I really appreciate hearing the different perspectives everyone has on this book. It's what makes this group so exciting to be a part of. I definitely did not enjoy it more than Wolf Hollow or Inquisitor's Tale!! I also enjoyed Scar Island so much more than this one. But the discussion does cause me to wrestle more with the story. My book space is limited, so I only have the ones I'm sure would appeal to someone in my class. This book doesn't meet that criteria yet.
I adored this book. For me, it was reminiscent of my favorite book of all time, The Giver. That was the first book I read that really made me think. I feel Orphan Island will be the same for many middle grade students. I expected exactly the amount of information at the ending that we were given. Too much more would have spoiled the fantasy.
I didn't like this book. I thought the first chapter was great. There was great tension and a lot of ground rules were subtlety laid.
From there on, the book became very, very boring. I strongly disliked Jinny. Sometimes an unlikeable main character is intentional on the author's part. I didn't feel like Jinny was. I got the feeling the author wanted her to be endearing to readers. I didn't get that. She was selfish and whiny and the thought-provoking questions she asked weren't near as thought-provoking as intended.
I also felt like Annabelle's library of books was too contrived of a plot device to give the kids on the island knowledge of the way the world works. This didn't fly. The kids are far too smart than they should be and know things they shouldn't. The library of books isn't enough for me. It's sloppy storytelling and world-building.
The metaphor angle doesn't pass for me either because this wasn't simply a metaphor in the same way Spinelli's Hokey Pokey was. There is heavy foreshadowing throughout and snippets and clues given that could answer many of the questions that arise about the island. To not address any of them, is a copout.
I thought the author was far too present in this and I thought the metaphor angle was too heavy handed. Sometimes I felt the author was posing questions about life that didn't always ring true to Jinny's personality. I felt like some of them were forced.
The Giver is a good comparison, but The Giver supplied its readers with FAR more answers than this book did.
I believe those hoping for a sequel will be waiting awhile. The author wrote this because she was tired of writing for other people and wanted to write for herself. To write a sequel to appease the masses would go against that. She admitted to having a prologue that explained the creation of the island in a mysterious way but a friend read it and advised her to not include it in the story and let the readers wonder. It makes me wonder how good the prologue was and if the explanation of the island would have been a let down. Without explaining anything, it's easy to hide behind the "it's a metaphor" explanation.
I guess in closing, my biggest beef with this story was that I felt myself WAY more interested in the island than I was the characters. I think the author wanted readers to be far more interested in the characters. The characters were nothing special to me. The island could have been.
I really enjoyed this book even if I found the ending maddening. Will write more when I have access to a proper keyboard but I wanted to leave this link here that another GoodReads poster found. It helps explain some of Laurel Snyder's reasoning: https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2...
EDIT: Okay! I'm back at my computer so I can write more. It's been a while since I've picked up a book where I told myself I'm just going to read a little bit and end up getting out of bed, moving to the couch at 11:30 at night, and finishing the whole thing. The world that Laurel Snyder created in Orphan Island was so compelling to me. For some reason it reminded me of Baby Island. I was curious to see how the older kids would care for the younger ones (what rules they created, the stories they passed down, etc). If the book had been just about that I would have liked it. However, on top of that, was the huge mystery of the Island--who created it, who is Abigail, why do the natural laws of our world not apply here, etc. The whole time I was reading it I was trying to figure out what genre it fits into. Fantasy? Sci-fi? Adventure? Mystery? I appreciated Jinny's character and thought her character arc was accurate to what many kids feel as they transition to becoming teens and then adults. Yes, I wanted more from the book when it ended but I appreciated that it allowed me make up my own ending. It stuck with me in a way it might not have if everything was tied up in a neat little bow. I plan on book talking this one this upcoming school year. I am curious to see how my students react to it.
Christine wrote: "I really enjoyed this book even if I found the ending maddening. Will write more when I have access to a proper keyboard but I wanted to leave this link here that another GoodReads poster found. It..."I appreciate the link. I have been a fan of the author for years. Most of today's readers whether it is a child or adult doesn't need or even want the perfect, tidy wrap up bow. Orphan Island has been released for a few weeks now. I hope the title will be on several summer reading lists. It will be great to know what the children thought of this book.
I absolutely loved Orphan Island. I totally agree with the metaphor of leaving childhood. I also think there is something deeper there and being said about faith and hope and belief. Not necessarily religious but just having faith that your path will lead you to where you need to be and to trust that things will work outI feel like this is the new The Giver. I hope there isn't a sequel. I feel Lois Lowry ruined her amazing book by tying up loose ends. I loved how thought provoking the ending of The Giver was and should have stayed that way. I feel like Orphan Island is just like that and hope there is no sequel or trilogy. I think it will lose its impact if it's all tied up, because I think having trust and not knowing what the future brings, was the whole point of the story.
Just my humble opinion, but this and Lucky Broken girl are my top two faves for newbery.
LSJohnson wrote: "I just finished this book. I have never disagreed with the group so much as I have on this book. To me, the first 15 chapters of the book were more like a character study and could have been covere..."Completely agree...
Just not sure how I feel about this book. So many unanswered questions, which I understand may be the point of this metaphorical text, but it didn't leave me feeling very satisfied at all. Also, I didn't really connect with Jinny. This is nowhere near a contender for me...
Natalie wrote: "I absolutely loved Orphan Island. I totally agree with the metaphor of leaving childhood. I also think there is something deeper there and being said about faith and hope and belief. Not necessaril..."I agree with Natalie. I also loved Orphan Island. I remember being Jinny's age--torn between do I stay in and listen to the adult conversations or do I go outside to play because I still really wanted to go outside and play.
When I read the ending, I thought about this meme that says: Can I just be a kid again? No worries, no pain, just fun.
That is what I think the ending meant. Jinny knew deciding to be an adult was like a trick. There does not need to be a sequel. The ending was just fine.
Julie wrote: "I adored this book. For me, it was reminiscent of my favorite book of all time, The Giver. That was the first book I read that really made me think. I feel Orphan Island will be the same for many m..."Julie--I agree. Totally reminded me of the Giver. Very powerful.
Natalie wrote: "Julie wrote: "I adored this book. For me, it was reminiscent of my favorite book of all time, The Giver. That was the first book I read that really made me think. I feel Orphan Island will be the s..."I adored the Giver. If I read it every day of my life I would not be bored with it. Although I enjoyed Orphan Island I don't see the similarities.
Becky wrote: "Just not sure how I feel about this book. So many unanswered questions, which I understand may be the point of this metaphorical text, but it didn't leave me feeling very satisfied at all. Also, I ..."Agreed. The more I think about it, the more it starts to feel more sci-fi like way more was going on with the island than the author wrote. There needed to be more explanation because it seemed like the parents were just sending the kids to the island until they were mature and called them back to rehabilitate in society.
Anna wrote: "Becky wrote: "Just not sure how I feel about this book. So many unanswered questions, which I understand may be the point of this metaphorical text, but it didn't leave me feeling very satisfied at..."I considered it a predominantly sci-fi book from the very beginning. Your take is interesting. If a society is going to send away their kids I'm not sure why they would do it during their early, formative years. Especially if they have no one to really guide and shape them. Just other youth who aren't clued in to what's happening either. Then want them back during their early teen and teen years. Doesn't seem like the most thought out plan to me :)
The life and rules of Orphan Island are really well described in this book. But readers are left with many loose ends. I was particularly perplexed about what caused changes to the weather and animal behavior.Or maybe Jinny has a typical child's egocentric view of the world, believing that external events are controlled by her.
I enjoyed Orphan Island for the unique story and the pains of understanding puberty and growing up. The Peter Pan similarities were enjoyable and the added heavier themes made me think. Did i understand all of it? no. Did I want all the questions answered and things explained? yes. I think it will make kids think and ask questions and that makes it a Newbery contender for me.
I found this story so unique, even though some compare it to The Giver and Peter Pan. Even though the story is very different from The Giver, it leaves me with the same emotions I had during and after reading that book many times. This also came to me as I thoughtfully read. Getting back in the boat to return to what, where, who reminded me of death. No one knows what is on the other side and won't knowbuntil one "gets back in the boat."
I read a very thoughtful review of this in School Library Journal today at blogs.slj.com by Elizabeth Bird. Whether you liked the book or not this review is worth the read.
Thanks, I read the article in SLJ. Thought provoking. This book is my favorite so far Newbery worthy or not.
Ruie wrote: "I read a very review of this in sly today at blogs.slj.com by Elizabeth Bird. Whether you liked the book or not this is worth the read"It was a fabulous Elizabeth Bird review. I am looking forward to reading the comments on it.
I don't always agree with Bird but that was an exceptional review. This book and the questions it raises will stay with me for awhile. I also think it is a modern day classic - one that will provide book discussion fodder for years to come. I think it is a contender.
