Gripping teen fiction (Forbidden Island - Malcolm Rose)

Member Name: crazyminx

Product:	Forbidden Island - Malcolm Rose
Date:	15/07/09 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant

Disadvantages: Might be too frightening for some young ones

It's a long time since I've been so involved in a book that I've literally been unable to put it down, but Forbidden Island gripped me from start to finish and I read it in one day, which is very unlike me!

The book tells the story of five teenagers, aged between 13 and 16, who set out on a boat trip and come across a mysterious island. What begins as a fun exploration of the island soon turns into a terrifying experience when they find themselves unable to get away and at the mercy of a decades old threat that could be the death of all of them.

The story is based on a real life island off the coast of Scotland which was used for anthrax testing by the government and military in past times. This island is called Gruinard if you want to look it up and find out more information.

The story starts immediately on the first page, there is no faffing around and introducing the characters for a few chapters first. It is action from the word go and I was instantly intrigued. There is a sense of doom and disaster that hangs over the children from the moment they set foot on the island, which gives the whole story a very tense air.

The writing style is simple but effective and the plot sweeps you along with it, though I do feel that a little more time could have been given to character development. Even so, I cared what happened to all the teens and the book is undeniably easy to read.

I would say this could be read by pre-teens and teenagers from around 8 to 17, though some adults may enjoy it too. The younger ones from that spectrum might be best reading it with a parent though as there are some interesting moral issues and some genuinely sad and scary parts. Younger children may find parts of it disturbing, especially those bits which involve blood and illness.

This book isn't flawless but I have given it five stars anyway because I found it an excellent read. The fact that the situation it is based around was a reality in this nation just a few years ago makes it even more interesting. I would highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading more by this author.

The book has a RRP of £5.99 but can currently be bought on Amazon.co.uk for £3.98.

Summary: A great book that I will definitely read again