Review by Kate Park -- Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer
Posted: 16 Oct 2020, 21:11
[Following is a volunteer review of "Island Games" by Caleb J. Boyer.]
Matthew and Ryan wake up on the sandy beach of a mysterious island with no idea where they are or how they got there. Over the next few days, they have to work together to find food and water and stay alive. They face difficulties that make this job seem impossible, such as shark attacks, mysterious creatures, lava, and extreme temperatures. Soon, they find out that they are a part of a sort of game. They must complete ‘levels’ to obtain more food and water and thus stay alive. Will they ever escape, or will they be stuck on this island forever?
Island Games is a mix between Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, Maze Runner, and Hatchet, except that it lacks the violence that these other books include. It is a great book for younger readers, but I would not suggest this book to older readers since they may find the writing style boring. This novel is a thrilling, action-packed story that will have you glued to its pages. The overall theme of friendship and teamwork makes it a great book that portrays praiseworthy morals and messages.
Written by Caleb J. Boyer at the age of only 12 years old, this book is quite an impressive work of literature. Caleb’s writing truly surpasses his age. I found this book to be well-written with a gripping and riveting writing style that fits the amount of energy that this book portrays. It is simply written, which makes it easy to comprehend and a fast read.
Although there are a plethora of things about this book that made me enjoy it so much, my favorite part of this book was the central theme of friendship. Matthew and Ryan have to work together to try to solve the games and find a way off the island. Because these two boys have to do everything together, their preexisting friendship deepens and strengthens throughout the book. Their comradeship is an inspiration to all best friends, and Boyer has done a wonderful job of portraying a deep and lasting friendship in his book.
Finding something about Island Games to dislike is rather difficult since this book was so enjoyable to read. However, there was one aspect of this book that did annoy me. Because I have read countless books, ranging from classics such as Dickens to fantasy such as Tolkien, I did find this book to be somewhat simple in its manner of writing. Although it was packed with action and suspense, I still found the writing style to be repetitive and the choice of words constricted. In the end, this did not detract from the book because it is tailored for a younger audience.
Overall, this book deserves 4 out of 4 stars. Nothing about this book would make me want to give it less. It was well-edited and the plot was well thought out and portrayed. It is simplistic yet still dangerous and dramatic enough to draw readers into the story. There is no profanity or suggestive scenes and there is very little violence.
This is the type of book that I wish I had to read in my middle school English class. I cannot think of many books that are so well-tailored towards children around middle school age. Even kids who are not big readers would enjoy this book since it is short and there is hardly a boring sentence throughout the entirety of its pages. I would still recommend this book to those older than grade school but be prepared for some cheesiness in certain scenes. Island Games was so much fun to read, and I would suggest it if you are looking for a book packed full of adventure, daring escapes, and ultimate friendship.
******
Island Games
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Matthew and Ryan wake up on the sandy beach of a mysterious island with no idea where they are or how they got there. Over the next few days, they have to work together to find food and water and stay alive. They face difficulties that make this job seem impossible, such as shark attacks, mysterious creatures, lava, and extreme temperatures. Soon, they find out that they are a part of a sort of game. They must complete ‘levels’ to obtain more food and water and thus stay alive. Will they ever escape, or will they be stuck on this island forever?
Island Games is a mix between Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, Maze Runner, and Hatchet, except that it lacks the violence that these other books include. It is a great book for younger readers, but I would not suggest this book to older readers since they may find the writing style boring. This novel is a thrilling, action-packed story that will have you glued to its pages. The overall theme of friendship and teamwork makes it a great book that portrays praiseworthy morals and messages.
Written by Caleb J. Boyer at the age of only 12 years old, this book is quite an impressive work of literature. Caleb’s writing truly surpasses his age. I found this book to be well-written with a gripping and riveting writing style that fits the amount of energy that this book portrays. It is simply written, which makes it easy to comprehend and a fast read.
Although there are a plethora of things about this book that made me enjoy it so much, my favorite part of this book was the central theme of friendship. Matthew and Ryan have to work together to try to solve the games and find a way off the island. Because these two boys have to do everything together, their preexisting friendship deepens and strengthens throughout the book. Their comradeship is an inspiration to all best friends, and Boyer has done a wonderful job of portraying a deep and lasting friendship in his book.
Finding something about Island Games to dislike is rather difficult since this book was so enjoyable to read. However, there was one aspect of this book that did annoy me. Because I have read countless books, ranging from classics such as Dickens to fantasy such as Tolkien, I did find this book to be somewhat simple in its manner of writing. Although it was packed with action and suspense, I still found the writing style to be repetitive and the choice of words constricted. In the end, this did not detract from the book because it is tailored for a younger audience.
Overall, this book deserves 4 out of 4 stars. Nothing about this book would make me want to give it less. It was well-edited and the plot was well thought out and portrayed. It is simplistic yet still dangerous and dramatic enough to draw readers into the story. There is no profanity or suggestive scenes and there is very little violence.
This is the type of book that I wish I had to read in my middle school English class. I cannot think of many books that are so well-tailored towards children around middle school age. Even kids who are not big readers would enjoy this book since it is short and there is hardly a boring sentence throughout the entirety of its pages. I would still recommend this book to those older than grade school but be prepared for some cheesiness in certain scenes. Island Games was so much fun to read, and I would suggest it if you are looking for a book packed full of adventure, daring escapes, and ultimate friendship.
******
Island Games
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon