Review by lindsayshalla23 -- Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer

[lindsayshalla23]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Island Games" by Caleb J. Boyer.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants by Caleb J. Boyer is the story of two adolescent boys, Matthew and Ryan, that find themselves trapped on a mysterious island. They are left without supplies or any kind of hints or help. All they have is each other. Through a series of challenges, the boys must struggle to uncover the secrets of the island and use teamwork, wit, and bravery to find their way back home.

The story is super action-packed and humorous, making it an easy read for almost all ages. As it goes on, more and more aspects are revealed, and you can almost feel the desperation of the characters to make it out alive. It is impressive that not only is the author young, but the young characters are able to navigate so much on their own.

I enjoyed how you are immediately thrown into the story without knowing how the boys arrived or where they are. Also, the touches of lightness and jokes sprinkled throughout the tale add an element of fun in an otherwise tense, serious environment. Another element I enjoyed was the characters. Despite there only being two, they are intriguing and relatable.

The part that I disliked most is that the book ended very abruptly without answering any of the persistent questions that arise throughout the story. For example, the mystery of the island and the boys’ lives previous to the island is left like a gaping hole. I understand that this is the first book in a series, but it felt very unsatisfying and heavily affected my opinion on an otherwise enjoyable story.

I give Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants by Caleb J. Boyer a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. If there were a point system, I would rate it 3.5 out of 4 stars only because of the open ending. Otherwise, the book was very well told, considering the young age of the author, and it was fast paced yet easy to follow. The editing also seemed professional; there were only a few misspellings found.

I would recommend that children around the ages of 8 and over would enjoy this book. There were no instances of profanity, erotic descriptions, or extreme violence. The author includes mentions of religion and despite the boys’ being adolescent and all alone, the story and dialogue are kept very clean. I believe that any audience could enjoy this book, but it is geared towards a younger audience.

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Island Games
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