LSJohnson wrote: "I just finished this book. I have never disagreed with the group so much as I have on this book. To me, the first 15 chapters of the book were more like a character study and could have been covere..."I have to agree with you...https://revingsblog.blogspot.com/2017...
Wow! Thanks for the shoutout, Reving. I'm feel so privileged to be in noted in your review even though we don't agree on the book.
I found the book to be an engaging read, thought-provoking and contemplative. It was a page turner for me, but by the end, left me hanging il and a bit baffled by the end of the story. Too many perplexing unanswered questions. Beyond a metaphorical read or an analogy of growing up, this book seemed to lose direction by the end and had elements that made the novel seem incohesive/inconclusive. If that was the authors intent, so be it. But as for this reader, I came away dissatisfied.
Although I enjoyed Orphan Island very much I remember yelling "Are you kidding me?!" When the story ended. If I were a book tosser the book probably would have hit the wall. But it kept me thinking about it and thinking about it. No small feat for any book but particularly for me because I am constantly reading. Especially books from this age group. Kudos to the author for writing a book for the age group intended and not masking an adult book as a middle grade reader. Something adult authors have successfully and unfortunately for children gotten away with lately. Either Laurel Snyder got great advice or not so great advice and editing. Time will tell. At any rate there is much room for redemption. I would love to read a sequel. It would be pretty easy to evolve the book into what most of us I believe thought it was-a sci-fi fantasy adventure. Not completely a metaphor for the uncertainties of growing up.
Jordan wrote: "I thought the first chapter was great. There was great tension and a lot of ground rules were subtlety laid. From there on, the book became very, very boring. I strongly disliked Jinny. Sometimes an unlikeable main character is intentional on the author's part. I didn't feel like Jinny was. I got the feeling the author wanted her to be endearing to readers. I didn't get that. She was selfish and whiny and the thought-provoking questions she asked weren't near as thought-provoking as intended."
I totally agree with you! This book was a big letdown for me as a reader. Started very strong, but just fizzled. As soon as she refused to take the boat at her appointed time, I knew that she'd ride off at the very end, so the ending didn't bother or surprise me. But what happened in between was just disappointing. No big revelations, no earth-quake, no good conflicts. Am I really supposed to be impressed that she called out the grumpy girl?! Once. And then felt bad. She needs a lot more practice at that if she's actually going to be transitioning into the teenage years!
Other people's comparisons to The Giver actually make me angry. That book was awesome! The only similarity is the very ending in which she leaves and takes a young boy with her. But in The Giver, the protagonist figured things out and knew he was saving the baby from death. Jinny has no clue what she is leaving nor where she is headed. She could be sentencing Loo to death by taking him on that boat. Not to mention Jinny may have caused Loo to fall ill. Again, I really disliked Jinny and I disliked the weak plot.
I think a better comparison for this book is The Maze Runner. I liked the first half of the book better than the second half. Jinny was an unlikable character for me. I couldn't get emotional even when I think the author's intentions were to draw out the tears.
I really enjoyed this book. Jinny is a very flawed character, and at times I didn't like her. However, I couldn't get it out of my head when I finished it. I thought about it for days. I think it is a real contender!
Suzanne wrote: "I really enjoyed this book. Jinny is a very flawed character, and at times I didn't like her. However, I couldn't get it out of my head when I finished it. I thought about it for days. I think it i..."I didn't find Jinny flawed at all. Her actions and thoughts were pretty realistic. Jinny seemed to be the only young person to question and actually rebel against that boat going to whoknowswhere from whoknowswhere. If this were my posse when I was growing up it would've been the rare one of us not to get on that boat kicking and screaming.
This is an odd duck of a book, with the clearest example of an "open-ended" plot I have ever read. (Well...)If a child reads this book, puts it down, walks away, and never thinks about it again, she or he hasn't really "finished" the book. Because the plot does nothing but set up Jinny's leap into the unknown. What is "out there"? (Is Deen "out there"?) How should Jinny act towards those around her? Is she responsible for anyone other than herself? What's more important - rules or feelings?
I thought the strength of the book was in the development of the characters and in the descriptions of the island and lifestyle. Snyder did the reader a favor in NOT answering all of his or her questions about how the children ended up on the island, the mysterious appearance of the green boat and the new child, the continuing isolation of the island, and so on.
Whether this wins any awards or not, it would be a fantastic book to read and discuss and discuss and discuss in a middle-grade classroom.
Mary HD wrote: "This is an odd duck of a book, with the clearest example of an "open-ended" plot I have ever read. (Well...)If a child reads this book, puts it down, walks away, and never thinks about it again, ..."
Great review!
