Review by dorebri2020 -- Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer

[dorebri2020]

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

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2 out of 4 stars

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Island Games is a young adult adventure and mystery novel written by Caleb J. Boyer. The story focuses primarily on two boys named Matthew and Ryan trapped who wake up and find themselves trapped on an island. After waking, they realize that they both have lost their memories about their past and have no idea how they got to the island. As they fight to survive, the boys find that the island has been set with multiple traps, fairly similar to the traditional idea of a survival game. There are weird and terrifying monsters, strange keys, and challenges that offer food packets and water bottles if the boys can survive. Not only must they survive, but the boys also have to trust each other and work together to find a way off the island.

My absolute favorite part of the novel was the skill of the author in consideration of his youth. The challenges the author faced have clearly inspired him to create a wonderful story that clearly demonstrates the traits necessary in friendship and to survive: teamwork, trust, and love are all very prominent themes in this novel, themes that are necessary to keep the boys alive. Although the author is young, he is able to clearly portray these points throughout the novel, which is incredibly well-done and clearly reaches his target audience.

As for the plot overall, I was fairly impressed by the direct progress of the story in a clear and concise matter. The easiness and simplicity of the style move the story forward quickly and concisely and allow for consistent imagery. The story is kept fairly light, and darker moments are limited by humor and friendly conversation. It’s fun, and many moments of the friendly dialogue are charming. It's also fun to see the continuous buildup of the boy's friendship throughout the novel, and there are many moments where the childish growth scenes are amusing and enjoyable.

There are, unfortunately, a few drawbacks to the novel. Since the author is young and lacks traditional experience, the style is very plainly written, and many scenes are unbelievable or uncharacteristic of certain characters. For instance, there are many moments of dialogue between Matthew and Ryan where the language is formal and sophisticated, which is odd for two young boys who are afraid and anxious. Also, since the writing style is so simple, the plot is extremely predictable. The characters went through challenge after challenge with no motive other than food and water and there was a general lack of development.

Overall, I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. It is very well-edited, and I don’t recognize any grammatical typos or errors. However, the basic plot and simple language, as well as lack of character development, made me deduct two stars. In general, I feel like young readers would enjoy this novel, but people looking for a fun mystery read may feel seriously disappointed. The book is well suited for any youthful age, so it may be a good starter book for elementary students.

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Island Games
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