Isolation Island: Book Review
Murder mysteries have interested generation after generation since the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. They allow people to get lost in the plot and attempt to solve the mystery before the detective. Adding reality TV as a survival show to the mix can’t go wrong, right?
Isolation Island tells the story of ten celebrities who are cast onto a remote Scottish island, completely alone except for each other. They must compete for a grand prize, and for an added twist, they don’t know each other's prizes. Things start reasonably smoothly, with the odd hiccup here and there; however, when a contestant dies under mysterious circumstances, the others begin to question the circumstances in which they’ve now found themselves.
Overall, the plot is alluring for much of our generation, as it finds a unique intersection between the love for reality TV shows like The Kardashians, Love Island, and Masterchef, and true crime. Minchin is effectively and convincingly able to capitalize on and combine these two widely loved genres into one unified plot.
Additionally, Minchin herself competed on a similar survival show, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, so she brings a sense of realism to the novel, having been through similar trials and tribulations that others who work with similar plots may not have.
Personally, I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Daphne Kouma, and found she did an exceptional job. She gave life to each of the various characters that I’m not sure would translate the same on the page. I also thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and setting of the island throughout the novel. With its cold, wintery ambience, Isolation Island is a great book to read in the coldest months of the year, perhaps during a snowstorm to match the weather in the latter half.
I think the main character, Lauren, could come off as annoying and foolish at times. She is a washed-up journalist whose career was sacrificed to her obsession with one of the other castaways. The tension leading up to their confrontation comes off as childish and lacked the professionalism her character had previously prided herself on. After this point, Lauren comes off more as a young teenager rather than a grown woman.
Another factor that lowered my rating was the twists closer to the novel's end. I think the story had high potential, and the twists were unneeded (I won’t spoil any so you can formulate your own thoughts). Some of the twists felt a bit forced and seemed like they were added for the shock value. Lastly, I think the ending was a bit rushed and could have been fleshed out more, leading to a more satisfying finish.
Overall, Isolation Island is a reasonably good debut novel, and I give it a solid three stars. Minchin has gotten off to a good start in the thriller world, and if she continues to write in this genre, she could create something truly masterful.
