Review of Island Games

asteel18 · Post by **asteel18** » 22 Sep 2021, 16:23

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

4 out of 4 stars

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Island Games, by Caleb J. Boyer, is a captivating tale about two boys, Matthew and Ryan, who wake up on a beach one day with very little memory of who they are and no memory of how they arrived on the island. They do what most people would do when finding themselves on a strange island; figure out food, shelter, and how to get back home. The boys set out to do this and soon realize that they are part of a very deadly and very real game. Each day the boys are on the island they’re introduced to a new challenge like fighting sharks, avoiding lava, and tackling hideous beasts. These things might be fun in a video game, but not in real life. After they have completed their tasks successfully, they are rewarded with a packet of food, water, and other items they might need to survive. They are also gifted with keys made of different materials, but no information about what the keys will unlock. Along the way, Matthew and Ryan question how they arrived on the island and who is putting them through these challenges. Will the boys be able to complete the game in time? Will they ever make it back home?

There were several things that I liked about this story. I liked the creative challenges the boys were given and the ideas they came up with to tackle those challenges. Matthew and Ryan, friends since kindergarten, use their own unique skills to help one another complete each task. I also liked the mystery of how they came to be on the island and how they would get back home. I would have been terrified, but they seemed to attack each task head-on. Another thing that impressed me was that this story was written by someone so young. Caleb was 12 years old when he wrote Island Games, and his writing is better than that of many adults. The book is professionally edited, as I did not detect any spelling or grammar errors.

The only thing I disliked about Island Games was the end of the story, which was completely unsatisfying for me. There was a message from the author stating why he finished the story the way that he did, but it didn’t alleviate my personal disappointment. Other readers might understand the explanation or even find it inspirational.

Island Games is an exciting, fast-paced, and thoughtful story, and the disappointing ending shouldn’t factor into my rating, so I gave this book four out of four stars. It was very well written and thrilling to read.

I believe this book will appeal mainly to preteens, but adults will still find enjoyment in Island Games. I’m very excited for this author and look forward to seeing what the future holds for him.

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Island Games
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